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Publishing in the knowledge economy
The industry today
CHAPTER
12
Typology of publishing products according
to brand and format characteristics
Following on from the discussion on brand
extension in the sections on consumer
magazines and business to business media,
and looking forward to the discussion on the
challenge of digital media in Chapter 17, we
have drawn up a typology of printed media
products. This attempts to place different media
products according to their brand strength and
the degree to which they are format-neutral.
12.1 Brand
Brand becomes ever more important in a
fragmented digital environment as a marker for
users to find content they can trust and want to
use (and may pay for). It is also important to
protect brands in environments where content
is passed though new intermediaries and
aggregators and to guard against
commoditisation of content.
12.2 Importance of format
Format-neutrality is an indicator of how far and
fast different products will tend to move into
multiple channels and platforms. For some
printed products, the format they appear in is
intrinsic to their appeal, e.g. portability,
disposability, the ability to cut pictures out, or
share the product with others easily. With
others, the content itself is the primary selling
point and its separation from the traditional
format may enhance its functionality. Some
products will be equally useful in different
formats, depending on their mode of use, e.g.
used in one form while the reader is on the
move, and another when they are at their desks
or at home.
The products are categorised by end-user:
consumer, business, and institutional
(education/research).
12.3 Consumer media
Medium
Book
Magazine
Broadsheets
Mass market
Regional and local
newspapers
Directories
(e.g. Yellow Pages)
Exhibitions and events
Format characteristics
Format intrinsic to appeal – at least until usability
issues are resolved with screens and through
generational change. Possible exceptions: reference
works, travel guides and the like
Format intrinsic to appeal, especially for glossies and
teen/women’s weeklies. TV listings as well, although
they face migration to/competition from EPGs. Some
buyer’s guide-type consumer magazines are more
format-neutral (PCs, cars, etc)
Format somewhat neutral, but paper still the
fundamental format
Format intrinsic to appeal
Format intrinsic to appeal; but classifieds gain
enormously in functionality from online
Format fluid. Paper products likely to persist for a
long time as they constitute a barrier to entry and
many users prefer paper. Electronic confers greater
functionality/updating
Format intrinsic to appeal; being present is the whole
point, although online can be complementary in
publicising/ preparing events
Brand characteristics
Mainly resides with author; longevity varies. Where
brand resides with imprint or publisher, it is long lived
Strong brands but may be relatively short-lived;
some ephemeral (resembles FMCG); brand
extension limited
Strong, long-lived brands. Some opportunity to create
linked, differentiating brands through interactive
media
Strong long lived brands; brand extension limited
Most strong and long lived but advertisement-only
papers can be weak and ephemeral. Opportunity to
create linked but differentiating brands (e.g. thisis)
Often very strong. Yellow Pages a generic brand as
well as an actual one
Some strong and long lived; others weak and
ephemeral
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