2003 CIRCULATION EXCELLENCE Awards

Circulation Management, July 1, 2003

While maintaining the 80,000 circ level, the magazine increased circulation to its core groups (new vehicle dealers, used vehicle dealers and manufacturers) by 5,000. By raising subscription prices every year, the magazine has been able to increase subscription revenues by more than $1.8 million and annual circulation contribution by $1.4 million. In 2002, circulation expenses declined $200,000 as a result of increased multi-year sub promotion in 2001. This resulted in a more than 15 percent contribution improvement on a revenue increase of less than 5 percent. Contribution is budgeted to improve more than $550,000 in 2003. The focus on the circulation bottom line has been a critical part in the overall financial success of AN.

SILVER WINNER

ARCHITECTURE VNU Business Publications USA (New York, NY)

Total Qualified Circulation: 88,031 (12/02) Circulation Objective: 86,000

Publisher: Suzanne Tron Haber VP, Information Marketing: Joanne Wheatley Group Circulation Director: Neil Eisenberg Associate Circulation Director: Stacy Georvasilis

Collaboration, hard work and innovative marketing pulled this magazine's circulation ahead of its major competitor. Architecture's goal was to deliver an audience that reflected the market and delivered the largest number of registered architects - the real influencers in its industry.

Traditionally relying on paid circulation and a past relationship with the industry's major association was not enough to achieve this goal, and Architecture realized that it had to find a better way.

The strategy was to conduct a universe analysis to identify the total universe of registered architects and assess Architecture's current coverage. Research was done to identify the most reliable and current source of registered architects and then a controlled marketing plan was developed to maximize Architecture's coverage and penetration into the top architectural firms.

Demographics were collected to demonstrate purchasing power and sales, and marketing collateral was created to promote and support Architecture's expanded reach as well as a switch from the Audit Bureau of Circulations to BPA International to reinforce it's position as a business publication delivering a qualified audience with powerful demographics.

The result: The total number of registered architects on Architecture's file for December 2000 was 42,016. In its December 2001 BPA statement, the total number was 66,322, an increase of 24,306. From December 2001 to December 2002, that number increased to 69,586, or 784 more than its leading competitor.

CIRCULATION SIZE: 100,000 OR LARGER

GOLD WINNER

DESIGN NEWS Reed Business Information (Highlands Ranch, CO)

Total Qualified Circulation: 170,071 (12/02) Circulation Objective: 170,000

VP, Controlled Circulation: Eric Rutter Group Circulation Manager: Rick Ellis

Design News executed three aggressive circulation initiatives during the 2002-2003 audit cycle. The goal was to strategically improve the magazine's position in the marketplace, lower production and distribution costs, and enhance its existing relationship with its 170,000 qualified subscribers. Using research from the U.S. Department of Commerce that showed that in its market, manufacturing plants with fewer than 20 employees buy less than 4 percent of all products, DN decided to replace all of its small manufacturing plant subscribers with larger plant subscribers. The plan required removing almost 30,000 previously qualified subscribers. Also, it required reaching most of the 50,000 existing establishments with 20 or more employees. First it had to remove renewal efforts to subscribers in smaller plants. It switched a planned fall 2002 renewal telemarketing effort to a new-name campaign specifically targeted at the 20 to 99 employee locations. Then it turned its attention to the massive new-name campaign planned for January. DN now has documented coverage of at least 85 percent of the plant locations that have more than 20 employees. The publishing and sales staff can provide advertisers with an audience unmatched by its competition. Further, in September 2002, DN launched a digital edition, adding subscriber benefits. Each converted subscription represented an $11 manufacturing and distribution savings to the magazine per year. In nine months, it acquired over 13,000 subscription requests for the digital version, representing 8 percent of the 170,000 total qualified circulation and beating its original target by 4,500.