End Of Year Round Up: Magazines
January
January kicked-off with research from AC Nielsen and the Condé Nast Reader Survey suggesting that magazines are undervalued in the media mix, as the medium’s share of influence is not reflected in its share of adspend, despite the 1.2% year on year increase seen in the 12 months to September 2001 (see
Mags May Be Undervalued In Media Mix
The publication of the new consumer magazine circulation figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) brought bad news for the once-vibrant Men’s Lifstyle market, which experienced a year on year fall of 11.2% overall, including a heavy loss of 20.4% for market leader, Emap’s FHM. Condé Nast’s GQ, Dennis’ Maxim and IPC’s Loaded were also among those suffering double digit year on year percentage falls (see ABC: Men’s Market Totters; CosmoGirl! Makes 170,000 Debut).
The month also brought two major closures, Emap pulled the plug on its monthly hair and beauty title Celebrity Looks after admitting that it could no longer make the magazine work in the current market. While BBC Worldwide closed its monthly teen magazine Live & Kicking after a sizeable decline in its circulation. On the brighter side Natmags up its investment in young women’s health title Zest
March
March saw the magazine world buzzing with news that I Feel Good publishings new men’s magazine was to be called Jack and was set for an April launch. Emap’s teenage lifestyle magazine Bliss relaunched as an A5-sized title, hoping to benefit from the Glamour effect of the smaller sizing. Other re-vamps included IPC Ignite’s Muzik magazine which aimed to attract a more serious dance music following. Elsewhere Future Publishing secured its ongoing relationship with Microsoft by winning the contract to be the only Windows publication to be officially licensed by the software manufacturers.
Meanwhile over at the women’s glossies, Emap announced that Elle Girl launch editor Sarah Bailey was to take over the role of editor at Elle. Natmags’ Cosmopolitan magazine has launched motoring website for women called Cosmowheels. The site contains information on buying vehicles including cars, motorbikes and bicycles, alongside information of new and used vehicles for sale (see Cosmo Launches Women And Wheels Website).
April
Spring brought doom and gloom to the lads mag sector with the assertion: “The lad’s mag craze is a phenomenon that is over”, from David Davies, editor of the UK’s highest circulating men’s lifestyle magazine FHM (see Lad’s Mag Phenomenon Is Over). Despite this foreboding former Loaded editor James Brown unveiled his long anticipated men’s magazine, Jack, promising an “orgy of war, animals, fashion, genius and cool (see
Things were also looking brighter over at IPC, which invested £5m in a multi-media marketing campaign for celebrity magazine Now. The group also increased the print run for the June issue of Marie Claire after the announcement that man-of-the-moment David Beckham was to be the magazine’s first male cover star led to an increased demand from retailers.
April also saw the 50th Birthday of cult music title NME, which recieved a birthday re-vamp including a new size and the introduction of a glossy cover.
May
May brought a tear to the eye of fashionasta’s with the news that Tyler Brűlé stepped down from his position as editorial director of elite interiors and lifestyle magazines Wallpaper* and Spruce. The industry also waved a fond farewell to Punch, the fortnightly satirical magazine owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, which love it or loathe it was something of an institution after almost 160 years of publication.
Elsewhere IPC Igniteappointed Andrew Sumner as the new publishing manager of its flagship men’s lifestyle magazine Loaded and Emap unveiled a new look for its rock music magazine Kerrang!.
June
The month began with BBC Magazines’ appointing Matt Teeman as advertising director of its newly created centralised sales team.
Meanwhile IPC Connect geared itself up for summer, releasing the latest in its series of spin-off specials from weekly women’s title Now, a summer edition of Now StarStyle.
Elewhere BBC Worldwide appointed former launch editor of Eve magazine, Gill Hudson, as the new editor of the Radio Times. IPC Southbank announced that Louise Chunn, deputy editor of In Style was to move up to the position of editor, following the departure of launch editor Dee Nolan.
July
The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) has been appointed as Condé Nast’s circulation auditor, increasing ABC’s auditing share of the consumer magazine market to 40% (see ABC Appointed To Audit Condé Nast Titles). H Bauer and consumer sales house The Publishing Consultancy (TPC) have launched the first online presence for either company in the UK. Emap Elan has announced that Sharon Parsons is to take over the editorship of Period Living & Traditional Homes, ahead of the January to June 2002 ABC consumer magazine figures coming out next month (see New Editor For Period Living & Traditional Homes). Natmags has appointed freelance journalist Laurel Ives as assistant editor for Cosmopolitan. The appointment comes as the magazine fights to retain its place at the top of the women’s glossy market in the face of fierce competition from Condé Nast’s Glamour Attic Futura has poached Sue Asbury from Natmags, where she was PR manager for the Young Women’s group, replacing Lorraine Pearson, who left earlier this year, as PR manager for the Attic Futura portfolio. Future Publishing has appointed NMI Group to handle a £300,000 integrated advertising campaign to promote its Official PlayStation 2 magazine. IPC has announced a range of new appointments across its magazine portfolio, including new editors for interiors titles 25 Beautiful Homes and Ideal Home (see New Appointments Across IPC Magazine Portfolio).
August
August was a busy month for the magazine industry, the big news being Hachette Filipacchi’s acquisition of Attic Futura (see Hachette Buys Attic Futura For £40 Million). This also led to the break-up of Hachette and Emap’s joint ventures, which included Hachette’s heavy-weight fashion Elle brand which includes Elle Decoration and Elle Girl, while the future of Red hung in the balance.
However, the month belonged to Glamour’s after it toppled Cosmopolitan, which relinquished its position as the top dog among the women’s glossies (see ABC: Cosmopolitan Beaten By Glamour). Glamour’s rise to the top over-shadowed Cosmo’s respectable year-on-year increase. (see ABC Jan-Jun 2002 – Women’s Monthly Titles). Elsehere Heat was still a success story among the Celebrity/Gossip magazine sector (see ABC Jan-Jun 2002 Celebrity And TV Listings Magazines).
The month also saw a host of big ad deals, cosmetics giant Rimmel sponsored Sugar magazine’s annual model competition for the second consecutive year. Emap’s Elle magazine announced a joint advertising deal with car manufacturer Ford (see Elle Lands Joint Deal With Ford). Smash Hits secured a cross-promotional deal with Clarks Bootleg shoes to distribute 500,000 specially designed versions of the magazine in shoe shops across the country.
September
September revealed the Lad’s mag craze was alive and kicking with FHM FHM has launched a campaign to find Britain’s 100 sexiest non-celebrity women in the same month that rival lad’s mag Loaded has chosen to feature a series of different covers.
Peter Howarth is stepping down as editor of Natmags’ men’s lifestyle magazine Esquire after six years. Hachette, which last month paid £40 million for Attic Futura (see NewsLine) is planning to become an increasingly significant UK player by consolidating its advertising operations. H Bauer is set to launch a new monthly women’s magazine called “Spirit & Destiny” next month. Wallpaper* has appointed Jeremy Langmead as its new editor-in-chief, replacing founding editor Tyler Brule, who left in May.
October
November
December