New food magazine to target savvy, value-focused shoppers

Media & Marketing: Despite some high profile closures this year, the magazine sector is proving resilient and, on November 24th, one of the biggest magazine launches of the year is due to take place, writes Emmet Oliver.

Based on Shaw's observation that there is no sincerer love than the love of food, a new publishing company Zahra Publishing Limited is targeting busy consumers with Easy Food. With a 45,000 print run, the company has agreements with supermarkets such as Tesco Ireland, Superquinn and Dunnes Stores to stock the magazine. It will also be sold in newsagents at an introductory price of € 1 (later to become € 2).

While foodies are relatively well catered for already with other publications such as Food and Wine, the new offering claims to be unique to the Irish market. Publisher Ms Gina Miltiadou explains: "It is an Irish recipe magazine for budget conscious, time poor, nutritionally aware readers."

The idea is that Irish consumers want healthy food, but do not have the time to cook elaborate meals, particularly during the working week.

The bi-monthly magazine will include 90 plus recipes. They will be priced and all ingredients will be available in mainstream shops. Emphasis will be on value, with the magazine hoping to cash in on the new cult of the savvy, value-focused shopper.

A full-page colour advert will cost €3,250. These rates may entice food companies, although some will wait until the title earns its stripes in shops and supermarkets.

Mr John Mullins, the commercial director of the title, and his partner Ms Miltiadou are both young media professionals. She previously worked with the South African Broadcasting Corporation and in magazine publishing in Australia.

Mr Mullins has worked aboard for the past 15 years with Time magazine and Bertelsmann. He says a substantial investment has gone into the title, with funds from himself and Ms Miltiadou, plus backing from shareholders in Australia. The magazine has already joined the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) and in order to operate transparently it intends to have its sales audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).

According to PPA chief executive Ms Grace Augnier, magazine publishers report strong ABC figures and steady advertising revenue.

"There are new launches planned by a range of PPA Ireland members including: Confetti; Top Up; Outsider; Hospitality Ireland and Easy Food. New launches show a confidence in the market and a commitment to the industry."

She said advertising agencies had responded well to the recent research by the PPA. Entitled An Analysis of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Advertising on the island of Ireland, she said the findings were most encouraging for magazine publishers.

Dart compensation

Due to the closure of the DART at weekends on the southside, outdoor advertiser Viacom is offering its clients two additional days on its sites as a form of compensation for reduced exposure at weekends. Viacom has the contract for DART stations from CIÉ.

This is according to a note from McConnells. The agency said clients could get four days on static sites as a result of the changes.

Ms Nuala Long, analyst at MCM Communications (McConnell's media arm) said because of the DART changes, buses were now packed at weekends, but Viacom did not have any current plans to increase their rates for advertising on buses at the weekend. As for LUAS: "When it is eventually finished it will not be available to advertisers for the first year. Luas plan to use the first year of service to promote their own product," she point out.

'Wall Street Journal'

The Wall Street Journal intends to count online subscriptions as part of its total circulation for the first time. The change will bring its circulation to 2,091,062, the highest in its 114-year history.

Publisher Dow Jones said counting online subscribers made the overall circulation figure more relevant. "We will offer advertisers new, more flexible ways to reach the largest-ever paid audience of the Journal franchise, in print and online," said a spokeswoman.

With overseas editions, the newspaper has a global print and online circulation of 2.7 million.

Mr Gordon Crovitz, president of electronic publishing at Dow Jones, said: "This latest effort will showcase the advantages to advertisers of reaching the full range of subscribers to the Journal franchise, while also encouraging people to subscribe to both print and online," he said.

Cawley bucks trend

Several of the large advertising houses have lodged accounts in recent months and plenty of them have been covered in red ink.

However, not so for advertising agency Cawley Nea. Its 2002 abridged financial statement shows gross profit rising to €3.6 million from €3.2 million in 2001.

After €2.7 million of operating expenses were stripped out, the company turned in an operating profit of €915,522 and a profit after tax of €774,928. A dividend on ordinary shares of €1.9 million was also recorded.

The company is part of the giant US Omnicom Group - in July 2002, Omnicom subsidiary TBWA took ownership of 80 per cent of Cawley Nea shares. The directors of the company are recorded as stating that they "expect the company will continue to grow and maintain current profitability levels".