Death pending for some biz magazines

Nat Ives of Advertising Age writes that the recent addition of new competitors in the business magazine arena could mean that others — particularly the smaller publications — are headed for the cemetery.

Ives wrote, “Andrew Swinand, president-chief client officer, Starcom Worldwide, said consolidation among technology and financial-services firms is reducing the number of advertisers in the business category. Those that remain can’t do business with everybody.

“‘Unless you are a 360 player, you aren’t competitive,’ Mr. Swinand said. ‘Unless you have the package of events and digital to complement the print publication, we’re not really interested. Smaller publications who don’t have as mature and developed 360 properties are going to continue to lose in the marketplace.’

Forbes is one of the winners, relatively speaking, in that game. ‘There are more one- and two-book buys going on than I’ve ever seen,’ said Jim Berrien, president-publisher, Forbes. ‘Now everybody wants these bespoke complex, measurable, real, live marketing programs. And you know what? Thank God. Otherwise it’s dull. The pressure comes on the companies that either don’t have the resources in terms of channels or assets that are germane, or that can’t execute for one reason or another.'”

Read more here.