Targeting Optimists: Print and Digital Magazine Readers View U.S. Economy Differently

NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers' opinions about the U.S. economy are mixed.  Almost one-third of American adults (32%) report that economic conditions will worsen over the next 12 months, while nearly four out of ten (38%) foresee no significant change in the nation's economic health.  30% of consumers, however, are more optimistic, believing that America's economy will be better off one year down the road.

This according to the Affinity AMS/Experian Simmons integrated magazine planning database, which combines print and digital magazine audience estimates from Affinity's American Magazine Study with trusted consumer insights from the Simmons National Consumer Study.

Optimism Levels Differ by Magazine Brand and Delivery Platform

For financial services companies and other magazine advertisers targeting consumers who are bullish on the economy, AMS/Experian Simmons reports that the most optimistic readers are turning to specific magazine brands, but that the top ranking brands differ depending on the magazine delivery platform.

For example, among the more than 170 magazines measured, those with the highest percent of readers that are optimistic about the future of the U.S. economy include the traditional print audience of Essence, recent visitors to the BridalGuide.com Website, users who access content from Lucky magazine on their mobile devices, and regular visitors of The Economist's social networking sites.

Reader's Opinions About Their Own Finances Also Differ by Magazine Platform

When asked their opinions about specific facets of their own financial lives, consumers again confirmed that the print or digital platforms that are employed to deliver magazine content and advertising directly influence the magazine brands that they rely on.  In fact, no single magazine brand ranks number one across more than one magazine channel for each of the qualitative statements measured.

The Other Side of the Coin
For advertisers that may be specifically targeting consumers who have a more pessimistic economic outlook, AMS/Experian Simmons also identifies those magazines - across print and digital platforms - with the highest composition of readers who report that they are "uncomfortable trusting money to a bank", believe that "investing in the stock market is much too risky", and other associated attributes.  

About Experian Simmons   Experian Simmons, Experian Marketing Services' consumer research service, has been chronicling the American consumer for more than 50 years. From the products that all Americans buy and the brands they prefer to their Internet shopping behaviors, attitudes and lifestyles and the media that they use, the Simmons National Consumer Studies survey more than 30,000 American consumers each year to deliver reliable national and local data. http://www.ExperianSimmons.com.

About Affinity LLC  Affinity is a media research firm specializing in magazine audience measurement and accountability tracking.  Affinity's products include ProofReader (campaign pre-testing), The American Magazine Study (print and digital magazine audience measurement), the VISTA Service (in-market effectiveness of print and digital magazine ads) and MagPlan (the industry's first accountability-driven magazine optimizer).  Company Web site: www.AffinityResearch.net.

CONTACT:  Tom Robinson, +1-212-922-9582, Ext. 201, [email protected]

SOURCE Affinity LLC