Question

Topic: Research/Metrics

Ad Positioning In Reference To Right Or Left Pages

Posted by Anonymous on 3/25/2010 at 3:20 PM ET 250 Points
As a publisher of a regional wedding magazine, I am always working to sell the positions in the front of the magazine as premium. Our magazine size is unique, 9.5 h x 7.5 w, we use the term boutique size. Does it really matter with our smaller size if a full page ad (especially in the front 9 pages) is on the left or right side? People always want right side, and I am looking for some ammunition for left side advertising!!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by koen.h.pauwels on 3/25/2010 at 4:37 PM Accepted
    It all depends on how the brain processes text versus pictures: Chris Janiszewski at the University of Florida has analyzed this topic for decades, a good paper to start with is:

    Janiszewski, Chris (1990a), “The Influence of Nonattended Material
    on the Processing of Advertising Claims,” Journal of Marketing Research, 27, 263
  • Posted on 3/25/2010 at 6:02 PM Accepted
    Sounds like you might have a pricing strategy issue. I'll bet there is a price at which people will have no preference between recto and verso. Either you're charging too much for the left-hand page, or too little for the right-hand page, or both.
  • Posted by koen.h.pauwels on 3/25/2010 at 6:05 PM Member
    hi laura,

    the article is available for free on the author's website; it is a pdf that comes up when you google his name and 'left right'

    koen
  • Posted by michael on 3/25/2010 at 8:16 PM Accepted
    Laura,

    Is your client using an ad they've used elsewhere? Was it right side? What were the results?

    It's easy to blame poor performance on the placement, but often the blame goes to the ad.

    Have your client give you proof of performance and then, if you believe 4 is as good as 5, reduce the cost AFTER the ad runs if response isn't there.

    My guess is he'll come up with some outlandish performance which you should be able to verify.

    Michael
  • Posted on 3/29/2010 at 12:34 PM Accepted
    i usually also opt for the right side. simply because most eyes see the right pages first when they flip the book or newspapers (I mean in general, not 100% though) so for the value of advertising money paid, i would make full use of most exposed area.

    perhaps you could have a slightly lower price for left pages from pages 3 - 9, and even lower charges thereafter?
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