BBC Seeds Research Into Gardening Readership
BBC Magazines has announced what it claims is the UK’s most comprehensive research study to date into consumer attitudes, centering on public opinions of its extensive gardening portfolio.
The research is designed to inform future editorial, marketing and advertising sales plans for its gardening products, including BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, BBC Easy Gardening and Gardens Illustrated.
The report, to be entitled Gardening and The Nation 2004, will be undertaken by strategic marketing consultancy New Solutions and will update the findings of BBC Worldwide’s original Gardening and The Nation, also produced by New Solutions in 1998.
Commenting on the need for new research Dominic Murray, publisher of BBC Magazines’ Gardening Group, said: “Interest in all things gardening has exploded in recent years and now is the perfect time to re-visit consumers and find out what they are thinking now. The original report shed considerable light on consumer attitudes and we expect this major new piece of research to give us valuable insight into how consumer attitudes to the world of gardening have evolved since then.”
He added: “Ultimately, it will enable us to further develop our gardening magazine offering and ensure our spectrum of readers are fully catered for.”
The research promises to explore current consumer attitudes to gardening and the gardening media, including in-depth research into key attitudinal, motivational and segmental shifts that have occurred since the original research over five years ago.
The Corporation’s flagship gardening title, BBC Gardener’s World, has suffered a circulation dip according to the latest ABC figures. The title lost 3.2% year on year in the six months to December 2003, while Gardens Illustrated lost 10.2% of its circulation year on year during 2003.
The BBC’s latest gardening title, Easy Gardening currently has a circulation of just over 61,000, trumping Gardens Illustrated‘s circulation of just under 29,000 but lagging behind long running Gardener’s World‘s massive circulation of just under 286,000.
Guy Tomlinson, director of New Solutions explained that the new research would help to increase readership and increase the quality of the Corporation’s titles. He said: “We are delighted to be working with the BBC again on its Gardening and The Nation research. This is an important study that will help to inform editorial and market planning and we look forward to helping the BBC Gardening Magazines Group get even closer to its audience and build its market leadership in gardening media.”
New Solutions has previously worked with the Corporation on high-profile brands such as Walking with Dinosaurs, Top Of The Pops and Tweenies.
Last week saw the shock resignation of Rupert Gavin, chief executive officer of BBC Worldwide, who resigned from his role without reason and with immediate effect. The move came after the Corporation published its Annual Report, revealing a record cash flow of £141 million for Worldwide last year, a year on year increase of 14%, which was reinvested into the Corporation’s public service broadcasting (see BBC Worldwide Chief Makes Shock Resignation).
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk
Recent Magazine Stories from NewsLine Kerrang Secures Cross-Media Deal For Osbournes Launch Zoo In Football Frenzy With Euro Sponsorship Deals The Hits Secures Exclusive Partnership With Unilever
Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive