How Magazine Media Is Solving for Print Losses AIM
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July 10, 2017 | Vol. 70 No. 26 Read more at: minonline.com Closing the Gap: How Magazine Media is Solving for Print Losses Time Inc., New York Media and Atlantic Media offer three unique solutions. Among all the changes magazine media faces—consolidation, layoffs, digital—the one consistent trend is the decline of print advertising. Moody’s estimates that print ads will continue to fall 10% through mid-2018, providing little hope for a turnaround in the traditional revenue stream that media companies used to rely on. But, it’s also true that some companies, like New York Media and Atlantic Media, have long looked past the traditional advertising spigot, to find more reliable resources of growth. This has created some innovative strategies, where organiza- tions have sought to use their knowledge and prestige to test new revenue streams. We take a look at three different initiatives that may not replace the advertising losses, but provide a new way of viewing the potential still inherent within media brands. Continued on page 6 AIM Sells Premium Courses in a Sea of Internet 'Free' Does Active Interest Media prove that brands are now a plaform? If you're looking to perfect your vegan cooking techniques, the internet makes it pretty easy, and cheap. Plug the relevant key- words into YouTube, and about 191,000 hits float up, including numerous vegetarian cooking tips from no less than Gordon Ramsey (who has his own YouTube channel), tofu tips from the even more specialized “Vegan Zombie” (who showed us how to make vegan s’mores with a flamethrower for July 4th), and affordable meal plans from the “Cheap, Lazy Vegan,” some of which have topped 700,000 views. Continued on page 7 Our Exclusive Index: Advertising Confidence Declines in June Magazine-media executives are less optimistic as summer doldrums hit. In min’s second iteration of our Magazine Media Advertising Confidence Index, we find that advertising confidence has de- clined as we start the month of July from the same period last month. Our respondents combined for an average confidence rating of 6.5 on a scale of one to 10, down from 6.8 in early June. A slew of factors in the participants' individual businesses played a role in this new sentiment, with some more optimistic, but most less. For example, one CEO says, “The reason for my optimism is that June was one of the strongest months in company history, and was 135 percent higher than June the previous year. Continued on page 4 In This Issue The Pioneer Women Pio- Not Another Average Approach Hey Magazines: Why All 2 neers Content Marketing 3 to App Personalization 8 the Instagram Video? © 2017 Access Intelligence, LLC. Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction by any means and imposes fines of up to $150,000 for violations. minonline.com CAYSEY WELTON’S MAGAZINE REVIEW Editorial VP, Content: Tony Silber ([email protected]) The Pioneer Woman Is Consumerism at Its Finest 203/899-8424 Group Editor: Caysey Welton The new Hearst title is on brand with readers and marketers. ([email protected]) Last week we spoke with Christine Guilfoyle, SVP and 203/899-8431 Digital Media Editor: Steve Smith Group Publisher of Meredith's Women's Group, about the ([email protected]) value print offers celebrities as a marketing channel. The im- 302/691-5331 Editorial Assistant: Jameson Doris petus of that conversation was the success of HGTV stars ([email protected]) Chip and Joanna Gaines' print magazine, The Magnolia Jour- Contributing Editor, Analytics: nal, which has increased its rate base after each of its first Stacy Hill ([email protected]) Business three issues. Well, here we are again talking about another Publisher: Roberta Caploe celebrity-inspired magazine. This time the publisher is Hearst ([email protected]) Magazines, and the celebrity is Ree Drummond, or better Director of Event Operations & Logistics: Kate Schaeffer known to her fans as "The Pioneer Woman." ([email protected]) Hearst launched Drummond's magazine, unsurprisingly Senior Marketing Manager: Danielle Sikes ([email protected]) titled The Pioneer Woman, at the start of June. The pilot issue Marketing Coordinator: Zoe Silverman was sent out to approximately 4,000 Wal-Mart locations and Drummond's retail shop. The ([email protected]) initial print run was set at 150,000 units, but another 100,000 copies were printed because Senior Account Executive: Tania Babiuk ([email protected]) the company said it had nearly sold out. That inspired us to take a closer look at the magazine Production to see what all the fuss was about. We're glad we did, because it's a fascinating case study Production Manager: in how content can be married with effective branding and marketing to provide readers with Sophie Chan-Wood ([email protected]) a quality experience. Graphic Designer: Yelena Shamis The magazine isn't trying to achieve the visual aesthetic of a Harper's Bazaar or Esquire, in- ([email protected]) stead it stays well within its lane and focuses on what will sell this issue—Ree Drummond. If Access Intelligence, LLC President & you're familiar with her brand this cover should grab your attention. It's got rustic appeal with Chief Executive Officer: Don Pazour SVP, Media Group: Diane Schwartz its typography and barn board backdrop, and mixes that with bright colors and inspirational Chief Operating Officer: coverlines (three exclamation points, but who's counting?). Heather Farley Subscriptions/Client Services: When you open the book, the TOC is followed by a two-page L'Oréal Paris spread—one 888-707-5814 of the launch sponsors who is very present throughout the issue. The TOC mimics a tiled im- List Sales: MeritDirect, 914-368-1090 ([email protected]) age approach that we can thank Pinterest for. A perfect navigation approach for its audience. Advertising: 203-899-8498 The content inside the book is a mixed bag, and one that we can imagine will inspire read- Reprints: Wright’s Media, ers to pick up the magazine more than once. It features lifestyle content, beauty tips, more 877-652-5295 ([email protected]) recipes than we can count, and even fashion. (As it turns out, gingham should be considered a Editorial Offices: 1761 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT, 06851; neutral. Who knew?) But when you really look closely at the content you'll see the real genius 40 Wall Street, 50th floor, New York, in The Pioneer Woman —it's a marketer's playground. Nearly everything is connected to con- NY 10005; Faxes: 203-854-6735, 212-621-4879; www.minonline.com sumerism, but none of it feels unnatural. In fact, it seems like more of a service than a hinder- Access Intelligence LLC, 9211 ance. The feature that really stands out is really nothing more than a content-marketing play Corporate Blvd, 4th Floor, Rockville, MD 20850; Ph: 301-354-2000 Published to promote Drummond's retail store, The Mercantile. However, 2017 © by Access Intelligence LLC. the feature makes you feel like you are getting a behind-the- The Pioneer Woman Distributed via email and online. For scenes look at the store, instead of just being prompted to visit email and postal address changes, User Experience A+ allow 2 weeks notice. Send to: Client and buy her products. It also provides tangible value by giving Services or call 888-707-5814. For advertising info contact 301/ 354- readers a recipe from the store's bakeshop. Smart. Overall Design A- 1629. Contents may not be reproduced The book is 121 pages and loaded with ads, including con- in any form without written permission. Content Mix A- Subscription Rate: $1,199.97 tent integrations with brands like L'Oréal and Dr. Pepper. Overall this is an excellent magazine for Drummond's brand, Advertising A and a great value to her fans at only $3.99. Expect to see this Consumer Value A+ title get a more aggressive frequency, and maybe extended distribution in 2018 after its second test issue. This is an ideal Final Grade A approach at giving readers and marketers what they want. 2 Magazine Media’s Most Trusted Source Since 1947 7/10/2017 minonline.com STEVE SMITH'S REVIEW Bleacher Report Brings Personalization to The Edge For most niche content providers, personalization has been a dubious development in digital media. Getting users to proactively personalize an interface has always been hard. And even if you do get buy in for personalization, it only raises a whole host of questions about editorial voice and control. How much should even the most digitized media brands let their customers roll their own content and deconstruct what had been traditionally a sculpted and deliberate media environment? Sports, of course, is a category with so many leagues and teams that some degree of person- alization is expected. However, Turner’s direct competitor to ESPN—Bleacher Report—is an exercise in extreme personalization that has much to teach about the risks and rewards of custom- ization. It's the highest-rated sports app in the iOS store, and second in popularity only to ESPN Watch Live. That alone should make publishers take notice. First, the app seems to take as a given that media app users are a core constituency that will and should personalize their favorite content. The app essentially makes you choose the teams, topics, even authors you want to see in your stream, and then build your sports news environment out of that. This is no small thing. In some ways, the audience for medi-branded apps is also an op- portunity for publishers to break some of the editorial rules that constrain them elsewhere.