John Brown Publishing
Encyclopedia
John Brown, previously called John Brown Publishing, is one of the world’s largest customer communication agencies. While originally formed as a magazine company it now offers a broad range of services under a single umbrella - these include divisions for catalogues, digital, customer magazine
s, children’s content and brand comms.
Based in Ladbroke Grove in London, the company was formed in 1985 by John Brown who had previously run Virgin Books. The business was launched with two magazines – adult comic Viz
, for which John Brown had secured the rights, and HotAir, Virgin Atlantic’s inflight title.
However, while going on to publish several other newsstand titles, it was the customer magazine
side of the business that grew most dramatically with early clients including Debenhams
, IKEA
, the Dorchester
, Eurotunnel
and many others.
In 2001 the company disposed of its consumer titles to concentrate on customer communications and quickly absorbed Citrus Publishing – another contract agency. This move, along with winning several prominent contracts, established John Brown as the UK’s largest customer publishing house.
In 2003, Viz
was acquired by Dennis Publishing
.
In 2004, CEO Andrew Hirsch (formerly of Pearl and Dean) initiated a successful MBO. A broadening of the group’s activities and a number of acquisitions followed as did board appointments in marketing and strategy. In 2008 the senior management team restructured all the acquired businesses (including CodeLondon, Fingal and Act Two) to trade under the single John Brown banner.
John Brown currently produces around 100 publications and projects for more than 50 clients including RBS
, Waitrose
, Sky
, the DCSF
, Orange
, The British Heart Foundation
and John Lewis
. It has featured frequently at various publishing award ceremonies, both for the creativity of its work, and its own industry success, having been named Marketing Magazine’s Customer Publishing Agency of the Year in 2004.
Customer magazine
A customer magazine is a magazine produced by a business as a means of communicating to its customers. It is a branch of custom media, a product that broadly shares the look and feel of a newsstand or consumer magazine but is paid for in part or whole by a business...
s, children’s content and brand comms.
Based in Ladbroke Grove in London, the company was formed in 1985 by John Brown who had previously run Virgin Books. The business was launched with two magazines – adult comic Viz
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
, for which John Brown had secured the rights, and HotAir, Virgin Atlantic’s inflight title.
However, while going on to publish several other newsstand titles, it was the customer magazine
Customer magazine
A customer magazine is a magazine produced by a business as a means of communicating to its customers. It is a branch of custom media, a product that broadly shares the look and feel of a newsstand or consumer magazine but is paid for in part or whole by a business...
side of the business that grew most dramatically with early clients including Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
, IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
, the Dorchester
Dorchester Collection
Dorchester Collection is a luxury hotel operator owned by the Brunei Investment Agency , an arm of the Ministry of Finance of Brunei. Dorchester Collection owns and manages 9 luxury five star hotels, The Dorchester, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Plaza Athénée, Hotel Meurice, Principe di Savoia, Hotel...
, Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel
Groupe Eurotunnel S.A. manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France. The Company operates the car shuttle services and earns revenue on other trains passing through the tunnel...
and many others.
In 2001 the company disposed of its consumer titles to concentrate on customer communications and quickly absorbed Citrus Publishing – another contract agency. This move, along with winning several prominent contracts, established John Brown as the UK’s largest customer publishing house.
In 2003, Viz
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
was acquired by Dennis Publishing
Dennis Publishing
Dennis Publishing Ltd. is an independent publisher. It was founded in 1974.As of April 2010 the company publishes 31 magazine or online titles, predominately in the UK....
.
In 2004, CEO Andrew Hirsch (formerly of Pearl and Dean) initiated a successful MBO. A broadening of the group’s activities and a number of acquisitions followed as did board appointments in marketing and strategy. In 2008 the senior management team restructured all the acquired businesses (including CodeLondon, Fingal and Act Two) to trade under the single John Brown banner.
John Brown currently produces around 100 publications and projects for more than 50 clients including RBS
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
, Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
, Sky
Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)
Sky is the brand name for British Sky Broadcasting's digital satellite television and radio service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28.2° east and Eutelsat's Eurobird 1 satellite at 28.5°E. The service was originally launched as Sky Digital, distinguishing it from the original...
, the DCSF
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
, Orange
Orange United Kingdom
Orange is a mobile network operator and internet service provider in the United Kingdom, which launched in 1994. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was purchased by France Télécom in 2000, which then adopted the Orange brand for all its other mobile communications activities...
, The British Heart Foundation
British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation is a charity organisation in Britain that funds research, education, care and awareness campaigns aimed to prevent heart diseases in humans.-Foundation:...
and John Lewis
John Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...
. It has featured frequently at various publishing award ceremonies, both for the creativity of its work, and its own industry success, having been named Marketing Magazine’s Customer Publishing Agency of the Year in 2004.