An outsert is a supplemental leaflet or card wrapped around and attached to the outside of a
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
or other publication -- unlike an
insert
An SQL INSERT statement adds one or more records to any single table in a relational database.
Basic form
Insert statements have the following form:
The number of columns and values must be the same. If a column is not specified, the default va ...
, which appears inside the magazine itself -- in order to advertise a product.
Outserts may range from a few pages to dozens, sometimes as large as a separate magazine.
An outsert may also act as a flag for the publication to distinguish it from other titles on
newsstand
A newsagent's shop or simply newsagent's or paper shop (British English), newsagency (Australian English) or newsstand (American English, American and Canadian English) is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and oft ...
shelves. The effect is to draw the attention of the browser to the magazine.
Advertisers are frequently drawn to outserts because of the perceived "halo effect" of their ad being bundled with the magazine, while magazines use them as an additional revenue source.
Research shows that outserts may increase sales of the publication. The best performing outserts use a single, bright colour to contrast with the magazine cover.
History
The outsert was first used on Running Magazine in the UK in 1981.. They were later popularized by fashion magazines in the early 1990s: ''
Vanity Fair'' included an outsert for
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery. ...
, and ''
Details'' included one for Request jeans. The October 1992 issue of ''
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** '' Vogue Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ' ...
'' was packaged with an outsert advertisement for
Revlon
Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, perfume, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it remains. Revlon was founded by brothers Charle ...
. This outsert was deliberately designed to mimic the ''Vogue'' graphic design, with photoshoots by ''Vogue'' photographers,
which sparked controversy amid those who saw it as blurring advertising and editorial.
Other uses
An additional use of the term outsert is a multi-folded, instruction sheet applied to the outside of a bottle or carton of a
pharmaceutical
Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...
product.
The instruction sheets are rather large and the font of the text is small so as to provide all mandated information about the proper use of and
warnings about the product. The equipment that applies the ''outsert'' is called an outserter or outserting machine.
Scientific use of the term
High-strength magnets such as those at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) is a facility at Florida State University, the University of Florida, and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, that performs magnetic field research in physics, biology, bioengineeri ...
are configured with an inner magnet called the insert and an outer magnet called the outsert.
References
External links
Video showing an outserting machine in action
Magazine publishing
Advertising
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