Magazines - UK - December 2017

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Products covered in this report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
5% decline in print circulation in 2017
Figure 1: Forecast volume of UK print magazine circulation, 2011-21
Top digital magazines up by 19%
Women’s weeklies continue to see major declines
Current affairs magazines defy market trend with print growth
Key players
Glamour magazine becomes digital first
Archant introduces subscription service
The Economist is the most trusted current affairs magazine
Vogue maintains its position as the authority on women’s fashion
The consumer
Interest-specific magazines are the most popular magazine genre
Figure 2: Magazine readership by genre and format, September 2017
Reviews are people’s favourite magazine content
Figure 3: Magazine content most enjoyed, September 2017
Many still have a preference for print
Figure 4: Attitudes towards magazines, September 2017
More than one in four click through from social media
Figure 5: Use of magazines’ social media, September 2017
Events offer another touchpoint for magazines
Figure 6: Magazine reader behaviour, September 2017
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Getting the most from print
The facts
The implications
Magazines look to diversify revenue sources and brand touchpoints
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
5% decline in print circulation in 2017
Further circulation falls forecasted
Circulation falls by 4% among top ten paid print titles
Free print magazines are more stable
Top digital magazines up by 19%
Women’s weeklies continue to see major declines
Current affairs magazines defy market trend with print growth
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
5% decline in print circulation in 2017
Figure 7: Forecast volume of UK print magazine circulation, 2011-21
Figure 8: Forecast volume of UK print magazine circulation, 2011-21
Forecast methodology
MARKET SEGMENTATION
Circulation falls by 4% among top ten paid print titles
Figure 9: Average circulation for top ten paid UK print magazines, six months to month end, 2016-17
Free magazines are more stable
Figure 10: Average circulation for top ten free UK print magazines, six months to month end, 2016-17
The Economist leads the way online
Figure 11: Average circulation for top ten UK digital magazines, six months to month end, 2016-17
Women’s weeklies continue to see major declines
Figure 12: Average circulation top five UK women’s weekly print magazines, six months to month end, 2016-17
Current affairs magazines defy market trend with print growth
Figure 13: Average circulation top five UK news and current affairs print magazines, six months to months end, 2016-17
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Glamour magazine goes digital first
Archant introduces subscription service
Vogue launches a Snapchat edition
Condé Nast creates new LGBTQ focused platform
The Economist is the most trusted current affairs magazine
Vogue maintains its position as the authority on women’s fashion
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Magazines turn away from print
Glamour magazine reduces number of print publications to concentrate on digital
InStyle UK becomes digital-only
New print titles are still being introduced
Free Courier re-launches as global paid-for magazine
New magazine Happiful focuses on women’s mental health
Airbnb launches print magazine with Hearst
Subscriptions open the door for people to read new digital titles
Archant introduces subscription service
Digital magazines form part of Prime Reading
Closer collaboration between magazines and social media networks
Vogue launches a Snapchat edition
GQ partners with Vero
Cosmopolitan introduces influencer network
Condé Nast creates new LGBTQ focused platform
News UK expands digital presence of Style and Fabulous
BRAND RESEARCH – CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINES
Brand map
Figure 14: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, September 2017
Key brand metrics
Figure 15: Key metrics for selected brands, September 2017
Brand attitudes: The Economist has a strong reputation for offering quality
Figure 16: Attitudes, by brand, September 2017
Brand personality: The Spectator has to combat some negative perceptions
Figure 17: Brand personality – Macro image, September 2017
Private Eye has a provocative but entertaining image
Figure 18: Brand personality – Micro image, September 2017
Brand analysis
Private Eye’s fun image to aid the magazine during serious times
Figure 19: User profile of Private Eye, September 2017
The Week performs well but isn’t the most stand-out brand
Figure 20: User profile of The Week, September 2017
The Economist is the most trusted current affairs magazine
Figure 21: User profile of The Economist, September 2017
The Spectator has the lowest levels of differentiation
Figure 22: User profile of The Spectator, September 2017
BRAND RESEARCH – WOMEN’S MAGAZINES
Brand map
Figure 23: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, September 2017
Key brand metrics
Figure 24: Key metrics for selected brands, September 2017
Brand attitudes: Women feel that Cosmopolitan speaks to them
Figure 25: Attitudes, by brand, September 2017
Brand personality: Red has a fairly stale brand image
Figure 26: Brand personality – Macro image, September 2017
Glamour has some negative associations
Figure 27: Brand personality – Micro image, September 2017
Brand analysis
Glamour is considered fun but low-brow
Figure 28: User profile of Glamour, September 2017
Vogue maintains its position as the authority on women’s fashion
Figure 29: User profile of Vogue, September 2017
Cosmopolitan is viewed as fun and accessible
Figure 30: User profile of Cosmopolitan, September 2017
Red has the weakest brand image
Figure 31: User profile of Red, September 2017
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
More than half of people read a print magazine
Half of people pay for magazines
A larger device is preferred for digital editions
Reviews are the most popular magazine content
Many still have a preference for print
More than one in four clicks through from social media
Events offer another touchpoint for Magazines
MAGAZINE READERSHIP BY GENRE AND FORMAT 
Interest-specific magazines are the most popular magazine genre
Figure 32: Magazine readership by genre and format, September 2017
One in five reads a digital magazine
Figure 33: Repertoire of magazine genres read, by format, September 2017
Figure 34: Read magazine format, by age, September 2017
Larger devices are preferred for digital editions
Figure 35: Preferred device for reading magazines, September 2017
PAYING FOR MAGAZINES 
Half of people pay for magazines
Figure 36: Paying for magazines, September 2017
Subscriptions used by half of those who pay
Figure 37: Subscribing to a magazine, September 2017
CONTENT PREFERENCES 
Reviews are the most popular magazine content
Figure 38: Magazine content most enjoyed, September 2017
Women are most interested in stories on people (famous or not)
Nearly half of 65+ want quizzes and games
Figure 39: Magazine content most enjoyed, by age, September 2017
ATTITUDES TOWARDS MAGAZINES 
Many still prefer print
Figure 40: Attitudes towards magazines, September 2017
Some interest in incorporating QR codes into print magazines
AR looks to move past the gimmick stage
SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT WITH MAGAZINES
More than one in four clicks through from social media
Figure 41: Use of magazines’ social media, September 2017
Snapchat is becoming a key platform for magazines
Figure 42: Use of magazine’s social media, by age, September 2017
Accelerated spread of negative coverage means extra care is needed
MAGAZINE READER BEHAVIOUR 
Events offer another touchpoint for magazines
Causes can help build momentum around events
Figure 43: Magazine reader behaviour, September 2017
One in three would listen to a magazine podcast
Integrating e-commerce into the reader experience
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Market forecast
Figure 44: Forecast volume of UK print magazine circulation, 2017-22
Forecast methodology