IPC’s Relaunched Nova To Close
European Magazines Limited, the joint publishing venture between IPC Media and Groupe Marie Claire is to close Nova less than a year after it relaunched the seminal women’s fashion magazine of the ’60s (see First Issue Review: Nova: The Fashion Magazine Reborn?). Despite a high profile launch which included TV advertising and generated considerable media interest, the title only managed to attain a circulation of 75,000 by its first (and only) ABC audit, the lowest circulation in the monthly women’s titles sector.
Managing director Tim Brooks commented: “Nova was ground-breaking in its style and delivery, but commercially has not reached its targets. IPC has an aggressive launch strategy,and an important part of this strategy is the strength to take decisive action and close unviable titles.”
The magazine suffered a setback early on, when launch editor Deborah Bee quit abruptly after only three issues (see Appointments Brief). Her replacement, Jeremy Langmead, previously editor of the Sunday Times Sunday Times Style magazine was expected to increase the fashion focus of the title, but it seems he could not increase the readership.
Nova’s demise may cause it to be bracketed for posterity with Frank (see First Issue Review – Frank), Wagadon’s ill-fated attempt to re-write the rules of women’s monthly fashion magazines. Whether or not this means the concept of “intelligent” editorial with high style is unpopular with readers is debatable.
The sector is a crowded one, albeit with very few original products and declining readership – all new titles must therefore fight hard for survival. In addition, newspapers have been fighting their own declining circulations of late with investment in tempting supplements such as the Mirror’s M. When intelligent editorial and fashion coverage can be bought each week for around the third of the price of the average glossy, it is not hard to see where consumers will go. The last issue will be the June edition, which goes on sale today.
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