BrandSpark International + Magazines Canada Win Gold - recognized by worldwide magazine media association with 2014 Gold FIPP Research Award

TORONTO, July 2, 2014 /CNW/ - BrandSpark International is no stranger to awards in excellence; the company has been handing out awards for innovation – the Best New Product Awards – globally for more than ten years. Today, the marketing research and insights company has been recognized for its efforts by the worldwide magazine media association with a 2014 Gold FIPP Research Award for its 'Media Connections Study' conducted with Magazines Canada linking magazine and other media to the consumer "Path-to-Purchase."

The FIPP Research Awards were presented by FIPP's president and CEO, Chris Llewellyn, with Gold and Silver awards given in recognition of the best research studies published in 2013 that promote the use of magazine media as an advertising medium, anywhere in the world.

"Making the case for the effectiveness of advertising with magazine media has never been more demanding," said Llewellyn. "In a world of big data and ever more granular metrics, the challenge to magazine media researchers and national magazine media associations is to come up with solutions that cut through the complexity and deliver insightful conclusions that demonstrate the unique qualities of our brands and the medium. FIPP's Research Awards were designed to recognize such outstanding work."

Magazines Canada partnered with BrandSpark to create a study investigating what role magazine media (print and digital) plays along the path to purchase in conjunction to other media. Results demonstrate that magazines play a vital role in connecting, informing, inspiring and influencing consumers throughout the many aspects of their lives. The study sheds light on how magazine media creates relationships with consumers, engenders receptivity to advertising and persuades consumers to act. Findings also show magazine media's strength in reaching early adopters and category influencers while generating trust which translates into action taken.

"BrandSpark brought its unique collaborative approach to the study to help build strategic hypotheses and identify actionable market insights. This team approach, added to BrandSpark's depth of media intelligence, credibly raised the industry's understanding of how magazine media works throughout the 'Path-to-Purchase,'" said Mark Jamison, CEO, Magazines Canada.

"We are excited to have leveraged our innovative research tools and cross media expertise to contribute to a more thorough understanding of how magazine media (print and digital) connects with consumers and the role magazines play in influencing shoppers to buy new products along the 'Path-to-Purchase'  across both the consumer packaged goods and automotive categories.  In a time of increased media exposure, it is important to continue to understand how each channel works best together to influence the consumer," added Mark Baltazar, Vice President and Partner, BrandSpark International.

About BrandSpark International

BrandSpark International is a leading marketing and product innovation research company. Its comprehensive and innovative approach gets at the heart of both why consumers think and act the way they do, and what brands need to do about it. An exclusive relationship with the Best New Product Awards provides BrandSpark with a deep global perspective on innovation and what influences shoppers unlike any other research company. www.BrandSpark.com

About Magazines Canada

Magazines Canada is the national trade association representing Canadian-owned, Canadian-content consumer, cultural, specialty, professional and business media magazines. French and English member titles offer a wide range of topics including business, professional, news, politics, sports, arts and culture, leisure, lifestyle, women and youth, made available on multiple platforms. The association focuses on government affairs, services to the advertising trade, circulation marketing and the development of career skills for and the recognition of excellence among the people who work in Canada's magazine media.

About FIPP

FIPP - the worldwide magazine media association - represents companies and individuals involved in the creation, publishing, or distribution of quality content, in whatever form, by whatever channel, and in the most appropriate frequency, to defined audiences of interest.

FIPP has more than 700 member companies, which include 56 national magazine associations, 504 publishing companies with international interests, and 153 suppliers to the industry and associated organizations, in 63 countries, all of whom use FIPP to find new business partners and gather information on potential markets. FIPP represents more than 6,000 member magazine titles, which include almost all of the world's leading magazine brands. www.fipp.com

Image with caption: "BrandSpark logo (CNW Group/BrandSpark International)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140702_C3812_PHOTO_EN_4025.jpg

SOURCE: BrandSpark International

For further information: Media requesting more information, please contact: JDA: Jefferson Darrell, 416-357-0234, [e-mail]; For more information on how BrandSpark can help uncover deeper insights in the area of new products and positioning your products for success along the "Path-to-Purchase," contact: BrandSpark International: Mark Baltazar, 647-727-4578, [e-mail]