As with the previous periods’ results for July – December 08, the latest ABC figures for January – June 2009 show women’s magazines faring better than the men’s magazine market but most of the women’s monthlies still reported declines both period on period and year on year. An indication of the overall weakness of the market is that Glamour remained the top selling monthly despite a 4.6% decrease in sales. However, the latest ABC’s have not been the blood-bath that some expected. The overall year on year shrinkage in the women’s lifestyle market overall was only 2.8% year on year, suggesting that female audiences still value affordable luxuries and practical advice in times of austerity, although there is evidence of some titles boosting their circulations with bulks and cheap subscriptions. What is widely accepted is that where consumers were previously buying multiple magazines, they are now restricting themselves to their favourite titles.
The decline of the market targeting 30 something women continues, with Easy Living, She and Marie Claire’s circulations all decreasing year on year by double digit percentages. However the recent re-launch of Marie Claire, with previous InStyle editor Trish Halpin at the helm, has greatly improved the title, re-establishing its fashion credentials and shifting the focus away from the more ethical route it had been following.
Despite the difficult market, there are still signs of new life in the market. A new launch from the publishers of the freely distributed men’s magazine Shortlist, launches on the 7th October. Stylist will initially distribute an ambitious 400,000 copies per week in four key cities, London, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham, targeting an up-market, working woman. The editorial will combine fashion and beauty but without the same celebrity focus of weekly competitors, Grazia and Look.
ABC Circulations Jan-Jun 09 – Women’s Magazines
