IAG group member and President of Magazines and Books at Retail, (MBR), Jerry Lynch just published an article: First Priorities: Reinventing Our Marketing Approach. It’s a call for channel members to work together to collaborate like never before! He writes: ” It will require collaborating like never before to drive an innovative, coherent marketing initiative that aligns with, supports and leverages the “360 degree” and “consumer-first” paradigms now driving the media and retail businesses.”

It will require that publishing and distribution players cooperate and work actively with retailers to introduce fresh, effective strategies for harnessing the unique content and audience strengths of magazines and books. By that, I mean harnessing these in all of the ways and all of the channels that both retailers and publishers now use to engage with and market to consumers.

Members of Magazines & Books at Retail — active national distributor, publisher, wholesaler and retailer executives alike — have made a start. They’ve spent significant amounts of time working together to identify opportunities to test new insights, opportunities and approaches at retail. Now we need to marshal the troops and get them into the field.

These pros see the opportunities, as well as the challenges. They know that 80% of all commodities sales still occur in bricks-and-mortar stores, and that magazines and books are still read by 90% of the population.” 

Jerry suggests we leverage everything. Yes, the industry has challenges, and yes, it also has opportunities. If we tap into the potential, we realize that the category can bring excitement to a retail store and the shoppers that shop them. Click here to read this engaging article.