Rethinking women’s glossies

The latest circulation figures for womens health and beauty magazines in the UK paint a bleak picture for the health of the industry. According to the UKs ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations), circulation numbers between January to June this year forGraziamagazine fell -9.9%,Lookdeclined -11.3% whileELLEplummeted -12.3%. In fact, womens health & beauty titles fell -10.2% in period on period circulation.

Journalist Jo Fairley recently wrote inThe Telegraphthat the only way to ensure the survival of womens magazines is to support them: “Read em or lose em. Because thats what it boils down to”. Fairley has a point – consumer publishing would fail to exist without the support of its readers. But whats of underrated importance is the need for the industry to understand and adapt to todays magazine consumer by rethinking traditional business models.

A number of major womens titles have already followed this path, building on their editorial authority by forming strategic retail partnerships. ForELLEmagazine, beauty offered the perfect opportunity.