Subscriber Profile Testimonials

"AARP Publications' main purpose for choosing an ABC Subscriber Profile audit is to add validity and credibility to our data.

"Subscriber studies are often perceived by agencies/planners/clients as 'self-serving' research; data that are skewed to make the publication look 'good'.

"This is unfortunate because not only are our subscriber studies methodologically sound, but they often produce more accurate data than do syndicated studies; a main reason being that subscriber studies are based on a larger respondent base of qualified people.

"Of course, a study's validity and credibility depends upon its methodology, and planners do deserve a tool that ensures them that the data are sound.

"We have found that commissioning reputable 3rd party research firms to conduct our subscriber studies helps the credibility problem, but does not solve it.

"A standardized third party's audit confirming sound methodology and content of our subscriber study conducted by another reputable third party would go a long way in giving the data the validity and credibility they merit.

"ABC's reputation is unquestioned.

"Simply stated: A subscriber study that has been audited by ABC will be looked at more favorably by agencies/planners/clients than one that has not."

"Being a part of the Subscriber Profile service has offered Dwell many benefits. In the past when we conducted subscriber studies, we were in the position of having to choose one of the larger, more well-known research suppliers. Their services were costly but we felt we had no alternative. Using that supplier conferred a certain level of credibility on the study and thus, the study was thought to be held more highly by advertisers and agencies. The Subscriber Profile service has effectively leveled the playing field. It provides a high level of credibility for any study provided the research supplier meets the established ABC standards. This has allowed Dwell to work with more cost effective suppliers while still providing advertisers with top-notch subscriber research."

"The ABC Magazine Buyers Advisory Committee (MBAC) serves as an advisory committee to the ABC Board of Directors, providing the perspectives of the buying community on issues and standards governing magazine circulation and other ABC initiatives.

"The MBAC has been presented with the recent effort of ABC to audit subscriber studies. The new ABC Subscriber Profile service has great benefit to the buying community and the MBAC collectively suports and endorses this service. We encourage all magazine publishers who invest in subscriber studies to undergo an ABC audit to lend credibility and comparability to their study. We believe that the additional value, in terms of usage and saleability to the agency and advertiser community, will offset the small additional charge for this service.

"We believe that, once in practice, publishers will find that a Subscriber Profile audit gives them a competitive advantage and creates increased utility of their studies. We hope that the magazine community will embrace this opportunity to prove the value of their brands."

"GM Planworks, as the media planning agency of record for General Motors, applauds the Audit Bureau of Circulation for its initiative in creating its Subscriber Profile service.

"We support the notion of establishing audits and standards for subscriber studies, and will encourage publishers to utilize standardized criteria in conducting such studies for their magazines. The introduction of the ABC service, offering a uniform set of criteria, such as minimum sample size, independent third-party verification of lists, and standard demographic questions, will help the magazine industry as it seeks to provide advertisers and agencies with new and/or richer data on magazine readership and consumer behavior."

"To increase our confidence in magazine subscriber studies, and to gain greater utility of the data within these studies, OMD strongly recommends that publishers comply with the industry-developed ABC research standards for subscriber studies and that these studies be audited by the ABC.

"Beginning in 2003, all ABC audited magazines submitting subscriber studies to OMD for prototyping, will be expected to undergo an ABC Subscriber Profile audit. It is also expected that any ABC audited magazine that submits subscriber study data as part of its documentation of the magazine's candidacy for a particular client's media plan, will also undergo the audit."

"On behalf of Starcom and Mediavest, we are writing this letter in strong support of the Audit Bureau of Circulations's Subscriber Profile service and standards.

"In addition to the current SMG prototyping guidelines, for the 2005 Starcom and Mediavest planning season, we will require that ABC verify all prototyped magazines in the 2004 syndicated studies for compliance with the Subscriber Profile direct mail research standards.

"Magazines that do not meet SMG's minimum requirements for prototyping will be considered Tier 2 publications.

"We appreciate your effort in providing us with quality research - but do recognize under the current economic conditions that research budgets are tight. We hope we have given sufficient time to allocate budgets to accommodate the ABC's Subscriber Profile."

"Foote, Cone & Belding strongly endorses the use of ABC's Subscriber Profile service in the development of magazine subscriber studies. By adhering to its industry-developed standards and procedures, publishers ensure our media buyers have the most accurate readership information possible, allowing them to make the best recommendations for our clients.

"For the past ten years it has been FCB policy to require a subscriber study from any magazine that wishes to be prototyped. This new service from ABC will enhance the value and usability of these studies. In addition, publications must have at least 100,000 circulation, have national or broad regional distribution, provide substantiation of their claimed circulation, and have readership demographics that are comparable to the magazines surveyed in syndicated research.

"FCB is typically conservative in its reader-per-copy estimates. By using ABC's Subscriber Profile service, publishers will give us confidence in the quality of the underlying data, enabling us to more accurately estimate the number of readers.

"We believe the ABC has made a significant contribution to the evaluation of unmeasured magazines. FCB expects publishers to take advantage of this new service and to proudly publicize their use of it for all of their subscriber studies."