March 01, 2010

By By Lucia Moses, Mediaweek

Front-of-book ad placements are lucrative spots for magazine advertisers, but with the medium facing tough questions about its relevancy, close to 100 titles are planning to give up prominent space in their issues for an industry ad campaign that aims to promote magazines as vital.

The campaign by Cond? Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Time Inc. and Wenner Media with the support of Magazine Publishers of America was announced at the 2010 4A?s Leadership/Media Conference in San Francisco.

The effort targets advertisers, influencers and shareholders and will kick off in the April and May issues of those companies? publications as well as those of other companies, including Bonnier Corp.; National Geographic; ESPN; and New York Media, parent of New York magazine.

The campaign by Y&R NY will carry headlines like "Will the Internet Kill Magazines? Did Instant Coffee Kill Coffee?" and incorporate iconic images from well-known magazines. It will run for seven months and have a digital component.

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