It’s been one of the strongest areas of magazine publishing and a source of growth for independent publishers looking for a new revenue stream. But even custom publishing hasn’t been immune to the downturn—spending on custom publishing fell 20 percent in 2008, according to the Custom Publishing Council.

Part of that slide is driven by the economy. But it’s also a result of marketers taking on more responsibilities for their custom projects.

Print remains the backbone of custom publishing but the mission for publishers is changing to that of a full-service marketing agency. Custom publishers are finding new relevance by not just creating print and digital products but orchestrating marketing strategies and taking clients into new territory, such as social media.

In this article, FOLIO: offers a look at how five custom publishers are meeting the new demands of clients, including a profile of a small regional publisher who proves that custom isn’t just for dedicated agencies or large traditional publishers.

CASE STUDY #1: A Custom Magazine That’s Built For Profit, Not Just Marketing [0]

CASE STUDY #2: SmartMoney Custom Offers Financial Services Clients Increased Response Rate Through Data and Personalization [0]

CASE STUDY #3: Cleveland Clinic Looks To Augment Custom Mag with Aggressive Web Strategy [0]

CASE STUDY #4: A Small Publisher Finds Success With A Custom Division [0]

CASE STUDY #5: Hammock Builds Social Network for SNAP Conference [0]