First, and foremost, is client charity the NSPCC, whose objective in this case is to provide parents with advice on bringing up their kids.
Second, there is customer publishing agency Redwood, responsible for editorial content and advertising sales. Finally, there is retailer Woolworths, which will distribute the 800,000 print-run magazine free through 400 of its stores.
Woolworths will be given on-cover branding and an editorial page in each issue promoting products aimed at families - a vital target group for the chain.
Brands have co-operated to produce shared-customer magazines in the past - notably Kimberly-Clark, Unilever and Cadbury Trebor Bassett with Voila!, which was axed two-and-a-half years ago - but in linking with a major third-party retail partner to distribute the title, the NSPCC and Redwood are entering pioneering territory.
Only a few contract magazines have been able to call on their brand strength to carve niches for themselves in paid-for newsstand distribution. Sainsbury's Magazine, Waitrose Food Illustrated and Classic FM are among the best examples. But Your Family will be given away to secure as high a readership as possible.
Adding value
Woolworths' involvement goes beyond pure corporate social responsibility and touches on cause-related marketing. Redwood head of planning Kevin Sutherland says Woolworths shoppers will get something of 'genuine value' that they will recognise as having the backing of the retailer.
NSPCC head of brand marketing Chris Greenwood is enthusiastic about the distribution channel. He says the Woolworths environment is a 'good fit' with the magazine's key messages. 'Our magazine is about parents communicating and getting the best out of their relationship with their kids, and Woolworths is visited by so many mums and dads with their children.'
Distribution channels are a hot issue for the customer publishing industry.
Clients want cost-effective routes to market for their magazines and the cost of postage is making many think twice about using direct mail.
Cedar managing director Jules Rastelli points out that postage 'can account for 25%-40% of the costs of a customer magazine'. He says that while the NSPCC has 'got its act together fastest', he knows of other charity clients that are thinking of forging partnerships enabling them to distribute their magazines effectively.
When NSPCC held the pitch that led to Redwood's appointment, rival agency Publicis Blueprint also proposed a tie-up with a retail partner. In the end, the retailer pulled out of negotiations, which is further evidence that publishing agencies are looking for innovative distribution solutions.
'We're working on another magazine launch that is using a new style distribution partnership where we have matched the brand to a retail partner,' says Publicis Blueprint managing director Jason Frost.
Opportunities to secure magazine distribution with traditional newsstand outlets, such as WH Smith, are declining, as retailers are giving shelf space to the titles of major consumer publishing groups that can devote substantial marketing spend to support their titles. For this reason, smaller publishers are looking for alternative routes.
One example is bi-monthly urban music and style magazine Juicy, which launched this summer. Publisher Howard Panton approached WH Smith and magazine marketing company Comag, but was turned down because Juicy was seen as 'too small and too niche'. The title is now being distributed through outlets such as HMV, Virgin Borders and urban fashion shops.
'You have to target your audience. More people are spending time in music and fashion shops than in WH Smith,' says Panton.
The right partner
Leading brands and other customer publishing clients may find inspiration in the approach taken by NSPCC and Juicy. It goes without saying, however, that getting the right retail partners on board is fundamental.
Julian Downing, managing director of customer publishing firm Rare, is among those who expect to see more distribution partnerships struck with retailers outside the traditional newsstand market. He also expects a growth in the trend for newsstand titles to 'host' customer magazines as a way of adding value for their readers.
A few clients have gone beyond hosting in their relationships with other media. Upmarket property developer St George advertises the publication of new editions of its magazine in national newspapers. This is often more cost-effective than advertising the properties themselves. Tracking requests for the magazine has shown that a single issue of the title can deliver up to £50m in property sales.
While the NSPCC may have different objectives to St George, it will hope that its similarly original thinking is just as productive.
