The Business of Magazines

[LastNight]

Monthly is a very specific and lucrative business as each month, magazines have a very focused point (that sometimes can be hard to perceive but still).

You have the fashion (Fall/Winter, Pre-fall, Spring/Summer, Cruise, Haute couture) which allow magazines to reach brands and to sell them coverage.

Then you have the jewellery, the special denim, the special beauty and 12 issues mean 12 opportunities to sell the cover and back cover which are the most lucrative. To sum up, monthly creates many opportunities to bring new clients and to keep some for the long term such as big brands who sell clothes, accessories, perfume, etc.

Just check the campaigns inside issues from different months to see that.

Doing a quarterly is a nice idea for us readers but not for them the businessmen. You can't possibly rely on quarterly advertisements when you have employees and offices to pay every month.

I totally understand what you're saying, and I know I'm making some big leaps and assumptions in my original posts - jumping from 11/12 issues a year to 4 is a stretch, I know. Having said that, it doesn't seem like the way of business you mentioned could last much longer? Maybe for UK and US Vogue, certainly Edward's issues are consistently thick and generate buzz, but the fact the flagship American edition is now down to 11 issues a year doesn't bode well. I would want to get ahead of things and reposition the print editions on my own terms while I had the chance.

If high profile editors are leaving, they're cutting staff, implementing regional editorial directors to oversee a handful of magazines and are starting to share more and more editorial content, then it's not hard to imagine a potential decline in quality and subsequently in readership. How valuable is the back page of a monthly magazine or a long term investment to an advertiser if that ends up being the situation? Especially when there are so many options available for brands to advertise digitally nowadays.

As for employees and offices...they've already shuttered half a dozen magazines and sold off others. The last thing I read was that they're renting out office space in the Conde building to other businesses and eyeing a move to New Jersey (although I don't know how credible that last rumour was). With this recent news I'm guessing there will be more staff cut-backs, which means smaller teams and less office space needed, plus with the pandemic it's become clear how much can be done remotely. I can see many businesses around the world shaving off a considerable expenditure in rent by introducing flexible working, smaller offices and hot-desking.

So whichever way you slice it you're going to be losing staff, losing print advertising, re-evaluating your office space + your expenditures, and looking at pulling in more revenue through digital - why not do it in a way that might actually serve the reader better, adapt to a modern print audience, allow each edition to be run by it's own (smaller) team and give you the chance to take control of the narrative? I know I'm only coming from a reader's perspective and I don't fully understand the nitty-gritty of the business, but based on how things have gone for them over the past decade it's starting to look like a choice between jumping now or being pushed a few years down the line, and they've gone for the push. I hope I'm wrong though, I'd love to see print thriving!

(PS I probably sound like I'm a ranting lunatic, but I'm just so interested in seeing how all this is playing out. Hope my replies don't come across like I'm being argumentative! )

 

[Deleted member 141523]

Anna and Edward don't like tu put models on the cover because they don't sell as they want. This is tragic news. I hope they don't touch Vogue and GQ Latin America, which are already regional editions.

 

[slayage]

Vogue Scandinavia just launched their website and are already offering pre-orders for when the magazine launches in August.

I guess they’ll do six issues a year since that’s the amount of issues you’ll get with their annual subscription.

 

[Xone]

Vogue Japan Editor-in-Chief Mitsuko Watanabe to Step Down

Thank you#

 

[Xone]

I reckon that the next move for Conde Nast is to consolidate these editions as Vogue Europe and Vogue Asia. Then, the inevitable shift to digital.

Yeah that's my feeling too...i mean the idea it's not bad but you have to make sure that still have local contents for their markets... like covers,cover stories, etc....they're gonna need someone that curate some contents locally...even for new products.....it can be done but no in this way....I Highly doubt Enninful understand something of the french market...

Still wondering what's gonna happen with Farneti and Co.

 

[Xone]

In the end, like several of you mentioned before it's about opening their minds, stop clinging to the past, be able to adapt and change the business model....and they need a leader to take a risk, those old executives don't have that kind of vision for the new times, including Anna Wintour.

PS And yes, they need to cease those editions (not only Vogue but from all their magazine roaster) that are not working...and maybe offering more licensing...

 

[tigerrouge]

Vogue Scandinavia just launched their website and are already offering pre-orders for when the magazine launches in August.

I see they describe themselves as aiming "to leave no footprint on this planet". Have they any awareness of what they are - another glorified catalogue selling people stuff that no-one needs? In which case, they would best fulfil their aim by deciding to not exist at all.

I suppose I can look forward to being lectured about the environment by yet another consumerist publication.

 

[Tigerlounge3000]

I totally understand what you're saying, and I know I'm making some big leaps and assumptions in my original posts - jumping from 11/12 issues a year to 4 is a stretch, I know. Having said that, it doesn't seem like the way of business you mentioned could last much longer? Maybe for UK and US Vogue, certainly Edward's issues are consistently thick and generate buzz, but the fact the flagship American edition is now down to 11 issues a year doesn't bode well. I would want to get ahead of things and reposition the print editions on my own terms while I had the chance.

....

(PS I probably sound like I'm a ranting lunatic, but I'm just so interested in seeing how all this is playing out. Hope my replies don't come across like I'm being argumentative! )

I wonder this all the time too - how can any of these magazines really be making money at this point? I think UK Vogue still feels very collectible and interesting, but US Vogue is clearly adrift. The paper quality alone is tragic. Harpers Bazaar - I had high hopes for it, but nothing has beguiled to date. I love Elle - its the only magazine I have re-upped my subscription to, mostly because of its superior articles. However, I miss E. Jean!

 

[sixtdaily]

Sorry I'm not up to date on all the messages in this thread, but re: rumours, I just read an article in French saying that:
- Alt, Olivier Lalanne (GQ and Vogue Hommes) and Joseph Ghosn (Vanity Fair) all leaving
- Jennifer Neyt (EIC vogue.fr) also leaving
- None of them replaced (!)
- In Europe only Farneti and Enninful still have their jobs and Enninful has been promoted to EIC Europe (the article mentions all Europeans should have the same content, just translated in each language)

The article is up on fashionnetwork.

 

[KoV]

With all the money they’re saving with the extreme consolidating, creating global content that will just be translated regionally, does this mean we can expect some good f*cking content, with them funneling their resources towards only the best of the best?

Probably not.

 

[aracic]

the article mentions all Europeans should have the same content, just translated in each language

What a dreadful thought. What is the point of nearly 30 international editions then? And they're launching Vogue Scandinavia.. for what? More of the same? No, thank you. They really nailed that coffin shut tight with this one...

 

[aracic]

does this mean we can expect some good f*cking content, with them funneling their resources towards only the best of the best?

If you considered Nigel Shafran the best of the best, then perhaps lol We should start a prayer circle. I'm feeling faint...

 

[KoV]

If you considered Nigel Shafran the best of the best, then perhaps lol We should start a prayer circle. I'm feeling faint...

Kendall by Nigel styled in head-to-toe Dolce & Gabbana F/W 21.22 on the cover of every edition for September. Manifesting it now!

 

[Xone]

Emmanuelle Alt out at Vogue Paris as heads roll at Condé Nast
Emmanuelle Alt has been dismissed as editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, in the latest cull of senior editors at Condé Nast International, according to well-informed sources.

Her dismissal brings down the curtains on her career as an editor after a decade at the helm of Vogue Paris.

Along with Alt, two other editors in chief were give their pink slips: Olivier Lalanne, the well-thought-of editor of GQ France and Vogue Hommes, and Joseph Ghosn, editorial director of Vanity Fair France. Sources also indicated that Jennifer Neyt, who oversaw the title’s website, had also been relieved of her position.

None of these editors are expected to be replaced.

The firings are part of a giant overhaul of the troubled glossy magazine publishing empire, which has seen Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue acquire even more power. Last December, Wintour was named Global Editorial Director of the magazine group, granting her control of scores of international editions.

In the past 12 months, Condé Nast fired the long-time editors-in-chief of Vogue Brazil, China, Germany, India and Spain, in a culling worthy of Catherine de' Medici. The only country which saw a successor named was China, where Australian-Chinese influencer Margaret Zhang was named the new editor-in-chief.

Under CEO Roger Lynch, Condé Nast has also brutally reduced the ranks of its international editorial talent in a long-term plan to return the company to profitability. In Europe, only Emanuele Farneti and Edward Enninful, editors of Italian and British Vogue respectively, have held onto their jobs, with Enninful being promoted to the position of European Editorial Director. There is speculation that he will eventually oversee a series of unified European editions, in different languages, but with very similar fashion shoots.

A spokesperson for Condé Nast France declined to confirm that these senior staff were made redundant.

However, according to sources, Alt called her key cohorts at Vogue Paris together and informed them of the sad news in a farewell gesture.

A noted fashion stylist, Alt was named editor-in-chief in 2011 when she succeeded Carine Roitfeld, after spending seven years as her deputy. However, her tenure was more noted for its longevity than its creativity. In fact, both Roitfeld and the previous incumbent, Joan Juliet Buck, were seen to have edited far more visionary magazines.

Known for her understated style, the 53-year-old Alt generally dressed in skinny jeans paired with leather Perfectos or blazers, eschewing all dresses, unlike Wintour.

Her departure comes after news emerged of the exit of Dylan Jones, the acclaimed editor-in-chief of British GQ.

The French Condé Nast spokesperson insisted: “In effect, we have no comment. Condé Nast globally is undergoing a great plan of transformation announced last autumn. We are in the first phase but nothing concrete has happened in France.”

Condé Nast France currently boasts five titles: Vogue Paris, with 10 annual issues; GQ, which is published 10 times annually; Vogue Hommes, twice annually; Vanity Fair 11 times a year; and Architectural Digest, every two months.

Last year, the New York-based publishing company, which is still fully controlled by the extended Newhouse family, closed Glamour France. And there is speculation that Vogue Hommes may also soon be shuttered.

Source: The article from us.fashionnetwork.com

 

[aracic]

So it's finally official. I miss her already...

giphy

 

[GERGIN]

Sad, but I'm strangely not that shocked!

I'll just look to M Le Monde for high fashion content, as most other members of TFS would be doing as well...

 

[vogue28]

Isn’t that article just surmising the rumours of the past week? It states there is nothing concrete at Condé Nast France, and the company failed to confirm the staff were made redundant.

I shall continue to live in denial.

 

[Xone]

Isn’t that article just surmising the rumours of the past week? It states there is nothing concrete at Condé Nast France, and the company failed to confirm the staff were made redundant.

I shall continue to live in denial.

I don't think Godfrey Deeny wrote this if it wasn't true. It's just it's not official. and the WWD article failed to mention VP website editor and the possibility of folding Vogue Hommes....

So guys keep your issues and treasure them because we are about to see one of the biggest mistakes in publishing history....

The only magazine that did this centralized contents is L'Officiel and i'm not sure if it's working for them actually. At least they try to do local covers or stories.

But this lazyness of CN like the recent issue of VJ with VM is to say the least unprofessional as i see it.

 

[caioherrero]

The worst thing is Farnetti keeping the job.

 

[perhydrol]

^I'm pretty sure Farneti will be out sooner or later. It seems that Conde Nast will not have a position such as EIC in their structures and I don't think he would accept being demoted.