In Brief

‘Home Truths’ explores home interiors and home technology purchases, from furniture and kitchens, to TVs and connected home technology.

Magazine brands have often been one of the ways that consumers navigate choices because of the expertise and inspiration that they offer. 

We recruited consumers in the midst of their home interiors and home technology purchases, and surveyed them at different stages, capturing results before and after exposure to magazines and review websites.

The magazines tested included lifestyle and special interest titles, ranging from Good Housekeeping to Homes and Gardens and Stuff, and included a representative cross-section of home interiors and technology ads. We worked with a specialist in social psychology and neuroscience, who deployed an eye tracking approach alongside the survey to enable the capture of unconscious behaviour with regards to advertising in magazines.

Key Findings

• 91% of home interiors buyers changed their shortlisted brands after reading a magazine

• 88% of technology buyers changed their shortlisted brands after reading a magazine

• 30% of homes interior buyers  increased their furniture budgets after reading a magazine

• 44% of bathroom and kitchen buyers increased their budget after reading a magazine

• 46% of home tech buyers increased their budget after reading a magazine

• Budget boosting effects are amplified further amongst those who read magazines with home interiors and technology advertising demonstrating the power of advertising above and beyond editorial

• Advertising in contextually relevant environments gets 8 x the amount of double takes

Implications for Advertisers

Magazines brands help homes and tech advertisers to get on the consideration list, stay on there, and become a preferred brand. Magazines brands are vital in terms of protecting, and even boosting, consumer budget in homes and technology purchases. The valuable audience and quality context that magazine brands provide deliver benefits for advertisers in terms of the impact on customer purchase journeys. Advertising benefits from a highly relevant context, surrounded by inspirational content and expert editorial. What’s more there are opportunities for editorial and display to work in combination to amplify effects.