2016 MEDIA KIT

INTRO

HE AP READER IS AHEAD OF THE CURVE and plans

on staying there. Fluent in tech and social media, the AP Reader is

a millennial consumer with a passion for fashion, entertainment and
music. They are movers of youth culture that consider themselves members
of an exclusive, devoted community of pop culture fans.
100% independently owned and operated
Monthly print magazine sold at Target, Barnes & Noble and Hot Topic
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum 30th Anniversary exhibit
Official partner of the Vans Warped and Taste Of Chaos festivals
Official partner of the Danny Wimmer Presents Festivals
Content partner of World Wrestling Entertainment
Over 2.5 million engaged social media fanatics
Mobile-responsive digital properties
International reach and distribution
Producers of the annual Alternative Press Music Awards
2

BRAND OVERVIEW

35 MILLION
VIEWS

560,000
FOLLOWERS

1,000,000
LIKES
525,000
FOLLOWERS

135,000 APP
DOWNLOADS
2.2 MILION
MONTHLY
UNIQUES

AUDIENCE

AP FEMALE READER

International traveler
Style trendsetter
Skilled gamer
Live show fanatic
YouTube maven
Fashion conscious

AP MALE READER

Plays an instrument
Merch fanatic
In college
Influences friends
Animal lover
Instagram aficionado

Pictured above: APs in-house influencer team, Caity Babcock and Nick Major

PRINT DEMOGRAPHICS
GENDER:
Female: 60%
Male: 40%
EDUCATION LEVEL:
High school: 51%
College: 23%
College graduate: 7.5%

40%
THE AP READER is an early

adopter who relies heavily on

tech and social networking.
More diverse than any other
previous generation, the AP
reader largely consists of generation Z and millennial consumers whose buying power
and influence make them the
most coveted of demographics.

40%

60%

60%

AGE:
Median/Mean Age: 18
17 and under: 39%
18-29: 52%
30-45: 8%
45+: 1%

ETHNICITY:
White: 66%
Hispanic/Latino: 20%
Biracial: 3.85%
Asian American: 2.86%
African American: 2.81%
Other: 4.48%
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD
INCOME: $55,000

I want to thank you for all the amazing music youve introduced
me to. Ive been a subscriber for at least five years and I will
continue to subscribe for years to come. Ashley, 18
5

PRINT EDITION
FOR 30 YEARS, ALTERNATIVE PRESS

has been the industry leader for cutting-edge music, style and
culture. Outlasting many of its much larger, corporate peers, AP
has bucked several trends, including print magazine growth in
both newsstand sales and subscribers. AP can proudly be found
at many national retailers including TARGET, BARNES &
NOBLE, HOT TOPIC, WALMART and many more.
KEY STATS:
480,000 monthly reach
68% of readers save their copy of AP
78% are likely to hang AP posters on their walls/lockers
10% of our magazines are distributed internationally
TARGET:
64% increase in store sales, 700+ stores added
BARNES & NOBLE:
AP is in the TOP 3% of all publications sold at B&N
SAFEWAY:
31% increase in store sales, 600+ stores added
KROGER:
98% increase in store sales, 1,000+ stores added
HOT TOPIC:
AP is the only magazine sold in the entire retail chain
PREMIUM OPPORTUNITIES
Bind-ins
Cover Overlays
Advertorials
Style Product Placements
Flexi Disc
6

128

218

375

20

SPOTS

26

SPOTS

#1
YOUT

H MUSIC

MAGAZINE
SOLD IN
AMERICA!

752
2

851
2136

SPOTS

82

SPOTS

261

SPOTS

354

SPOTS
Barnes & Noble sales rankings (out of 5,053 titles)

AP DIGITAL
The World's #1 Resource for Youth Music, Style and Culture

UNIQUES:

1.4 MM+

(U.S.)

2.2 MM WORLDWIDE

PAGEVIEWS:

5.1MM+

(U.S.)

70%
access AP via

MOBILE

50% / 50%

DEMOGRAPHICS

MONTHLY STATS

30%

access AP via

DESKTOP

90%
18-34 yrs.
AUDIENCE AFFINITIES *

TOP MARKETS

NEW YORK CHICAGO LOS ANGELES

SAN FRANCISCO HOUSTON

TV/FILM

MUSIC

FASHION

GUITAR

GAMING

407k+ NEWSLETTER/EBLAST REACH

135k+ FREE AP APP ACTIVE USERS
(9% OPEN RATE)

PREMIUM OPPORTUNITIES

Homepage takeovers
Custom/Native content
Overlays
7

Section sponsorship (APTV, Audio)

Targeted push notifications

*QUANTCAST OCTOBER 2015

SOCIALS

LIKES
1,000,000+

FOLLOWERS
565,000+

FOLLOWERS
525,000+

ARTNERING WITH ALTERNATIVE PRESS

will help build your brand via the rapidly growing community that we foster. There are opportunities for growth with your own brand, especially if a
longterm partnership is established with AP.
2015 KLOUT RANKINGS
ALTERNATIVE PRESS 98
Billboard 94
Rock Sound 92
Kerrang! 81
Pitchfork 97
Noisey 81
PREMIUM OPPORTUNITIES
Product placement
Longterm social campaigns
Tutorials / How-To
Contesting

We create a better conversation around

our content than our competitors AP
8

SUBSCRIBERS
203,000+

FOLLOWERS
60,000

FOLLOWERS
22,000

AVG. SNAP VIEWERS

25,000

SOCIAL GROWTH
Facebook:
January 2014 400,000 LIKES
August 2015 925,000 LIKES (+525K)
Twitter:
January 2014 287,000 FOLLOWERS
August 2015 515,000 FOL. (+525K)
GROWTH RATES FOR COMPETITION
Below are a list of publishers and cultural influencers that we surpass in social growth.
ALTERNATIVE PRESS 0.54%
NME 0.52%
Rolling Stone 0.34%
Substream 0.33%
Kerrang! 0.29%
Warped Tour 0.27%
SPIN 0.24%
Decibel 0.20%
Fuse 0.16%
MTV 0.14%
Absolute Punk 0.10%

AUDIENCE BREAKDOWN
Gender
58% F / 42% M
(overall Facebook/Twitter)
Age
13-17: 18%
18-24: 52%
25-34: 20%

APTV

APTV IS THE VIDEO CONTENT HOME OF ALTERNATIVE

Press, featuring news coverage, high-profile interviews, in-depth
festival reports, gear tutorials, behind-the-scenes content, style
segments and other co-branded concepts. With our trusted AP
correspondents and brand ambassadors, APTV already has over
175,000 subscribers and 25 million views. APTV is the CNN to
this current generation of young music enthusiasts.
PREMIUM OPPORTUNITIES:
Pre-roll video placement
Co-branded festival/event coverage
Product placement
Script integration
Celebrity gear demos and tutorials
Sponsored episodic video series
Long-form documentaries
Video & movie trailer premiers
Live-streamed concerts
9

AP MUSIC AWARDS

HE ALTERNATIVE PRESS MUSIC AWARDS SHOW is the annual gathering of the worlds
greatest bands from the past, present and future. The inaugural APMAs took place at The Rock and
Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014 and then moved to the much larger Quicken Loans Arena for the 2015
edition. A two-hour long red carpet event preceded the four-hour award ceremony and VIP artist/fan afterparty. Previous APMAs have had live performances and appearances from Fall Out Boy, Weezer, Joan
Jett & The Blackhearts, Slash, Rob Zombie, Panic! At The Disco, All Time Low, twenty one
pilots, The Misfits, Ice-T & Bodycount, Coolio, Korn, New Found Glory, Pierce The Veil,
Corey Taylor, Sum41, Taking Back Sunday, Halestorm and Simple Plan.
Broadcast on AXS TV, YouTube and Twitch
Trended #1 worldwide of Facebook and Twitter for 24+ hours
15 fan-voted awards were handed out (over 450,000 votes were cast in 2015)
Multiple, high-level sponsor opportunities and activations available

The GRAMMYs of Alternative Music

10

[The APMAs]
were a chance
to live out
every musical
dream the
16-year-old
version of
myself once
had.

AP TOUR

AVPENTS

LIVE E

Y E D TO
HAVE PLA

+
1,000,0N0G0
YOU
FANS

THE ANNUAL AP TOUR IS A 35-CITY TREK ACROSS AMERICA .

Whether booking national headliners or the bands of the next generation, AP
works in tandem with our partners to exceed their goals, regardless of how big
or small they may be. Weve created unique and memorable experiences for
brands and fans alike through custom tours, events, tour programs, parties and
more. We guarantee to get your brand in the hands of our dedicated fans.
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
Branded tours and festivals
Art gallery and museum exhibits
Custom content creation
Industry-exclusive parties
Skinned busses and onsite activations
Band signings / Meet & Greets
11

LIVE ACTIVATIONS
VANS WARPED TOUR

MUSICIANS INSTITUTE

DANNY WIMMER FESTS

THE VANS WARPED TOUR, Americas

longest running traveling festival, turns 22 this
year. Since 2000, AP has been producing
the free official Vans Warped Tour Program,
the essential collectors item of Warped.
There are 250,000 copies distributed to
attendees throughout the tour for autograph
signings and between-set reading. The AP
Booth is known as the official signing
tent on Warped Tour by fans.

ALTERNATIVE PRESS has teamed up

with the esteemed Musicians Institute in
Los Angeles for our Artist Conversation
series. APs Senior Editor, Ryan Downey
moderates these sold-out fan-and studentattended lectures with the top artists
working in music today. Past participants
have included Falling In Reverse,
Black Veil Brides, Motionless In
White and Sleeping With Sirens. Its
Inside the Actors Studio for the modern
rock and roll music fan!

FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, AP HAS

teamed up with Danny Wimmer Presents to
host the backstage artist lounge at their many
events across the country. Its at festivals like
Rock On The Range, Aftershock,
Louder Than Life, Rock Allegiance
and the Big Ticket where you can find
APTV filming all the live, behind the scenes
action. These 10-plus festivals are some of
the greatest live rock experiences going.

Attended annually by 500,000+ fans in

over 40+ national markets
APTV filming live exclusive content
Dedicated Warped issue of AP
Artists signings and meet & greets
Sampling and demo stations
VIP afterparties & events

12

Attended monthly by 500+ fans and

music students in Los Angeles, CA
Sponsor gifting suites
National sweepstakes and contesting
Full social and digital content campaigns
Exclusive APTV content and takeovers

Attended annually by 1,000,000+ fans

APs dedicated VIP Lounge & studio
Artists signings and meet & greets with
the Crazy Daves Music Experience
Sampling and demo stations
Afterparties and satellite events
Exclusive APTV content and takeovers
Full social and digital content campaigns

EDITORIAL CALENDAR

Q1.

Q2.

Q3.

Q4.

331 FEBRUARY

334 MAY

337 AUGUST

340 NOVEMBER

ON SALE: 1/5/16
SPACE CLOSE: 11/20/15
ART DUE: 11/25/15
The holidays are over, but the list-making
continues: Our buyers guide to THE
MOST ANTICIPATED MUSIC OF 2016
is always top-loaded with inside info and
photos on the next projects of scene
faves, hotly tipped newcomers, influential
veterans and the occasional supergroup.
We like to think of it as a yearbook in
reverse; our readers call it essential.

332 MARCH

ON SALE: 2/2/16
SPACE CLOSE: 12/16/15
ART DUE: 12/22/15
The old adage goes clothes make the
man. But who makes the clothes?
Youre going to need some sweet
threads, and our SPRING FASHION
SPECIAL will make sure youre dressed
to killor at the very least, looking good
while bruising folks in the pit.

333 APRIL

ON SALE: 3/1/16
SPACE CLOSE: 1/15/16
ART DUE: 1/22/16
While we pledge allegiance to our flag,
this month were raising the Union Jack
up the pole and saluting the best music
coming out of the United Kingdom with
our GREATER BRITAIN special. Let us
stamp your passport, accordingly.

13

ON SALE: 4/5/16
SPACE CLOSE: 2/19/16
ART DUE: 2/26/16
AP celebrates Record Store Day by
hand-picking the most coveted vinyl of
2016. Our editors also reveal some of
the best collections from our community
and explore the stories behind these
prized possessions.

335 JUNE

ON SALE: 5/3/16
SPACE CLOSE: 3/18/16
ART DUE: 3/25/16
Plug in, tune up, rock: Its NATIONAL
GUITAR MONTH, the time of year where
we spotlight the sonic warriors who topple
amps, stomp pedals and shred our hearts
and minds in the best ways imaginable. In
addition, our SUMMER SHOPPING GUIDE
will keep you on the seasons coolest stuff,
regardless of the threat of global warming.

336 JULY

ON SALE: 6/7/16
SPACE CLOSE: 4/22/15
ART DUE: 4/29/15
Call it Punk-rock summer camp, summer
salvation or the only tour that matters.
Here at AP, we refer to it as THE VANS
WARPED TOUR, and its 22nd road
campaign is shaping up to be more glorious
than last years. Youre going to need some
cool stuff to wear to deflect (or generate)
the heat, so weve got you covered with our
SUMMER FASHION SPECIAL.

ON SALE: 7/5/16
SPACE CLOSE: 5/20/16
ART DUE: 5/27/16
All bets are off for the third annual
AP MUSIC AWARDS! This years
commemorative issue will get you the
stories behind the nominees and the
assorted legends that helped the scene
flourish and prosper in your heartand
your eardrums.

338 SEPTEMBER

ON SALE: 8/2/16
SPACE CLOSE: 6/17/16
ART DUE: 6/24/16
Our annual BACK TO SCHOOL issue
keeps you on point with both the smartest
new tech gear, and the sweetest, headswiveling styles on fleek. We also set
our wayback machine back 10 years to
revisit the soundtrack to the scene in our
CLASS OF 2007 special.

339 OCTOBER

ON SALE: 9/6/16
SPACE CLOSE: 7/22/16
ART DUE: 7/29/16
Where do you find guitar strings, an
awesome new pedal, a decent meal or a
cure for your lead singers laryngitis at 4
in the morning? No prob, we got this in
our TOURING MUSICIAN SPECIAL.
And get ready for the best new looks
for the rest of the year in our FALL
FASHION SPECIAL.

ON SALE: 10/4/16
SPACE CLOSE: 8/19/16
ART DUE: 8/26/16
Ever feel like terrifying your friends,
family, co-workers or the internet at
large? You know you do! Get your scare
on with APs HALLOWEEN SPECIAL,
and see if you make it out... alive...
(muwhahaha!)

341 DECEMBER

ON SALE: 11/1/16
SPACE CLOSE: 9/16/16
ART DUE: 9/23/16
Rhythmic tricks n flyin sticks: Its our
ANNUAL DRUM SPECIAL, where
we get behind the gear of the scenes
biggest bashers for maximum mayhem
and damage. Heck, well even give you
a leg up on your retail therapy with our
HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE.

342 JANUARY

ON SALE: 12/6/16
SPACE CLOSE: 10/22/16
ART DUE: 10/28/16
Its been called everything from
excellent to stocking stuffer,
which is why we continue to curate
the best photos of the biggest bands
in our ANNUAL HOLIDAY POSTER
BLOWOUT issue.

RATE & SPEC SHEET

1X

3X

6X

9X

12X

FULL

$6,500

$6,310

$5,780

$5,100

$3,780

HALF-PAGE

$4,290

$4,180

$3,820

$3,325

$2,580

SPREAD

$12,680

$12,110

$10,980

$9,590

$6,920

CVR 2 / PG. 1

$15,240

$14,630

$13,570

$11,500

$8,780

CVR 3

$7,655

$7,200

$6,720

$5,730

$4,310

PROOFS
ALL ADS MUST BE SUPPLIED WITH A PROOF.
Matchprints or color keys are preferred.

CVR4

$8,740

$8,320

$7,780

$6,530

$4,930

RESOLUTION
266 dpi at full size of output.

SPREAD
(LIVE AREA)

SPREAD
(LIVE AREA)

.25 BLEED
TRIM
.25 SAFETY
INSIDE
TRIM
FOROFALL
FORLIVE
ALL LIVE
MATTER
MATTER

FULL PAGE
NON-BLEED

FULL PAGE
BLEED
(LIVE AREA)

DEREK STAPLES

Sales Manager
1305 W. 80th St, STE 214
Cleveland, OH 44102
(216) 631-1510 (ext. 105)
staples@altpress.com

DIGITAL FILE SPECS

FORMAT/FILE TYPES
Macintosh media. Acceptable file types PDF (prefered)
EPS and TIFF (NO LAYERS: MUST BE FLATTENED).

COLOR
CMYK or black & white files only (No RGB files).
Spot color or 5th color (such as PMS or metallic)
can be purchased at an extra cost, contact your ad
representative for pricing.

TRIMMED SIZE OF AP: 7."w 9.375"d BLEED: .25 (ALL-AROUND)

1/4
SQUARE

1/2
VERTICAL

1/2
HORIZONTAL

BINDING/PAPER
AP is perfect-bound, with a UV-coated cover with
0UNCOATED TEXT PAGES please adjust your ad
density accordingly (-20%) for interior ads.
PLEASE NOTE
If artwork is submitted after the published deadline,
AP cannot be held responsible for the quality of the
printing as we may not be able to check the advertisement before it is printed.

WIDTH

DEPTH

.25" BLEED

.25" SAFETY

SPREAD

14.5"

9.875

YES

YES

FULL BLEED

7.5"

9.875

YES

YES

https://www.hightail.com/u/altpress
USE ANY WEB BROWSER - NO LOGIN REQUIRED!

FULL PAGE (NON-BLEED)

6.0"

8.375

NO

NO*

(You can also submit artwork through a remote

site that you can specify.)

2.875"

8.25"

NO

NO*

6.0"

4"

NO

NO*

VIA E-MAIL: (UNDER 15MB FILES ONLY)

staples@altpress.com or artdept@altpress.
com

2.875"

4"

NO

NO*

HALF PG. VERTICAL

HALF PG. HORIZONTAL
QTR. PG. SQUARE

* although not required, please be aware of your safeties for all art submitted.

14

SUBMIT ARTWORK TO:

2016

VIA WEB:

VIA MAIL:
A hard copy on CD or DVD along with a hi-res proof
is preferred if priority mailed or overnighted to the
address below, but please e-mail a tracking number
and a confirmation e-mail to staples@altpress.com

DIGITAL SPECS
PROPERTY
Leaderboard
Medium Rectangle
Half Page
Homepage Pop-Up

SIZE/DETAILS
728x90
300x250
300x600
900x340

Mobile Leaderboard
Mobile Medium Rectangle
Homepage Skin
Homepage Takeover

320x50
300x250
1423x730
All homepage properties
and 320x50 mobile
Lists, videos, etc

Sponsored Content
Site Skin Takeover
Push Notification

1423x730
128 characters text + link
(130k+ recipients)

E-blast

600x900 (400k+ reach)

web jpegs or gifs
640x960 + 640x1136
.
Brand landing page
400x400 + title, message
and button text

Homepage Slider
Custom Tab
In App Pop-Up

15

RATE
$15 CPM
$12 CPM
$12 CPM
$450 (3-day run)
$15 CPM
$12 CPM
$150/day
$1200/day
Custom
$1000 [48-hour run]
$15 CPM
$1200/blast
$300 (2-week run)

Custom Premiere and social campaigns available depending on client budget

Custom
$15 CPM

CONTACTS

ALTERNATIVE PRESS MAGAZINE

1305 W. 80TH ST., SUITE 214
CLEVELAND, OH 44102
PHONE: 216.631.1510
FAX: 216.631.1016
JOSH BERNSTEIN

Director of Sales & Business

646.243.9895
bernstein@altpress.com

DEREK STAPLES
Sales Manager
216.631.1510 ext. 106
staples@altpress.com

KRYSTEN SULIN
Account Executive
216.631.1510 ext. 108
sulin@altpress.com