Boots wins top customer publishing accolade

Boots' customer title Parenting Club Magazine picked up the hotly contested Customer Publishing Solution of the Year at the Association of Publishing Agencies' Customer Publishing Awards 2007.

Within just two years, the magazine - published by Redwood - has become the largest retail parenting club in Britain, with one in three pregnant women becoming a member.

It currently has a total membership of over 870,000 parents - a readership greater than the combined circulation of the top six parenting titles.

Furthermore, members were found to spend an average of 74 per cent more in stores than non-members with children.

The overall amount of additional sales generated by the magazine is now over GBP16m.

The magazine also picked up the award for Most Effective Membership Title.

Commenting on the magazine, the judges said: "There isn't a magazine out there that's more appropriate for the audience - not only does it attract a huge number of readers, it holds onto them with a fierce determination.

"The magazine is emotive, creative, trustworthy and completely on-brand - it's almost worth having children just to get it".

Launch of the Year was awarded to Coutts' customer title A Journal of Interest, published by Seven Squared.

With over 120 new magazine launches in the last six months alone this category was one of the most competitive.

The shortlist contained high-profile brands John Lewis, Superdrug and ASOS, and organisations Lane Fox, Serco and The Design Council.

A Journal of Interest, launched Christmas 2006, was born out of the negative feedback received the year before following the delivery of Coutts' annual Christmas card.

The bank wanted a magazine that would be seen as a gift for its customers, changing perceptions of the Coutts brand, whilst retaining the deep sense of history and tradition associated with it.

It was also a successful evening for Land Rover and The British Army, which both picked up two awards for their customer publishing activities including International Publication of the Year and Integrated Marketing Solution of the Year.

Emily Travis, Head of Publishing, Royal Mail, commented: "In a thriving industry competition is always going to be fierce; however, more than ever, this year's winners showcased the breadth, diversity and dynamism of the customer publishing market.

"This year the industry has once again proven its worth as a communications tool across the range of sectors.

"In fact, there have been more customer magazine launches in 2007 than ever before, with a new title launched every week on average".

Julia Hutchison, COO of the APA, added: "Parenting Club is truly a triumph of customer publishing - with spot-on content and a deeply effective strategy, it demonstrates a brilliant understanding of its audience.

"Back in June, we put the spotlight on the creativity of the customer publishing industry with our inaugural Creative Awards, but tonight was all about effectiveness.

"Nothing speaks louder than clear, measurable results and that's exactly what all of our winners demonstrated.

"Without a doubt customer publishing delivers on its objectives - but even more compelling is the fact that there is hard evidence to back this up.

"It isn't at all surprising therefore that we are now the second-fastest growing medium behind online - and catching up, fast".

The full list of winners at the Association of Publishing Agencies' (APA) Customer Publishing Awards 2007 is as follows.

Customer Publishing Solution of the Year - Parenting Club Magazine, Boots produced by Redwood.

Most Effective Automotive Title - Today, Tomorrow, Toyota produced by Sunday.

Most Effective Finance Title - Roar, Liontrust produced by Cedar Communications.

Most Effective Travel and Leisure Title - About the House, Royal Opera House produced by BBC Customer Publishing.

Most Effective Membership Title - Parenting Club Magazine, Boots produced by Redwood.

Most Effective Public Sector Title - Camouflage, British Army produced by Haymarket Network.

Most Effective Internal Communication - The Job, The Metropolitan Police produced by Seven Squared.

Most Effective Business-To-Business Title - Contact, Royal Mail produced by Redwood.

Most Effective Consumer Publication (Retail) - ASOS.com Magazine, ASOS.com produced by Seven Squared.

Most Effective Consumer Publication (Non Retail) - Sky Movies, BSkyB produced by Future Plus.

International Publication of the Year - Land Rover Onelife, Land Rover produced by Redwood.

Specialist Communication of the Year - Food 4 Thought, British Heart Foundation produced by John Brown.

Online Publishing Solution of the Year - HondaracingF1.com, Honda Racing produced by John Brown.

Launch of the Year - A Journal of Interest, Coutts produced by Seven Squared.

Integrated Marketing Solution of the Year - One Army, British Army Recruiting Group produced by Haymarket Network.

Designer of the Year - Tan Parmar, LIV, Volvo produced by Redwood.

Journalist of the Year - Claire Wrathall, High Life, British Airways produced by Cedar Communications.

Editor of the Year - Zac Assemakis, Land Rover Onelife, Land Rover produced by Redwood.

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