Company Magazine Unveils New Look
NatMags’ young women’s glossy, Company, is to be given a new look and a new size this summer, in an attempt to strengthen its position in the increasingly crowded women’s monthly magazine market.
From August the magazine will adopt an American A4 size, making it smaller than other glossies, but larger than Condé Nast’s handbag-sized Glamour. The new format will also accompany a number of editorial changes at the title.
The move, which has been instigated by publishing director Justine Southall and editor Sam Baker, is designed to differentiate the magazine from the rest of the market. NatMags is hoping that the new size will make Company more user friendly, whilst ensuring that it is still large enough to accommodate lengthy fashion and beauty features.
Commenting on the redesign, Southall said: “As well as the change in size we are undertaking an editorial refresh from the June issue which we hope will ensure that Company remains at the forefront of the women’s magazine market.”
The women’s monthly sector has been a hive of activity over recent months and Emap recently announced a £3 million investment in its young women’s magazine, More, in an attempt to take on Condé Nast’s heavy-weight market leader Glamour (see Emap To Take On Glamour With Re-Positioned More).
The sector may also be affected by new launches in the celebrity magazine market, such as Express Newspaper’s New, which is being positioned as a cheap alternative to Heat (see Express Enters Celebrity Market) and Emap’s gossip-led Closer (see Emap Gets Closer To Women’s Market With New Launch). This increased competition has forced many titles to look at new ways of invigorating their format in an attempt to hold on to readers.
The latest ABC results for the six months ending December 2002 brought good news to Company magazine, which saw its circulation increase to its highest level in over a decade. The title’s circulation improved by 26.5% year on year to 330,373, up from 261,117 in the same period in 2001.
However, analysis over a ten year period reveals mixed fortunes for the magazine, which has seen its circulation fluctuate significantly since the early nineties. The title hit a low point in the six months to June 2001, when it slipped below 230,000, but circulation has increased consistently since this point.
National Magazine Company: 0207 439 5000 www.natmags.co.uk
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