IPC Invests Millions In Chat Revamp

Women’s weekly magazine, Chat, which took a sizeable hit according to the most recent ABC concurrent release, will hit the newsstands on Thursday following a total revamp.

Publisher IPC Media has devoted three months to intensive research and development and invested £2 million on the title in a bid to arrest declining sales.

According to IPC, the new Chat is “a variety pack of 100% true stories, puzzles, irresistible fashion, bargains, bonuses and surprises”, but remains “just as cheeky, irreverent and fun as it’s famous for.”

“Chat is thriving, despite me-too launches and cut-throat competition,” said editor Gilly Sinclair. “So what better time to engage with our loyal readers and go even further in delivering their perfect weekly read? All-new Chat is a jamboree-bag of emotional stories from the poignant to the potty – and will always be just plain gripping. Chat is the smart, real life read.”

The title’s layout has been overhauled, upping the emphasis on pictures, whilst new sections have been added and existing sections have been given make-overs.

Chat publishing director Sandy Gale, added: “Despite a market that has almost doubled in the last three years, Chat continues to demand incredible loyalty across hundreds of thousands of UK women.

“As always with Connect brands, we research our development very carefully and our readers have been adamant about what they loved and what they wanted more of – and we’ve delivered on that!”

The weekly, which is priced at 78p, recorded an ABC of around 511,500 at the last concurrent release for January to June 2007, after a year on year loss of almost 43,000 copies, and down from 609,163 in the same period in 2005.

However, the title remained relatively competitive in a sector which mostly experienced sizeable declines in circulation (see ABC Results Jan-Jun 2007: Take A Break Stays Top Of Women’s Weeklies Amidst Sizeable Declines).

IPC Media: 0870 4445000 www.ipcmedia.com