The Business of Magazines

[Creative]

Really? I don't think she's doing that good, actually.

From my understanding of their circulation average per year:
a. Column 1 indicates the year of publication
b. Column 2 indicates the average of issues printed
c. Column 3 indicates the average issues sold in France
d. Column 4 indicates the average issues sold Internationally

2010 - 215,349 | 121,055 | 39,680
2011 - 223 263 | 121,103 | 39,869
2012 - 221 856 | 122,618 | 36,168
2013 - 219 900 | 118,024 | 32,477
2014 - 219,930 | 121,871 | 35,426 (DSH)
OJD, Vogue Paris Media Kit

According to this, issues sold internationally have decreased. Plus, 2013 sold worse than 2010, and we have to remember there was a huge economic crisis in Europe back then...

In fact, if we count the issues sold internationally and in France, the total amount is bigger when Carine was the editor in chief.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

^ Its true, we can hate on Alt, but she is actually doing really good at the magazine.

I never understood why people were under the impression VP under Alt was a failure. VP as an overall mag is still one of the best Vogues. And in terms of written content is probably the only Vogue anyone can take seriously.

 

[MON]

Indeed MissDalloway! I'll post the 2010-2014 month per month in a while with the respective cover models. Seems like the familiar faces always get high sales so no wonder they're always on the loop.

I also cannot believe how COSMO UK soars through the charts despite its horrible covers and contents. And despite UK Vogue being lackluster month after month, it still leads that ahead of Elle and Bazaar. And surprising to see Elle fairing better than Bazaar

But Creative, I don't think International sales is the key factor in checking the success of French Vogue. It is a magazine written in French and not everyone can read and understand French. That's one thing. Also, what for are soaring international sales when you are the loser in terms of sales in the French market. Their #1 target is France and as long as they're doing good in France, decreasing international sales wouldn't bother them the slightest. And at least, according to the data, the first half of 2014 has pretty impressive sales

 

[Les_Sucettes]

Indeed MissDalloway! I'll post the 2010-2014 month per month in a while with the respective cover models. Seems like the familiar faces always get high sales so no wonder they're always on the loop.

True. I think the big winner was actually Sophie Marceau. Correct me if I'm wrong but Natasha's cover is for June/July so it's understandable that it would sell more. No wonder fashion mags are always chasing celebrities, Regardless, I know it's an unpopular opinion, but i really liked Sophie's cover though.

 

[Benn98]

True. I think the big winner was actually Sophie Marceau. Correct me if I'm wrong but Natasha's cover is for June/July so it's understandable that it would sell more. No wonder fashion mags are always chasing celebrities, Regardless, I know it's an unpopular opinion, but i really liked Sophie's cover though.

You're quite right, LS. Double month issues needs to be taken into consideration. In theory, that cover should've turned double the amount. I didn't like Sophie's cover (all that orange! ), but Alt promised on numerous occasions that she'll continue to give covers to older women, so in a way it made sense.

MON, thanks for all the data!!! I'm really not surprised that Cosmo nets the most turnover. Due to it's diverse accessibility, they're bound to court more readers than fashion magazines.
I also think UK Vogue keep their sales constant because of Alexandra's calculated moves. Love her or hate her, her recipe seems to be be working, clearly:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jun/16/perfect-magazine-cover-girl-cheryl-cole

 

[MON]

You're quite right, LS. Double month issues needs to be taken into consideration. In theory, that cover should've turned double the amount. I didn't like Sophie's cover (all that orange! ), but Alt promised on numerous occasions that she'll continue to give covers to older women, so in a way it made sense.

MON, thanks for all the data!!! I'm really not surprised that Cosmo nets the most turnover. Due to it's diverse accessibility, they're bound to court more readers than fashion magazines.
I also think UK Vogue keep their sales constant because of Alexandra's calculated moves. Love her or hate her, her recipe seems to be be working, clearly:

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jun/16/perfect-magazine-cover-girl-cheryl-cole

Very very true! I think the same goes as well with all the Vogue publications that we consistently call "repetitive", "safe" like US, Paris, Italia++ Every cover they make is a calculated move wherein as much as we love them or hate them, they still sell. So as long as the "recipe" works to their benefit, I highly doubt that we'll see something innovative from these publications. It's somehow sad, but true.

 

[tigerrouge]

To my mind, those UK sales figures represent no change on the landscape that existed ten or so years ago, except there's been a general decline in magazine sales across the sector, no matter what.

I seem to remember Vogue was always slightly ahead of Elle, despite the latter being more exciting in terms of content (although I wouldn't say that about the current incarnation). Cosmo and Glamour maintain wide circulations, while Vanity Fair and Tatler were always niche titles, never selling much, but consistently retaining a higher class of readership.

You would have thought there'd be more change to the patterns of purchasing, given that a magazine is a disposable product that appears monthly, yet that isn't the case. Are people loyal to titles in the long-term, despite the content? If you see yourself as a "Vogue" girl, does that impression last?

 

[michel]

Hmm. Are these numbers exclusively print editions? I'm sure as their print numbers decline, their iPad/online subscriptions rise, and so does their online presence. I think we should take that into account when we're considering a magazine's success and impact nowadays.

Their articles and etc are probably reaching a wider audience than ever before with how much traffic they get online.

 

[vogue28]

Doutzen Kroes shot with Gilles Bensimon on a beach in Miami, Florida. Geraldine Saglio was present on the shoot, so I assume it was for Vogue Paris - it looked fab as per usual! The photos are on the Daily Mail and can be found here.

*Edit* Sorry guys, wrong thread.

 

[Benn98]

Doutzen Kroes shot with Gilles Bensimon on a beach in Miami, Florida. Geraldine Saglio was present on the shoot, so I assume it was for Vogue Paris - it looked fab as per usual! The photos are on the Daily Mail and can be found here.

You'll want to post this in the Cover Rumor Thread, I'm sure.

 

[Benn98]

Hmm. Are these numbers exclusively print editions? I'm sure as their print numbers decline, their iPad/online subscriptions rise, and so does their online presence. I think we should take that into account when we're considering a magazine's success and impact nowadays.

Their articles and etc are probably reaching a wider audience than ever before with how much traffic they get online.

Digital sales/subscriptions should be added, but I don't think online traffic should. We are trying to assess the monetary viability of magazines (people who actually pay money to buy an issue, as opposed to just browsing previews online). Example: of course Vogue's website and social platforms will be active when Rihanna or Lady Gaga is on the cover, but will people actually pay hard cash to buy the magazine?

 

[MON]

Ah good idea Michel! I forgot to research on the digital sales of the magazines considering the advances in technology. I'd look into this! Thanks for the reminder love <3

 

[MON]

Vogue Paris 2014 Sales​

*All of these monthly sales are those of are sold in France only. Does not include international and digital sales

Average: 119,505
February 2014 - Emily Didonato: 107,776
March 2014 - Lara Stone: 122,345
April 2014 - Cameron Russell: 110,380
May 2014 - Sophie Merceau: 134,985
June/July 2014 - Natasha Poly: 147,809
August 2014 - Anna Ewers: 122,781
September 2014 - Natalia Vodianova: 138,241
October 2014 - Natasha Poly: 105,520
November 2014 - Adriana Lima: 90,764
December/January 2014 - Inés de la Fressange: 114 451
ojd


The average is still below their normal 121k average and at least rose from the 118k average of 2013. Is their "2015 New Look" a response to the demise in sales of 2014? It's also surprising to see Adriana's first cover the worst selling of the bunch and Natasha's second cover the second lowest. The dual months aside, it seems that the best selling issues are Natalia's and Sophie's (who would've thought?).

Vogue Paris 2014 International Sales​

*All of these monthly sales are those of are sold Internationally only. Does not include digital sales

Average: 27,454
February 2014 - Emily Didonato: 30,570
March 2014 - Lara Stone: 30,388
April 2014 - Cameron Russell: 26,798
May 2014 - Sophie Merceau: 26,744
June/July 2014 - Natasha Poly: 28,829
August 2014 - Anna Ewers: 25,885
September 2014 - Natalia Vodianova: 28,951
October 2014 - Natasha Poly: 24,374
November 2014 - Adriana Lima: 25,138
December/January 2014 - Inés de la Fressange: 26,866
ojd


Oh wow! Their International sales plummeted from 32,477 to 27,454. That's a 15.5% decrease from their 2013 sales. As I said earlier, maybe their new direction (being reminiscent to the old VP) is their take on the demising sales. Is it their way of attracting former international and local buyers?

 

[MON]

Vogue Paris 2014 Sales​

*All of these monthly sales are those of are sold in France only. Does not include international and digital sales

Average: 119,505
February 2014 - Emily Didonato: 107,776
March 2014 - Lara Stone: 122,345
April 2014 - Cameron Russell: 110,380
May 2014 - Sophie Merceau: 134,985
June/July 2014 - Natasha Poly: 147,809
August 2014 - Anna Ewers: 122,781
September 2014 - Natalia Vodianova: 138,241
October 2014 - Natasha Poly: 105,520
November 2014 - Adriana Lima: 90,764
December/January 2014 - Inés de la Fressange: 114 451
ojd


The average is still below their normal 121k average and at least rose from the 118k average of 2013. Is their "2015 New Look" a response to the demise in sales of 2014? It's also surprising to see Adriana's first cover the worst selling of the bunch and Natasha's second cover the second lowest. The dual months aside, it seems that the best selling issues are Natalia's and Sophie's (who would've thought?).

Vogue Paris 2014 International Sales​

*All of these monthly sales are those of are sold Internationally only. Does not include digital sales

Average: 27,454
February 2014 - Emily Didonato: 30,570
March 2014 - Lara Stone: 30,388
April 2014 - Cameron Russell: 26,798
May 2014 - Sophie Merceau: 26,744
June/July 2014 - Natasha Poly: 28,829
August 2014 - Anna Ewers: 25,885
September 2014 - Natalia Vodianova: 28,951
October 2014 - Natasha Poly: 24,374
November 2014 - Adriana Lima: 25,138
December/January 2014 - Inés de la Fressange: 26,866
ojd


Oh wow! Their International sales plummeted from 32,477 to 27,454. That's a 15.5% decrease from their 2013 sales. As I said earlier, maybe their new direction (being reminiscent to the old VP) is their take on the demising sales. Is it their way of attracting former international and local buyers?

 

[Benn98]

Vogue Paris 2014 Sales​

*All of these monthly sales are those of are sold in France only. Does not include international and digital sales

Average: 119,505
February 2014 - Emily Didonato: 107,776
March 2014 - Lara Stone: 122,345
April 2014 - Cameron Russell: 110,380
May 2014 - Sophie Merceau: 134,985
June/July 2014 - Natasha Poly: 147,809
August 2014 - Anna Ewers: 122,781
September 2014 - Natalia Vodianova: 138,241
October 2014 - Natasha Poly: 105,520
November 2014 - Adriana Lima: 90,764


The average is still below their normal 121k average and at least rose from the 118k average of 2013. Is their "2015 New Look" a response to the demise in sales of 2014? It's also surprising to see Adriana's first cover the worst selling of the bunch and Natasha's second cover the second lowest. The dual months aside, it seems that the best selling issues are Natalia's and Sophie's (who would've thought?).

Vogue Paris 2014 International Sales​

*All of these monthly sales are those of are sold Internationally only. Does not include digital sales

Average: 27,454
February 2014 - Emily Didonato: 30,570
March 2014 - Lara Stone: 30,388
April 2014 - Cameron Russell: 26,798
May 2014 - Sophie Merceau: 26,744
June/July 2014 - Natasha Poly: 28,829
August 2014 - Anna Ewers: 25,885
September 2014 - Natalia Vodianova: 28,951
October 2014 - Natasha Poly: 24,374
November 2014 - Adriana Lima: 25,138
December/January 2014 - Inés de la Fressange: 26,866
ojd


Oh wow! Their International sales plummeted from 32,477 to 27,454. That's a 15.5% decrease from their 2013 sales. As I said earlier, maybe their new direction (being reminiscent to the old VP) is their take on the demising sales. Is it their way of attracting former international and local buyers?

Thanks for this Mon!!
I'm not really too concerned about March and September, because to a degree it sells itself. But look how Anna Ewers' August cover roughly turn the same amount as Lara, who had March. Bear in mind August is a quiet month, no wonder she got her second cover so soon.
Also, Sophie must be a big deal in France. Tremendous triumph for an older woman, no wonder Alt took the plunge with Inés. The recipe here seems to be to stick to French icons.
I don't really think Natasha is a good seller. I mentioned earlier that Natasha's June/July cover remained on the newsstand logner, so that was the benefit of her high sales. Because when she got October, the sales ended up below average.
Oh and Adriana was the worst seller? . Well, you live and you learn.

 

[Benn98]

Q&A: Under New EIC Joyce Chang, Self Magazine Mixes Fitness With Fashion.
Relaunch targets the SoulCycle-Instagram generation By Emma Bazilian

February 10, 2015, 12:00 AM EST

Specs
Who Joyce Chang
New gig Editor in chief, Self
Old gig Executive editor, Cosmopolitan
Age 38

You've increased the amount of fashion editorial in Self, and especially high-end fashion. Are you concerned about the magazine becoming too aspirational?
I don't think so. We have one of the most affluent demographics in the building. These are women who work really hard and they can buy whatever they want. But we're not out to say that you should only spend a ton of money on clothes. I just came from a run-through and there was a fantastic look from H&M as well as from Reed Krakoff and Proenza Schouler. It's about having a modern mix.

How have readers responded to the new Self?
They really like how clean it is. So many magazines seem to feel that millennials need to be shouted at from every different direction in order to get their attention, and that's not the case. Treating the reader with respect is really important, and I feel like it gets lost in the design of so many other books.

Three of your five cover stars so far have been models, which is pretty unconventional. Why models?
I love using models because it is unexpected and it is different, and we're not chasing after the same people that everyone else is chasing after. Not that we don't love celebrities, but it's more about whether that personality embodies what Self is. There is a new breed of models that are not all skinny and bony; these are strong, healthy women who work hard and take their jobs and their health really seriously.

It seems like everyone on Instagram is posting about their latest workout or the marathon they just completed. What's your take on the popularity of fitness in social media?
People are rightfully proud when they've finished a really tough workout, and this is their badge of honor. I also think that people treat fitness almost like travel now because it's an experience, and when you have a great experience, you want to share it. A SoulCycle class, a Tracy Anderson class, a yoga class, all of these things feel special.

How do you see Self evolving from here?
We have our formula and our focus; I just want to do more of it. We're really going to be focusing our energy on how we can make the digital experience as rich as the new book is. We're looking for different ways to really create an immersive experience.

What's the craziest fitness trend you've tried for the magazine?
I did aerial yoga this weekend and I hung upside down, which I definitely felt a bit ridiculous doing initially. But then I got really into it. It was hard, but my back felt amazing afterwards.

Source: Adweek.com

 

[djowodjo30]

Im curious with Italian Vogue sales number, seem Lexi Boling is their biggest seller model cover since they use it over and over again in 2014.

 

[Benn98]

Im curious with Italian Vogue sales number, seem Lexi Boling is their biggest seller model cover since they use it over and over again in 2014.

VI is less commercial than the other editions. They rely more on a concept to sell the cover, than an actual girl.
I think the reason Lexi Boling gets so many covers is because she's Meilsel's current muse. Whether her face sell or not isn't entirely important.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Wish they were more specific:

February 25, 2015
Magazines See Decline in Newsstand Sales for 2014
By Alexandra Steigrad

HEARST HIT HARD: Newsstand sales for magazines fell 11 percent in 2014, but those losses have slowed, as the supply chain has begun to stabilize, according to recent data released by MagNet. Major publishers such as Hearst, Condé Nast and Wenner suffered double-digit declines in sales, as they slashed their newsstand print orders and upped their low price subscription offerings to drive circulation.

MagNet said that in the fourth quarter, newsstand sales “recovered somewhat,” following the closure of Source Interlink Distribution at the end of May, which impacted the business in the second and third quarters of the year. The third quarter bore the brunt of the damage, as sales slid 19.1 percent.

The research firm said service disruption is just now approaching a full recovery, and that if Source Interlink hadn’t shuttered, newsstand sales would have decreased 7 percent, not the 11 percent they actually fell in 2014.

The firm also noted that as part of the Source Interlink closure, major publishers printed 16.7 percent fewer magazines in 2014. This impacted the fourth quarter, bringing sales down 9 percent.

Publishers such as Time Inc. and American Media Inc. were harmed the least, with respective sales dips of 3.4 percent and 2.8 percent. This is due partially to the fact that cover price increases were implemented earlier in the year, the research firm said, noting that publishers less reliant on subscription sales outperformed the competition.

Publishers hit the hardest included Hearst with an 18.8 percent decrease, followed by Condé Nast (down 14.8 percent), Wenner Media (minus 13.7 percent), Rodale (minus 12.8 percent) and Meredith (minus 10 percent).

Supermarkets continued to be the place of choice to buy magazines. They scooped up 36.2 percent of newsstand market share, followed by supercenters with a 13.6 percent share, drugstores with an 11.6 percent share and bookstores with 10 percent.

wwd

 

[MON]

Thanks Miss Dalloway! Yeah I wish they were more specific (break down of the 14.8% decrease, magazine decrease per publication ++).

I must say, that's a big fall for Hearst. When rounded up, they fell 19%, 4% ahead of those of its rivals whose percentage are close to each other.

Hearst must be doing something really wrong for it to lead the most number of drops