It seems publishers are increasingly keen to start learning more about their audiences.
Hearst’s UK arm NatMag is adding a research and insight director, Aida Muirhead, from fashion retailer ASOS.com.
Just as ASOS has staffed up with media types, including former Emap director Terri Westlake as head of media and former Elle UK editor Melissa Dick as head of editorial, magazines also want to learn from how such operators get to know and target their audiences better.
Muirhead had built out ASOS.com’s customer insight team, which helped segment its audiences. Before that, she was an Emap product developer.
At NatMag, Muirhead will sit in the marketing team and create a similar insight team with NatMag’s publishing directors.
NatMag circulation director Sharon Douglas says the addition is to “put the customer at the very heart of everything we do”.