My Big Fat ABC report…

Another six months of tables and tables of data have hit my inbox. Almost 100 pages of numbers – nearly the same number of pages as Grazia – but with none of the pictures, products and ads to look at.

I suppose from the initial glance it is daunting, especially for someone like me, who “doesn’t do detail darling!”. I am assuming the most important stuff is at the front and by the time you get to the back (finishing my skinny vanilla decaf latte), it’s the minor stuff that nobody looks at – or is the same data cut and presented in a different way.

It is interesting that the first tables are a ranking of the actively purchased magazines. Definition being that they are bought at the newsstand or through subscription and exclude the customer magazines, like the now closed Sky Sports and Movie mags and the freebies like Stylist. Obviously the big magazine publishers are influential enough to ensure this is the first ranking media agencies see… and, to be fair to them, this is where most of the advertising money goes. The TV mags dominate headline sales (yawn!)… don’t people have an EPG?

If we look at the top ranking titles for total distribution, it’s no surprise that they are dominated by the customer magazines, which are free either as part of a larger subscription commitment or available in store.

Then there are titles sorted by circulation gains. Bizarrely this is sorted by period on period changes rather than year on year. So bi-annually the gardening magazines such as BBC Gardener’s World (now sold to Exponent) are at the top but next time will see the largest decline because of seasonal interest in the subject matter.

Newstrade or newsstand sales seem a good barometer of a magazine’s health. With the continuing onset of digital devices and platforms this area of distribution will always be under the most pressure from cannibalisation. The publishing world is striving to make newspapers and magazines accessible on the major mobile and tablet devices but in the UK, the selling of digital editions and the subsequent auditing is very small. Vogue, for example, sold 185 digital editions on average.

What is evident in the States is that newsstand sales are also under pressure more than subscriptions. However, on a brighter note, evidence from over the water shows that the packaging of subscriptions with digital access or selling single copies of the digital edition could be making a small difference. Still, it’s all a bit early to say, but the trend looks positive.

The thing that stands out looking at the plethora of magazines on a newsstand is the number of BOGOF’s available or multi-packing – continuing to be the trick of choice to boost numbers if not circulation revenue. This technique has been used for some time so gains are hard to come by (PoP or YoY).

Other techniques that have varying forms of success are free gifts. Stand-out for me recently has been the free Rigby and Peller knickers given away with Tatler. There were three different pairs to collect and the “Hope” pair have been on my desk for over a week. But where is Tatler heading – cheap knickers for a magazine targeting the polo set? But then polo has sold out or been taken over by the chavs – according to The Sunday Times mag. No wonder Cartier is withdrawing its sponsorship!

Anyway, back to the ABCs. The biggest loser (by sector) is the Women’s Weeklies – down 8% or nearly 650,000 copies year on year. It was the leading category last year but has lost to Cookery and Kitchen this time.  Is this a result of the recession as consumers have less disposable income and stay at home more? It may be a bit of that but the category is also propped up by increased distribution from some of the free supermarket customer magazines. The Lifestyle and Fashion sector seems pretty resilient with a small 1% increase year on year.  I saw Roger Saul (founder of Mulberry) on breakfast TV saying that high end fashion was continuing to out perform the general high street… this seems to be the case for high end fashion magazines too.

The large magazine groups have lost sales year on year with the exception of BBC Worldwide, mainly because of a couple of new kids mag launches.  Their lead publication, Radio Times, was down 5%.  The worst performance for one of the major groups was Bauer (not to be too confused with H Bauer) – down 11.5%, with Closer and Heat the main drains on performance, down 13% and 22% respectively.

From a personal perspective, what drives me to be loyal to my favourite mag? Well there are several key things… firstly, it has to smell good. Before exploring the delights inside I need to take long draughts of how the key ingredients smell. If only they could change the smell to reflect the season. As we enter the autumn fashion issues I would prefer a warm, earthy base. I suggest Tom Ford’s Azure Lime – the fragrance is great on a man!

Secondly, it needs to be mine first – and only when I have finished with it would I consider sharing. I need to be the first to pour through it and the first to bend the spine (only ever so slightly, of course). I am not averse to looking at other’s possessions and still catch up with some of my own cast-offs. That’s why most magazines have a high number of readers per copy.

Thirdly, I want to keep my favourite editions for as long as possible… kept in a place where I can get my hands on them at short notice.

My magazine of choice needs to say something about me, reflecting how people perceive me and what I stand for. We need to look good together and fit with each other’s lifestyles, whether commuting, at work or among my friends.

First impressions count and the power of the front cover really helps the sale. Not everything is skin deep but something that is aesthetically pleasing on the eye does increase the desire. I have even mounted some of my favourites.

Brand extensions are good if there is a long term strategy and plan for them. However, too many mini-me’s spread across a whole host of platforms shows a lack of focus and commitment.

Lastly, there is one certain magazine in my life. I have a yearly subscription and a long term commitment. It knows a lot about me and endeavours to make sure I am first to know about special offers and incentives. Moreover, it stops me being tempted by others.

The next time you hear from me I will be able to update you on the innovative September issue from FHM. In partnership with Lacoste they are producing a fully interactive magazine that will feature the use of watermarking technology on every page. This will allow the reader to interact by scanning the water-mark (on every piece of editorial and advertising) and access exclusive content in a 360 degree experience, buy products, share with other users and more. I am going to get Paper Boy a copy and endeavour to persuade him to buy something that isn’t corduroy!

P.S. Follow me on Twitter! @MTel_GlossyGirl