Business media paid promotional programs
Definition
Per AAM Rule D 2.1/D 102.1 Multi-Copy Sales are subscriptions and single issues purchased in quantities of two or more to promote the business interests of the purchaser.
As a reminder, AAM defines paid circulation as subscriptions and single copies paid at an amount of at least one cent, net of all considerations. See AAM Rule D 1.1/D 101.1 Paid Circulation.
A “consideration” is any item offered to the purchaser that may induce the sale of the publication. This includes, but is not limited to free gifts and discounted products or services (e.g., advertising). Therefore, the amount paid by the purchaser of the publication must be at least one cent, after you subtract the market value of all of these inducements from the purchase price.
Post–expire copies served from multi-copy subscriptions are not eligible for inclusion in paid circulation.
There are three types of paid, multi-copy sales, as follows:
- Multi-Copy Same Addressee
- Sponsored, Individually Addressed
- Sponsored, Educational Multi-Copy Sales
Multi-Copy Same Addressee
Multi-copy same addressee circulation represents sales of two or more subscriptions or single issues to third parties where the copies are shipped in bulk to the purchasers and redistributed for the purpose of promoting their business interests. In this situation, the publisher is likely not to know the end recipient.
Example:
| Company X purchases 5,000 copies of Good Food Business Journal. Company X redistributes these copies to individuals who attend their trade shows or other related events. |
Multi-copy same addressee circulation also includes subscriptions or single issues purchased by corporations, institutions or individuals for their own employees, but where the copies are shipped in bulk and records are not available to support distribution to employees, subsidiaries or branch offices.
NOTE: Subscriptions or single issues purchased by corporations, institutions or individuals for their own employees shall be classified as "Individual" subscriptions if evidence is maintained by the publisher to support the copies were distributed to employees, subsidiaries or branch offices.
Sponsored Individually Addressed
Sponsored individually addressed circulation represents sales of two or more subscriptions or single issues to third parties where the copies are individually addressed and mailed or the copies are shipped in bulk to the purchaser, but the publisher maintains documentation identifying the designated recipients by name and title. In this situation, the publisher knows the name and title of the end recipient.
Example:
| Company purchases 5,000 copies of Good Food Business Journal for distribution to their loyal customers. Company X provides a mailing list (individual names and addresses) to The Good Food Business Journal who mails a copy of the publication to each individual on the list. As another option, Company X may choose to have all 5,000 copies mailed directly to them. Company X redistributes the copies to specific individuals. Though Company X handles the distribution, they provide a list of the recipients (names and titles) to the publication for the audit. |
NOTE: If the subscriptions or single issues are purchased for distribution to their own employees, please see multi-copy same addressee.
Sponsored Education Multi-Copy Sales
AAM Rule D 2.2/D 102.2 Sponsored Educational Multi-Copy Sales allows business publications to solicit funds from corporations or other businesses to sponsor the purchase of subscriptions distributed to college/university students enrolled in studies within the “field served” of the publication provided the following criteria is met.
- Funding is solicited for the purchase of subscriptions to a specific program.
- If the sponsoring business is also an advertiser to the publication, the sponsorship amount must be incremental to the advertising purchased by the sponsor.
- Publishers must allocate at least one cent per subscription (or single copy) from the sponsorship funding for each sale.
- Recipients must be advised that the subscription/single-copy sales are being provided from sponsorship funding.
- No distribution is to be made unless the publication has received funding in advance.
- The paragraph related to general explanations shall include a description of all programs included in paid circulation. Such explanation should include a description of the sponsor(s), quantities purchased, amount allocated by the publisher from the sponsorship funding for each subscription/single-copy sale, and the average included in paid circulation.