The publishing trade body found that marketing activity in these magazines elicited higher-than-average active response levels among 18- to 34-year-olds and 55- to 64-year-olds.
While the average response level is 79%, younger readers' level was 84% and the older group had a level of 90%.
The research, involving a survey interviewing 4,390 customers and called 'Proving and Benchmarking the Effectiveness of Customer Magazines', also found while the profile of readers is predominantly female three quarters of male readers made an active response to these magazines, with the percentage slightly higher among younger, affluent men at 80%.
Two-thirds of respondents kept customer magazines for more than a week and more than eight out of 10 picked up the magazine more than three times.
Julia Hutchison, APA director, said: "We have long known how powerful customer magazines are as a marketing tool but now we have the proof.
"Perhaps now is the time for more marketers to consider customer titles as a core element to their marketing strategies."
The survey was carried out by market research firm Millward Brown.
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