AIM's engagement study 'Highly Commended' at FIPP Research Awards, London

An engagement study by AIM (Association of Indian Magazines) was 'Highly Commended' in the category of 'Best Research By Any National Association' at the FIPP Research Awards 2012.

In a ceremony in London on 29 May, AIM was presented the citation by Chris Llewellyn, the president and ceo, FIPP; and Kathi Love, president and ceo of US market research company GfK MRI, sponsors of the Awards dinner. The winner in the category was Spanish Magazines Association's (ARI) entry on on Effectiveness of Magazine Advertising. Mitrajit Bhattacharya, vice president, AIM, confirmed the FIPP recognition to Campaign India.

Just over six months after Tarun Rai was appointed  president of The Association of Indian Magazines (AIM), he launched the engagement survey during the World Magazine Congress in Gurgaon. During the first week of April, it was rolled out officially by Rai and fellow AIM members. The survey will aid media planners and marketers with 'incredible' reader data, according to Rai.

The survey was conducted by Quantum and IMRB. AIM took us through the findings and a print campaign to spread the findings, at a closed-door brief at the new AIM office in Delhi.

“The purpose of the campaign is to highlight our strengths not just anecdotally but backed with research,” said Bhattacharya. He feels there is much skepticism that abounds about magazines and that 'the air needs to be cleared'. Bhattacharya notes that a key advantage of the survey is what it says about a magazine audience’s reading habits.

Some key findings from the survey: 68 per cent of magazine readers, read them when they are alone. This is the highest for any medium; and leads to the fact that 87 per cent of readers give undivided attention to magazines (twice as much as TV). 66 per cent of readers turn to a magazine when they want to relax.

There are other statistics the survey throws up that make the case for magazine engagement: 83 per cent of readers don’t see ads in magazines as an interruption as opposed to TV ads, which are likely to be seen as interruptions. This means there’s only 12 per cent ad avoidance for magazines, again, the lowest among all media with TV at 31 per cent, claims the survey.

The survey was conducted among 3,600 people in 10 cities. It also finds that there are 42 per cent readers for whom magazines are the most preferred source of information on categories like beauty and health, clothing, home decor, accessories, luxury goods, auto, financial services and travel.

Commenting on why the survey being 'Highly Commended', Chris Llewellyn, said, "The Research Award judges were impressed by the insights provided by the survey, and the technical excellence of its methodology. The survey has demonstrated the key underlying strengths of the magazine medium, strengths which explain why magazines are such an effective medium for advertisers. The judges felt that the survey deserved the international recognition it is receiving."

Information from the AIM survey is also being included in the forthcoming book 'Proof of Performance: The Case for Magazine Media'. The book is authored by Guy Consterdine, Research Consultant to FIPP.