Audience
Patients in waiting rooms throughout the United States
Challenge
The most visited and influential brand in health information, WebMD turned to The Magazine Group to launch a national consumer magazine that would expand its reach beyond its 23 million-plus online monthly unique users, increase brand awareness, strengthen its outreach to doctors and grow advertising sales. Among the challenges were: translating WebMD.com's signature interactive format online into a print magazine, winning the trust of doctors to allow the new magazine in their waiting rooms and taking the brand to a new level while staying true to WebMD's guiding mission and vision.
Approach
In May 2005 WebMD the Magazine launched as a quarterly publication with a circulation of 1,050,000 copies distributed to 85% of physicians' waiting rooms nationwide. The Magazine Group shaped the editorial vision, created the editorial and design product and helped define and implement the overall advertising strategy. The magazine reaches nearly 8 million consumers each issue.
Results
By the end of the first year, the magazine advertising sales staff had broken the top 10 health categories. The Magazine Group continues to manage the editorial and production of the magazine, as well as work with WebMD on the expansion of the product. WebMD recently won six Custom Publishing Council Pearl Awards, more than any other business to consumer magazine. Samir "Mr. Magazine" Husni selected WebMD the Magazine as one of the top launches of 2005. Offering home subscriptions is currently under consideration. A recent study revealed the following:
- 83% of physicians referred their patients to a WebMD the Magazine article
- 80% of readers of WebMD the Magazine discussed a specific article or ad with their doctor
Awards
- Pearl Award - Gold Award for
Strategy: Best Distribution Strategy
- Pearl Award - Gold Award for Strategy: Best Tie-in with integrated Marketing/Multi-media Campaign
- Pearl Award - Silver Award for Design: Best Cover, more than 250,000
- Pearl Award - Silver Award for Strategy: Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives, B2C
- Pearl Award - Bronze Award for Editorial: Best Cover Lines
- Pearl Award - Bronze Award for Strategy: Best New Launch or Relaunch
- Folio: Eddie Awards - Bronze Award for Best Table of Contents
