ES Magazine – Agency Reactions

Agency reaction to the new ES magazine launched on Friday has been mixed.

Jackie Rix, Client Services Executive in Press at the London Media Company is not impressed by the new magazine. She said that while she does not dislike the magazine, she preferred the old product, not being a fan of review sections. Her major complaint, however, is the increase in ad rates; in her opinion the new section is not as glossy or as expensive looking, yet the rates are almost double the old magazine.

Phil Talbot, Media Planning Director of Collett Dickenson Pearce, believes that the new magazine is a weekly tabloid version of the old one, and he believes that the monthly was actually better, in that it was glossier and more up-market.

Nevertheless, he believes that for his clients the new magazine has some advantages, in that it is easier to time campaigns. He also thinks that the weekly format works well for a review magazine.

Keith Robertshaw, Associate Director of the Media Centre, is impressed by the new product. He said that it contains everything one could expect for the weekend ahead, and he especially liked the Hot Tickets section, calling it an “excellent idea”. He says that overall the product works very well, and because of the Evening Standard’s strengths in entertainment, the guide for the weekend is particularly useful.