September 2011. In collaboration with “nextpractice” research institute dfv asked 132 top decision makers about their personal values and carefully examined the function of specialist media on the basis of those values, publishing the results in it´s new study about B2B value worlds “B2B-Wertewelten”. In this way they succeeded in obtaining a very accurate picture of the significance of specialist media. “B2B-Wertewelten” builds on the results of an earlier study entitled “Verdammt nah dran”, which dfv conducted in 2010.

Selected results

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  One social megatrend is becoming apparent: “Complexity reduction through self-activity”.
  There is a new trend in professional media reception that is changing the role of specialist media perceptibly. The readers of B2B media do not simply want to have information relevant for their respective profession served on a silver platter. They rather consider it as increasingly important to be able to simplify complex interrelated facts themselves and to self-dependently find a path through the daily information jungle. “Complexity reduction through self-activity” is a social megatrend.


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  Key role in the megatrend: Specialist media are important tools that decision makers independently use to reduce complexity.
  B2B decision makers are using individual sources or experts as orientation to a lesser and lesser extent; instead they are independently creating clear and simple structures in an increasingly interactive world. Modern specialist media fulfil a key role in this context, because the range of information and communication options offered by them provide readers the tools they needto self-dependently reduce complexity in terms of the megatrend.
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  There is also a growing demand for B2B media as interaction boosters.
  Modern specialist media make use of the social megatrend “Complexity reduction through self-activity”. In order to support their readers in building up their own competencies, they no longer just limit themselves to their classic core function as “relevance filters”, but increasingly are taking on a new role as “interaction boosters”, which will continue to become more and more important in the future according to the study. Contacts, dialogue and a platform on which experiences can be exchanged - the survey reveals that those are the means with which B2B media can ”enthuse” on the internet and at events.
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  Specialist advertising is well received: Considered positive by respondents
  The study results indicate that the respondents also give advertising in specialist media a positive assessment. If they are tailored precisely to the target group, advertisements – just like editorial content - can serve as an important source of information that is relevant for decision making and thus harbour great potential for effectiveness.
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  Print – Digital – Events: Decision makers obtain information via all media channels.
  Decision makers appreciate having the entire media diversity of specialist publications at their disposal, which means print, online and social media as well as events. However, the individual channels are used to a differing extent depending on each individual’s age and personal information type.
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  Excellent assessment for dfv media
  The respondents give dfv media an above-average assessment, therefore the decision-making support that dfv media provide with their information and communication products is correspondingly high. The overall range of dfv products is also evaluated as substantially better advertising media than the industry average.

We have only been able to briefly summarise a small selection of the fascinating results here. The customer consultants at Deutscher Fachverlag will be pleased to present the complete study to you. Please just contact us. You can find information on all dfv media and contact persons here.