ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA (May 3, 2002) – A new study was released to members of the Graphic Arts Marketing Information Service (GAMIS), a special industry group of the Printing Industries of America (PIA), Incorporated, titled Media Planning and Print Selection. The research was conducted by Kadence Business Research, Framingham, MA. The purpose of the study was to provide an understanding of the media planning process and how print might obtain a greater share of the advertising pie. The study revealed that the prime consideration for media selection is coverage of the target market (or audience) by the vehicle’s circulation (or distribution) in a ‘cost-per-thousand’ analysis. Jackie Bland, Executive Director of GAMIS at PIA explains, "Media planners rely heavily upon independent measuring services for verification of audience. For example: the audience profiles of Business Week vs. People Magazine are drastically different and they are within one medium. Imagine comparing Business Week with an ad airing on TV during Dateline-NBC." For print, this independent service is available for newspapers and magazines but is not available for other print advertising media, thus, much of print advertising is deemed ‘unmeasured.’ For this reason, other print advertising is often not on the radar screen of the media planner as he/she plans a major advertising campaign. One key recommendation of the report is to develop a means to provide an independent analysis for other print advertising vehicles. Range of creative executions is another important consideration to a media planner. Print is not viewed as offering a wide range of creative executions. If print is to gain a greater share of the pie, printing industry representatives will need to demonstrate to the advertising community and more importantly to the corporate marketing executives the vast array of creative possibilities for print. As one GAMIS member so aptly put it, "Print needs a marketing plan to market itself!" While media planners appear to have a narrow view of advertising alternatives, the study clearly noted that the client (corporate customer) always has the final say in the overall plan and vehicles to be used. Media Planning and Print Selection, was distributed exclusively to GAMIS members in March 2002. For more information on this or other research conducted for GAMIS, or to become a GAMIS member, contact Jackie Bland, GAMIS executive director at 703/ 519-8179. Details can also be found on the GAMIS web site at www.gamis.org.