Since our last newsletter a mere two weeks ago, so much has already changed around us. My genuine hope and most pressing concern for everyone who reads this is that you, your family, friends and colleagues are well, both physically and mentally.

These are testing time for sure, and we’ll all be oscillating between good days and bad at the moment. Recognising the flux in the mood of their consumers and that of the broader nation is what great content providers are able to understand and help to support.

Mood, as we all know, has a significant bearing on what we pay attention and respond to, both generally and in terms of advertising. Richard Shotton, founder, Astroten explores this theme for us here.

Staying connected

We know from previous research that 66% of people claim their passions help them through difficult times (source: TI Media), and whilst these passions might currently be oriented to ideas that can be carried out in confinement, the surges in demand for magazine content digitally and in print, suggests that people may be finding this truer than ever.

Much has been written about why media matters so much right now. There are countless examples of broadcasters and publishers pivoting fast and showing how responsive and adept they are at supplying entertaining and useful content for consumers.

This is true for magazine brands. Magazine content is rooted in subjects that really matter to people, be that food, fashion or film, health or the home, and staying connected to the things you love is important right now. We’ve collated a few great tips from a selection of magazine brands here.

Subscriptions surge

It has been incredibly encouraging to see how quickly magazine brands have responded to changing needs. Our publishers have moved quickly to meet shifting demand with redistribution around retail environments as shopping patterns are forced to change.

Marketing activity to offer consumers the opportunity to get titles delivered to home has been stepped up, and it was great to see MarketReach confirm their support for the magazine sector this week.

“The delivery of all mail including magazines is an important way of keeping the country together, enable businesses to keep operating and help many people who may not have the option to leave their homes.”

The numbers from all major publishers show big surges for brands across many sectors.

• The Week and The Week Junior from Dennis have seen outstanding circulation growth with over 7,250 new subs to The Week Junior in the past four weeks

• Bauer has seen an increase of over 70% in the number of new subscriptions purchased online year on year. In the last week alone, this performance has more than doubled with an increase of over 160%

• Hearst’s new subscriber acquisitions were up more than 100% year-on-year across the second half of March

• In the last seven days alone, TI Media subs are up 200% and Immediate Media has reported orders up 278% year on year

And this is coupled with many digital platforms also seeing increases in traffic, as audiences look to trusted media brands for advice during this unsettling time.

Bringing cheer

Lastly, we and are our stakeholders are truly chuffed to have brought a little bit of cheer to those of you who were successful in bagging a free three-month subscription to help you or a friend through the isolation period.

We have had some lovely notes back thanking us on behalf of mums, uncles, friends and indeed yourselves, that has been genuinely cheering for us at Magnetic HQ. Jo Tomlin, our comms director has been sharing them with us, and I think it’s fair to say we’ve been glassy-eyed more than once this week.

I believe that magazines’ relationships with their audiences will be strengthened during this time, as brands continue to serve up highly positive content that helps people stay connected to the things that they love. 

For me the daily suggestions of films to watch, quick mealtime recipes, and indoor fitness ideas are keeping me safe and sane. As someone far wiser than me once said, ‘Enjoy the small things in life for one day you might look back and realise they were the big things’.

Take care
Sue