Accounting and Finance

1. Aim & Strategy

Future has performed well and gained business momentum in every sector during the 2012-13 financial year. The improvement in performance is based on effective strategies that utilized in four aspects.

1.1 Digital transformation

Future passed an important turning point, with significant progress in transition from print to digital media and more than half of all advertising revenues (59% across the Group) now digital. CVG, Future’s first UK gaming site that features adaptive design, has stimulated largely record traffic and increased mobile users. The corporate flagship design site, Creative Bloq, after extensive revolution, it entered its second phase of development and is likely to provide a richer experience for design professionals. The content scale also perfectly suited to different users’ devices. In addition, Future launched the world’s leading IPAD brands called Photography Week that creating an innovative way in learning for photographers in October,2012. Therefore, the digital transition contributes greatly to digital revenues that took up one third of total margin within this year.

1.2 Building brands

Brands are Future’s most important channels that bring about potential value for company. TechRadar, the news and technology site, which is Future’s top brand, continued to grow a global audience and this brand was recognized as a priority target for brand building. Future also introduced Mollie Makes that offered tablet-only information for craft fans, leading to extend brand power. At the same time, events are identified as a key platform for strategic brand development, presenting face-to-face opportunities to our communities to meet and interact with our brands and each other.

1.3 Increasing engagement

Impacted by the previous innovation-led culture, Future made good use of world-class content creators and digital innovators in order to deepen consumer engagement. With 14 digital properties now attracting over a million unique users a month. The company also evolved new ways to monetise audiences, above all through affiliate partnerships with retailers. They maintained a unique partnership with Microsoft that develop a campaign to promote Xbox One. In addition, the sixth month partnership with Carphone Warehouse allowed Future to reach consumers ahead of purchase decision and gain in-depth information. On the other hand, Future’s bookazine programme worked with international retailers to research core consumer demand and respond quickly to new consumer trends internationally. They looked forward to finding new revenue opportunities for print launches so as to diversify revenues across channels.