Ad Strategy: Hey, you in front...

I learned something new, today. I used to think ads in the first half of a magazine got much better results than ads in the last half. But in reviewing a report from Adams Business Media's Automotive Group, I saw the error of my ways.

According to the report, ads in the front half of the magazine scored only incrementally better than ads in the back. The difference was less than 10%. And adjusting for differences in size, color, brand, and product the results may be even closer.

I still believe, if you’re not paying for a preferred placement (like one of the covers or opposite the table of contents), it’s best to ask the publication to rotate your ads from front to back. This takes advantage of different reading habits. Some people read magazines front to back, others back to front, and still others (like me) just jump around almost randomly. Hope you learned something new today, too.

- Phil Sasso