British city to be research laboratory as "Magazine Town"

Researchers in Britain, working with the Periodical Publishing Association(PPA), have selected a mid-sized city in England as a "Magazine Town". Guildford, Surrey (the high street show below at right) will be a ‘magazine laboratory’ and the project will be launched as part of Britain's Magazine Week, 17-23 September. The purpose is to investigate, in depth, the consumer buying and reading habits of the population of this charming county town, just southwest of London. The Magazine Town project is being carried out by PPA in association with Wessenden Marketing.

A consumer panel will be chosen for its demographic profile, covering a broad range of magazine readers. The panelists will answer several questionnaires and keep an online diary of their purchasing and reading habits during September. They will also be invited to attend a ‘Magazine Night’ in a key retail outlet to raise awareness of the event and to celebrate Magazines Week.

Guildford will also be home to ‘Magazine School’ in which students will complete questionnaires, take part in focus groups and will be visited by magazine editors to speak about magazines as a medium as well as a career choice. The initiative will generate both local and national media interest and will form part of the overall PR campaign underpinning Magazine Week.