Marketing and all things related

Marketing Blurb does not have direct experience as a media buyer, but we do know the basics of purchasing print. In fact, we always teach the students in our marketing class about CPM (cost per thousand) as a method to compare the relative merits of certain publications. But we just learned from AdWeek that the rules might change. Time magazine is considering dropping guaranteed circulation as the rate base for their ad sales. Instead, the magazine might substitute “metrics that track reader engagement and audience levels.” Time would not be the first magazine to do so, but they would be the largest and most prominent. While not without controversy, the move would eliminate hassles with compliance with ABC (audit bureau of circulation) requirements. Whatever happens, Time Inc. publications are bravely considering all kinds of options in response to dropping circulation and ad sales and competition from online news sources. Perhaps the time has come.