Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- Impact of COVID-19 on magazines
-
- Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on magazines, prepared 11 January 2020
- The Market
- Mintel forecasts a 10% decline in print circulation in 2020
-
- Figure 2: Market forecast for UK circulation of print magazines, 2015-25
- Gardening and news magazines perform strongly in 2020
- Key Players
- Digital Spy launches exclusive magazine on Apple News+
- Magazines launch virtual events
- The Consumer
- Outbreak boosts online readership of magazines
-
- Figure 3: Impact of COVID-19 on magazine readership, 20-31 August 2020
- Escapism and relaxation are particular magazine qualities to promote during the pandemic
-
- Figure 4: Magazine behaviour since COVID-19 outbreak, 20-31 August 2020
- Virtual events can be a long-term option for publishers
-
- Figure 5: Interest in virtual magazine events, 20-31 August 2020
- Readership of all magazine genres has fallen during the pandemic compared to 2019
-
- Figure 6: Magazines readership, by genre and format, 20-31 August 2020
- Figure 7: Magazines readership, by genre (NET), August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
- Using online delivery services to encourage spontaneous purchasing of print magazines
-
- Figure 8: Print magazines purchasing, August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
- Fewer people are paying for digital content
-
- Figure 9: Digital magazine purchasing, August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
- Figure 10: Magazine website/app purchasing, August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
- Instructional videos are the most popular magazine videos
-
- Figure 11: Interest in magazine videos, 20-31 August 2020
- Parents turn to children’s news magazines during pandemic
-
- Figure 12: Parents’ purchase of children’s magazines, 20-31 August 2020
- Figure 13: Type of children’s magazine purchases, 20-31 August 2020
- Increasing diversity in children’s magazines will boost interest among both kids and parents
-
- Figure 14: Reasons for buying children’s magazines, 20-31 August 2020
Issues and Insights
-
- With the print market hit hard by the pandemic, digital platforms are more important than ever
- The Netflix model is better suited to magazines than newspapers
The Market – Key Takeaways
-
- Print circulation sees significant drop in 2020
- Publishers close print titles
- Some magazines see subscriber and digital growth
- Reduced adspend from brands heightens difficulties
Market Size and Forecast
-
- COVID-19 outbreak accelerates trend away from print
-
- Figure 15: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on magazines, prepared 11 January 2020
- Mintel forecasts a 10% decline in print circulation in 2020
-
- Figure 16: Market forecast for UK circulation of print magazines, 2015-25
- Figure 17: Market forecast for UK circulation of print magazines, 2015-25
- Market drivers and assumptions
-
- Figure 18: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2015-25 (prepared on 11 January 2020)
- Learnings from the last recession
-
- Figure 19: Estimated volume of UK print magazines distributed, 2006-12
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
-
- Paid print circulation dropped significantly in 2019
-
- Figure 20: Average circulation for top 10 UK/RoI paid print magazines, six months to month end, 2017-19
- Gardening and news magazines perform strongly in 2020
- The Week Junior is the strongest-performing title year-on-year
-
- Figure 21: Average circulation for top 20 UK/RoI paid print magazines, six months to month end, 2019 and 2020
- Free print magazines continue to perform better than paid magazines
-
- Figure 22: Average circulation for top 10 UK/RoI free print magazines, six months to month end, 2017-19
- Figure 23: Average circulation for top 5 UK/RoI free print magazines, six months to month end, 2019 and 2020
- News magazines hold relatively strong
-
- Figure 24: Average circulation for top 5 UK/RoI news and current affairs print magazines, six months to month end, 2017-20
- Men’s lifestyle and women’s weekly magazines continue to decline
-
- Figure 25: Average circulation for top 5 UK/RoI men’s lifestyle print magazines, six months to month end, 2017-19
- Figure 26: Average circulation for top 5 UK/RoI women’s weekly print magazines, six months to month end, 2017-19
- Digital magazines were not performing particularly well prior to outbreak
-
- Figure 27: Average UK/RoI circulation for top 10 digital magazines, 2017-19
- Figure 28: Average UK/RoI circulation for top 10 digital magazines, 2019-20
- Digital subscriptions are not a straightforward growth story for many magazines
-
- Figure 29: Paid UK/RoI digital subscriptions, 2018 and 2019
- Figure 30: Paid UK/RoI digital subscriptions, 2019-20
Market Drivers
-
- Impact of the January 2021 lockdown
- People have been spending less on magazines since the outbreak of COVID-19
-
- Figure 31: Impact of COVID-19 on time spent doing media activities, 2-14 July 2020
- Figure 32: Impact of COVID-19 on amount spent on media content, 2-14 July 2020
- The outbreak has reduced the occasions people read magazines
-
- Figure 33: Situations where magazines were read, September 2016
- Print production suspended at many titles
- Magazines close as more titles become unsustainable during the pandemic
- Some magazines and publishers report a slightly more positive picture
- Advertisers pull back leading to a drop in advertising revenue
- Problem of advertiser blacklists is further highlighted during pandemic
- Pandemic puts focus back on home deliveries
- UK government removes VAT on digital magazines early
- Future completes takeover of TI Media
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
-
- Magazines experiment with virtual events
- Readly and Apple News+ show potential of multi-magazine subscriptions
- Diversity and inclusion are a greater focus
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Titles adapt to COVID-19 outbreak in different ways
- The Big Issue begins to be sold in supermarkets
- Time Out become Time In
- Magazines launch virtual events
- Digital Spy launches exclusive magazine on Apple News+
- Readly launches perfectly timed campaign
- Harry Styles becomes first man to have a solo Vogue cover
- Racial intolerance in Vogue’s past is brought to the forefront
- Mum launches magazines for Black children, to fill gap in the market
- Vogue Cover Challenge demonstrates potential of TikTok
- Future buys GoCompare as the publisher focuses more on product recommendations
- John Lewis launches new magazine
- Men’s Health partners with MunchFit for delivery service
Advertising and Marketing Activity
-
- Magazine publishers’ traditional adspend in decline
-
- Figure 34: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on magazines, 2016-20 (up to 24 November 2020)
- Figure 35: Top 10 advertisers in the magazine market, 2016-20 (up to 24 November 2020)
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research – Current Affairs
-
- Brand map
-
- Figure 36: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, November 2020
- Key brand metrics
-
- Figure 37: Key metrics for selected brands, November 2020
- Brand attitudes: The Economist is viewed as offering consistent quality
-
- Figure 38: Attitudes, by brand, November 2020
- Brand personality: Private Eye is strongly associated with fun
-
- Figure 39: Brand personality – macro image, November 2020
- The Economist and The Week lead with way for credibility
-
- Figure 40: Brand personality – micro image, November 2020
- Brand analysis
- Readers are satisfied with Private Eye
-
- Figure 41: User profile of Private Eye, November 2020
- The Economist is the most trusted current affairs magazine
-
- Figure 42: User profile of The Economist, November 2020
- The Spectator is the least trusted current affairs magazine
-
- Figure 43: User profile of The Spectator, November 2020
- Fewer people are aware of The Week
-
- Figure 44: User profile of The Week, November 2020
Brand Research – Women’s Magazines
-
- Brand map
-
- Figure 45: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, November 2020
- Key brand metrics
-
- Figure 46: Key metrics for selected brands, November 2020
- Brand attitudes: Good Housekeeping stands out for quality and trust
-
- Figure 47: Attitudes, by brand, November 2020
- Brand personality: Prima is associated with fun
-
- Figure 48: Brand personality – macro image, November 2020
- Yours is cool but low-brow
-
- Figure 49: Brand personality – micro image, November 2020
- Brand analysis
- There is high awareness of Good Housekeeping
-
- Figure 50: User profile of Good Housekeeping, November 2020
- Women don’t feel Prima is addressing them as an individual
-
- Figure 51: User profile of Prima, November 2020
- Woman & Home’s brand image is weaker than Good Housekeeping’s
-
- Figure 52: User profile of Woman & Home, November 2020
- Yours read more by women from low-income households
-
- Figure 53: User profile of Yours, November 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
-
- People turn to magazines during the pandemic for relaxation and information
- Magazines shouldn’t dismiss virtual events once the pandemic ends
- Room for greater experimentation with celebrity interviews and scripted comedy videos
- Children’s news magazines appeal to parents
Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
-
- Outbreak boosts online readership of magazines
-
- Figure 54: Impact of COVID-19 on magazine readership, 20-31 August 2020
- Escapism and relaxation are particular magazine qualities to promote during the pandemic
- People turn to magazines to learn about their in-home hobbies
-
- Figure 55: Magazine behaviour since COVID-19 outbreak, 20-31 August 2020
- People’s desire to support magazines is a positive indication of their loyalty
- Virtual events can be a long-term option for publishers
-
- Figure 56: Interest in virtual magazine events, 20-31 August 2020
Magazine Readership
-
- Readership of all magazine genres has fallen during the pandemic compared to 2019
-
- Figure 57: Magazines readership, by genre and format, 20-31 August 2020
-
- Figure 58: Magazines readership, by genre (NET), August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
- Many read multiple genres highlighting why multi-magazine subscriptions can play a strong role
-
- Figure 59: Repertoire of magazine genres read, by age, 20-31 August 2020
Magazine Purchasing
-
- Using online delivery services to encourage spontaneous purchasing of print magazines
-
- Figure 60: Print magazines purchasing, August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
- Fewer people are paying for digital content
-
- Figure 61: Digital magazine purchasing, August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
-
- Figure 62: Magazine website/app purchasing, August 2019 and 20-31 August 2020
- Multi-magazine subscriptions are likely to be one of the most successful models going forward
Interest in Magazine Videos
-
- Instructional videos are the most popular magazine videos
-
- Figure 63: Interest in magazine videos, 20-31 August 2020
-
- Figure 64: Interest in magazine videos, by age, 20-31 August 2020
- More in-depth and informal celebrity interviews could prove strongest draw for younger readers
- More magazines could move into scripted content through comedy sketches
Children’s Magazines
-
- Parents turn to children’s news magazines during pandemic
-
- Figure 65: Parents’ purchase of children’s magazines, 20-31 August 2020
-
- Figure 66: Type of children’s magazine purchases, 20-31 August 2020
- Increasing diversity in children’s magazines will boost interest among both kids and parents
-
- Figure 67: Reasons for buying children’s magazines, 20-31 August 2020
- Encouraging parents to read print magazines with their children
- Digital gifts can be made more prominent by magazines
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Back to top