HGTV Magazine aims for 450,000 sale with its 'secret sauce'
Today a magazine that has, according to one executive "a secret sauce" for success, officially hits newsstands across America.
Magazine with a 'secret sauce'
The HGTV magazine is a joint venture between publishing giant Hearst and cable firm Scripps Network Interactive, whose channels include HGTV and the Food Network.
And the "secret sauce" is the huge promotional boost the magazine gets from being in effect a print "twin" of the HGTV channel, which focuses on home and lifestyle. (Different content of course).
A test issue with a print of 350,000 first appeared on newsstands last October. It was wildly successful with the Home and Garden TV channel running promotions and a reprint of 135,000 had to be ordered . Now, after a second test issue in January, the magazine is here for keeps.
The HGTV channel recently broadcast a one-hour documentary on the creation of the first issue proper - creating demand at the same time.
The sale guarantee to advertisers is 450,000 copies. HGTV has also helped online, where it has a well established site HGTV.com, a Facebook page and a Twitter account.
There has been gloom in the US magazine business lately with ad revenue down more than 4% in the first quarter. The recession has seen magazines like House & Garden and Gourmet stop publishing.
But the Wall Street Journal points out that Hearst and Scripps have been "down this road before." In 2009, in the midst of the financial crisis, they launched Food Network Magazine, a print extension of the Food Network channel.
That magazine was able to raise its rate base to one million in January of 2010, six months ahead of schedule.
Food Network Magazine's ad pages were up 11.5% last year while rival food magazines like Everyday Food saw double-digit declines.
Said the WSJ, "Being associated with a well-liked television brand proved stronger than the downdrafts from the economy."
Michael Clinton, publishing director of Hearst Magazines, said "It's the 21st-century model. You get the benefit of the website user, the viewers, and the promotion on the network."
"Our promotional inventory is our secret sauce," said Ron Feinbaum, the general manager for consumer products in the home category at Scripps.
Maile Carpenter, editor in chief of Food Network Magazine, learned in focus groups that network fans had a fixed idea about what they wanted in the magazine. "We had to make sure that we got it right," she said.
HGTV Magazine has got the message. Much emphasis is placed on things that can transform a space with minimal expense—a bit of moss around the base of a plant, new lampshades to brighten up a room.
"Little makeovers are a big deal," said Sara Peterson, HGTV Magazine's editor in chief.
"We wanted to strike a chord with Americans looking for a fun, approachable magazine about how they live their lives at home ."
David Carey, president of Hearst Magazines, told Yahoo, "It's fantastic to see how Sara and her team have brought the DNA of HGTV to life in print."said