Marketing Report: Customer publishing - The vital statistics

Here we provide a breakdown of issues affecting the industry, the agencies that have produced award-winning work in the past year, those that have recorded the most impressive growth financially and a profile of two of 2007's strongest performers.

CUSTOMER PUBLISHING AGENCY OF THE YEAR - REDWOOD

Redwood enjoyed a good 2007, with business wins worth about £9m and digital work growing from 3% in 2006 to 8%. It predicts that 15% of its business will stem from digital activity in 2008. Last year, the agency added eight pieces of digital business, and 11 of its 20 clients, including Land Rover and Volvo, commissioned web, email or film work. Other new work included an 800,000 print-run magazine and microsite encouraging British Gas customers to be more energy-efficient.

THE ONE TO WATCH - SEVEN SQUARED

Seven Squared was formed last April following the merger of Square One and Seven, and it has been an impressive first few months for the agency. Clients include the RAC, Fortnum & Mason and Sainsbury's, with wins including English Heritage and First Great Western. Revenue has grown by 39%, it has brought on board a head of digital from Emap, and with three APA Effectiveness Awards under the agency's belt, 2008 looks to be equally promising.

2007 APA EFFECTIVENESS AWARDS

CATEGORY WINNER CLIENT AGENCY

Customer Parenting Club Boots Redwood
publishing Magazine
solution

Automotive Today Tomorrow Toyota Sunday

Finance Roar Liontrust Cedar Communications
Investment Funds

Travel/ About the House Royal Opera BBC Customer
leisure House Publishing

Membership Parenting Club Boots Redwood
Magazine

Public Camouflage British Army Haymarket Network
sector

Internal The Job The Metropolitan Seven Squared
commun- Police
ications

B2B Contact Royal Mail Redwood

Consumer ASOS.com ASOS.com Seven Squared
(retail) Magazine

Consumer Sky Movies BSkyB Future Plus
(non-retail)

Specialist Food 4 Thought British Heart John Brown
Foundation

Online HondaracingF1.com Honda Racing John Brown

Launch A Journal Coutts Seven Squared
of Interest

Integrated One Army British Army
marketing Recruiting Group Haymarket Network
solution

Source: Association of Publishing Agencies


TOP AGENCIES FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS BY % OF TURNOVER

Agency (%)

Sommersault Communications 86
Connect Communications 41
Zone 20
White Light Media 20
Illustrated London News 13
Specialist 13
WordWide 10

Source: Marketing customer publishing leagues 2007


TOP FIVE BIG AGENCIES FOR GROWTH

Agency Net turnover Net turnover Change
2006 (pounds) 2005 (pounds) (%)

1 Absolute Publishing 4,363,160 3,154,709 38
2 Publicis Blueprint 33,757,000 24,969,000 35
3 River Publishing 18,653,705 14,759,264 26
4 John Brown 57,110,446 49,404,274 16
5 Wardour 4,237,061 3,852,455 10

Source: Marketing customer publishing leagues 2007


MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES AFFECTING INDUSTRY BY % OF RESPONDENTS

Issue (%)

Rise of new communication channels 22
Competition to be clients' strategic partner 12
Lack of understanding among clients 9
Recruitment 8
Media fragmentation 6
Consolidation among agencies 3
Source: Marketing customer publishing leagues 2007


TOP FIVE SMALL AGENCIES FOR GROWTH

Agency Net turnover Net turnover Change
2006 (pounds) 2005 (pounds) (%)

1 Aspect Media 612,364 243,042 152
2 Communikator 960,000 501,000 92
3 Future Plus 3,800,000 2,100,000 81
4 Zone 3,161,000 1,805,300 75
5 Think Publishing 3,336,822 1,943,239 72

Source: Marketing customer publishing leagues 2007


% TURNOVER BY SECTOR

Sector (%)

Retail 21.8
B2B 21.0
Automotive 9.6
Travel 8.7
Public sector 6.5
Charity 5.6
Finance 5.2
FMCG 2.7
Food 2.6
Health 2.4
Media 2.4
IT 1.6
Leisure 1.6
Utilities 1.2
Alcohol 0.05
Other 7.1

Source: Marketing customer publishing leagues 2007
For further information, contact the Association of Publishing Agencies
on 020 7404 4166 or visit www.apa.co.uk.

This article was first published on Marketing