If you consider advertising in Pinball Magazine, but are not aware of what usually works when it comes to advertising in magazines, Pinball Magazine likes to help you. Here are some facts on magazine advertising, as well as some useful do’s and don’ts.

Some facts (taken from www.magazines.nl/nl/onderzoek/dos-en-donts-magazine-ads, which actually contains some nice examples):

  • On average every citizen in Holland reads 33 magazines in a year
  • Reading time of their favourite magazine: 60 minutes
  • 90% of the Dutch population reads magazines
  • A reader looks about 3.1 times in a specific magazine
  • Most preferred place to read a magazine: on the cauch
  • Readers respond positive to advertising in magazines.
  • Where advertisements on TV and internet are mainly considered anoying, advertisements in magazines are considered amongst the least anoying types of advertising.
  • Magazine advertisements are perceived as clear, original, credible, useful and they enthuses
  • An advertisement has less than 1 second to grab the attention of the reader
  • How to draw attention and hold it?
    – Creative is the strongest predictor of ad effectiveness
    – Size matters: 2 page spreads are noticed over 1 page ads, which are noted more than half page ads
  • Most noted ads:
  1. Sample (76%)
  2. Booklet (68%)
  3. Card (67%)
  4. Scent sample (67%)
  5. Insert (62%)
  6. Ordinary pages (56%)
  7. Most noted ads:
  8. First part (67%)
  9. Second part (64%)
  10. Third part (63%)
  • Ad noticed:
  1. Right (68%)
  2. Left (64%)
  • Most featured ad sizes and percentage noted:
  1. Inside front cover double page spread: 70%
  2. Outside back cover: 64%
  3. Inside front cover: 63%
  4. Double page spread – colour: 60%
  5. Inside back cover: 59%
  6. Single page – colour: 52%
  7. Half page vertical: 45%
  8. Half page horizontal: 42%
  9. Average (all ads): 54%
  • A strong creative execution will perform well regardless of its placement in the magazine
  • A ‘bad ad’ will not perform well even if its in the front of the magazine
  • Ads that logically fit with what the magazine is about, and its readers are interested in, score better than ads of non related products (66% over 50%)
  • The more text in an ad, the less it gets noticed (less text: 59% over more text: 54%).
  • The Golden Rules:
  1. Size matters: the bigger the ad, the more attention it gets
  2. Use teasers: repetition also works
  3. Creative formats: true impact boosters
  4. Visuals draw attention over text
  5. Positioning has no big influence. Only ads on the cover are recognised more
  6. A proper explanation raises the effect of the ad
  7. Original ads are more appealing
  8. Ads that feature people / persons work better than ads without
  9. Large packshots have influence: positive impact and more appreciated
  10. A price discount equals more attention
  11. Children and animals draw attention to ads
  12. Celebrities have more impact than unknown persons
  13. Use a headline in the ad and give it some informational value
  14. Clear branding works: use logos that are readable
  15. The opposite page matters. Its colour can draw the attention away from the ad, expecially red
  16. Limit the distance between brand, visual and text elements
  • QR codes engage the readers to connect with the advertisement. It offers the customer additional information and content.
  • Augmented Reality enables an even more profond interactive connection with the reader