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The Association of Publishing Agencies (APA) is a not-for-profit trade body that promotes the interests of companies involved in the production customer publishing.
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The APA is based in London, UK and is run by Patrick Fuller, CEO, and Julia Hutchison, COO[1]. It is situated just east of Kingsway (A4200) in Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn in the London Borough of Camden.
Customer publishing, also known as ‘contract publishing’, refers to publications, websites or digital work produced by agencies on behalf of clients who are brand owners, including companies from sectors as far ranging as automotive, retail, and financial services to charity, public sector and travel and leisure. Customer publications and digital work have been shown to boost brand recognition and loyalty, in addition to helping sales uplift.[2]
The two sectors which account for the biggest share in customer publishing are retailers and financial services, with almost 30 per cent of the market combined. The customer publishing market was estimated to be worth £904m in 2008 and is projected to reach £1bn in 2011[3].
APA ASK is the APA’s free client consultancy service which helps potential clients new to the customer publishing industry draw up a pitch list.
APA Planners are part of an initiative by the APA to improve communication with media agencies and lure more business to the industry. The initiative encompasses services for planners such as monthly briefings and seminars, a dedicated website and an extension of APA ASK.
APA Digital supports the membership’s digital growth and expertise. APA agencies work with brands to create customer relationships through digital content across a range of platforms and technical solutions.
The APA organize a number of events throughout the year, all of which either promote the medium of customer publishing to clients or help their members do business in a more effective way. These events include an annual Marketing Directors conference, monthly Digital Breakfasts, regular Affiliate Member Seminars and the annual International Customer Publishing Awards.
In 2007, the APA commissioned the APA Digital Audit to provides an in-depth measurement of the role of digital within the customer publishing industry. An independent digital research agency conducted a digital audit of all members assessing their online credentials. The audit results showed an increasing appetite for digital content from customer publishers.[4]