This article originally appeared in Campaign.

Three junior media planners and one fashion marketer discuss their magazine media strategies.

Trusted editorial brands are – and will continue to be – trendsetters in the fashion world, the experts say.

The fashion industry is on a growth trajectory, with recent data from Mintel’s UK Clothing Retail Market Report 2024 pitting the fashion retail market at £67bn in 2024. In addition, online shopping sales grew by 3.6% last year, proving that consumers are actively engaging with fashion.

According to Ipsos Iris research, publishers are key players when it comes to providing the inspiration, insight, and influence that drives consumer behaviour, with an average of three million UK adults actively seeking out lifestyle fashion and style content online each month in 2024.

Collectively, fashion and style editorial brands reached an average of 12 million adults each month throughout last year, and the data further shows that 94% of fashion magazine readers also browse online fashion retailers, according to Mintel. 

Fashion titles are “the ultimate bible and authority on trends and culture within the industry”, says Loulou Saleres, comms manager at UM, adding that they have a vital role to play when it comes to forecasting and predicting trends, as well as spotlighting and advocating for brands.

“Compared to the black and white nature of the algorithm, magazines offer curated and thoughtful content, placing brands at the forefront of fashion and culture,” she says.

Challenges

Fashion is a competitive industry and marketers have a number of challenges to contend with. 

Beth Francis, marketing director at British womenswear brand The Fold, says the focus on return on investment is driving brands to lean more into performance marketing as it offers immediate, measurable results. However, she points out that brand marketing activities are an important part of securing long-term ROI in the form of sustained customer interest.

“A huge challenge for all businesses is the obvious cost of living crisis. In the fashion industry in particular, we need to ensure our marketing activities cut through the noise and resonate with the customer to encourage spending – it’s more than just trying to sell a product, customers want to know your point of view and see if your values align.”

Brogan Meaney, publishing manager at Goodstuff, highlights that the mass-saturation of fashion ads can make it difficult for brands with smaller budgets to make a meaningful impact. 

“There is also the issue of over-consumption within the fashion industry – fast-fashion has really taken over, and with the backdrop of the economic climate, consumers are shopping around for the cheapest buy,” she adds.

Rapid evolutions of trends, tech and consumer behaviours also contribute to a challenging environment for fashion marketers, says Rupert Holbrook, account director, publishing display and commercial at Havas Media Network UK.

“Fashion trends are changing at a swift pace and marketers are expected to predict what will resonate far before it becomes popular,” he notes. “Consumers are also overwhelmed with marketing messages, so standing out in the mass of content across multiple platforms requires continual innovation.”

Platforms

As the data from Ipsis Iris shows, the trusted editorial in fashion magazine brands can help advertisers tackle some of these challenges.

Magazine brands are trendsetters, Holbrook points out, and provide trusted exposure to new styles – not just in print, but across all platforms including digital, video and social.

“Brands can use this to be seen in a credible environment connected with ‘what’s next’. In a growing era of influencer scepticism and digital saturation, well-established fashion titles provide a trusted source of information, and an established name can gain instant credibility and cut-through.”

Meaney argues that long-form content such as magazine advertorials can play an important role in educating consumers on a brand’s USP. “This can be particularly useful for fashion brands if this is something like quality, or ethicalness, for example.” 

There is room for more innovation in the industry, she says, along with an appetite for fashion brands to lean into educational pieces that delve into the brand and its heritage. 

Calling on fashion labels to lean into the marriage between print and digital platforms as a way of driving connections with consumers, Saleres highlights the need for marketers to embrace and leverage the various touchpoints that magazine multimedia can access. 

“This allows marketers to connect with audiences through inspiration, creative storytelling and data,” she says. “Thinking about magazines as a pseudo partnership between brands and the title showcases the value that they can bring when planned with innovation and creativity in mind.”

UM is currently running a partnership with i-D Magazine for Levi’s Lightweight Linen+ Denim collection, which aligns with and leverages i-D’s community and status within the fashion world beyond buying print.

The campaign began with running paid media through i-D’s network and Levi’s loyalty programme, selling tickets to events in London and Manchester. The in-person events included panel talks and the opportunity for people to come and be styled in the new collection, with the chance to be featured in photos on the i-D website. Content from the shoot is being rolled out across paid media, alongside editorials.

Innovation

Brands need to be increasingly innovative in order to stand out. Holbrook emphasises that magazines provide many different ways for clients to embrace and use technology, including augmented reality, interactive lookbooks, high impact video content and storytelling through editorial activations.

Going “above and beyond standard display and tapping into the whole ecosystem of a magazine can be more engaging and interactive for readers,” Meaney recommends.

She recently worked on a partnership between ASOS and LuxeGen, which included harnessing editorial talent and hosting a TikTok Live shopping event – a media first for both the client and the publisher.

Strategy

The Fold’s approach to partnering with magazine brands is deliberately strategic, says Francis. “We focus on developing a connectivity between ourselves and the magazine brand, really thinking about how we can work together with a meaningful strategy, rather than just flooding feeds with branded content.” The Fold recently teamed up with SheerLuxe in a competition offering consumers £600-worth of clothing.

She points to the importance for brands to know their customers as that will “point them in the right direction” when it comes to tackling any challenges that they face. 

“Cherry-picking the specific platforms to best reach the relevant audience, rather than mass marketing, will provide brand exposure, along with a return on the investment,” Francis adds. “We need to make sure we’re talking directly to the people who are relevant to us.”

UM works with Levi’s, and Saleres notes that magazine media, including a recent partnership with Elle, is a “fundamental channel” for the fashion brand’s campaigns.

“The role for media is to place Levi’s at the centre of cultural moments when audiences are seeking self-expression and style inspiration,” she says. “We have seen success by investing in premium fashion and lifestyle publications to drive reach and lean into cultural moments.”

According to Saleres, tapping into the communities of trusted publishers through bespoke partnerships creates a seamless journey for audiences “from discovery through editorials and S/DPS to brand experiences and shoppable moments”. 

Mistakes to avoid? These, she advises, include “overlooking the power of magazines in advocating for your brand in a trusted environment and neglecting the power of a multimedia publication to connect with your audience across a diverse ecosystem such as print ads, editorials, partnerships, owned social channels.”

How trusted editorial showcased style creds for NEXT

In a competitive retail landscape, NEXT set out to strengthen its position as a go-to fashion destination for women aged 25+. With a focus on reminding this key demographic of its relevance for the Autumn/Winter season, the brand needed to stand out.

To do this, NEXT partnered with Future, tapping into the influential reach of trusted editorial brands including Marie Claire, Woman & Home, and Who What Wear. The campaign spanned both digital and print, bringing NEXT’s fashion credentials to life through its brands.

The results were powerful. Post-campaign research showed significant uplift across all core brand metrics: consideration, preference, and purchase intent. Among those exposed, 85% found the campaign personally relevant, 81% trusted the messaging, and 77% felt compelled to learn more, showcasing the value of editorial environments in building engagement and driving action.

The campaign also transformed brand perceptions. Associations with NEXT being ‘stylish’ rose by 36%, ‘good quality’ by 19%, and ‘good value for money’ by a remarkable 49%. One participant commented, ‘The features were unique and luxurious and changed what I thought about NEXT.’ Another said, ‘The ads made me see Next as a very premium brand and also a sustainable brand that gives value for money’.

This shift translated into concrete outcomes: 90% of those who saw the campaign were more likely to purchase, 96% took or intended to take action, and 57% actively looked for NEXT in-store. Among this group, brand preference rose by 60% and purchases increased by 64%.

As one respondent put it, the campaign ‘looked very editorial; makes me want to go online and shop the latest collection’ which perfectly encapsulates the campaign’s ability to inspire action and drive sales.

Ipsos iris online audience measurement service, Adults 15+, UK, Fashion magazine and Fashion retail online, Nov 2024