Magazines: Oh Comely - Industry

 Magazines: Oh Comely - Industry

Our final concept for Oh Comely magazine is industry.

This is crucial concept because Oh Comely is a small, niche independent magazine - completely different from the global brand that is Men's Health. We need to explore the surprising rise in independent publishing in recent years and why small print magazines seem to be surviving and thriving in the digital age.

I'm aware I haven't done a lesson video for Oh Comely so here's a brief recap over what we've done so far and the key points for the industry concept:



Lesson notes

The independent print magazine is characterised as:

“…published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution in which the makers control publication and distribution…'independent' in spirit due to a maverick editor or publisher who leads the magazine in an exploratory, noncommercial direction” (Thomas 2007).

Source: Writer's Edit




Print: the challenge for publishers

Despite the renaissance of print through independent magazines, there are still huge challenges:

• Distribution: finding distributor, risk of unsold stock
• Lack of advertising revenue: meaning high cover price (all over £5, many around £10 or more)
• Audience: finding and targeting a viable audience

Ironically, the internet has proved an unlikely saviour for independent magazines – it facilitates direct sales and subscriptions and allows magazines to find niche communities, crowdfunding and contributors.

Iceberg Press: an independent publisher

Iceberg Press is completely different to Hearst UK – the publisher of Men’s Health and subsidiary of global conglomerate Hearst.

It publishes just two magazines: Oh Comely and The Simple Things.

Oh Comely Industries case study - blog tasks

Work through the following tasks to complete your work on the Oh Comely magazine CSP. There are plenty of questions here but you will find the reading gives you a brilliant insight into a vital aspect of media - the power of independent institutions.

Iceberg Press

Visit the Iceberg Press website - particularly the Who Are We page and the Why Are We Here page. Read the content and then answer the following questions:

1) Why did the people behind Iceberg Press set it up?

"To usher in a new age for magazines and media brands"

2) What is the Iceberg Press mission statement? (It's on the Why Are We Here page and is a series of statements).

It's all about the audience.
Chase the work, not the money.
Compromise isn't our friend.
We will always make time for ideas.
We are stronger when we work with others.
We want good people to work in a good place.
Every year we will help a cause that matters.
We believe in a thing called Print

3) What are the two magazines that Iceberg Press publishes?

The Simple Things and Oh Comely

4) What similarities do you notice between The Simple Things magazine and Oh Comely?

Niche, sort of "grounded in reality" lifestyle magazines. Likely targets a similar type of audience

5) What differences can you find between Hearst UK, publisher of Men's Health, and Iceberg Press?

Iceberg Press only has 2 magazines under their belt, both of which have a similar demographic, whereas Hearst UK publishes multiple different magazines that target different demographics. 


Writer's Edit journal article

Read this excellent Writer's Edit academic journal article on the independent magazine industry and answer the following questions:

1) What is the definition of an independent print magazine?

The independent print magazine is characterised as “published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution in which the makers control publication and distribution…“independent” in spirit due to a maverick editor or publisher who leads the magazine in an exploratory, non-commercial direction”

2) What does Hamilton (2013) suggest about independent magazines in the digital age?

A small but growing body of evidence suggests that small printed magazines are quietly thriving even as the global newspaper and book industries falter.

3) What is the aim of Kinfolk magazine and what similarities can you draw with Oh Comely?

Aim of finding “ways for readers to simplify their lives, cultivate community and spend more time with their friends and family.” This is like oh comely, aiming to create a sense of belonging for women.

4) Why does the article suggest that independent magazines might be succeeding while global magazine publishers such as Bauer are struggling?

Those behind independent magazines use digital developments to their advantage and have a strong online presence. These creators set their own terms and rely on collaboration to achieve them. AFJ relied entirely on its online crowdfunding campaign for print publication. This grasp of online opportunities is a distinctive difference between independent magazines and traditional print media

5) How do independent magazines launch? Look at the example of Alphabet Family Journal.

"It seemed like many parenting or family-related magazines featured a polished, picture-perfect home that was, quite simply, not at all like our own. So we set out to create an alternative: a family journal that celebrates the personal foundations of our homes in their many different forms"

>They find a niche market and cater their content towards them in a way that's both refreshing and enriching.

6) What does the article suggest about how independent publishers use digital media to target their niche audiences?

They use cookies and social media to target their audiences:

“people with expert knowledge of a special interest area can potentially take advantage of the low barriers to entry in the industry to originate their own magazine titles and use contract printers to create the finished product”

7) Why is it significant that independent magazines are owned and created by the same people? How does this change the creative process and direction of the magazine?

They share a similar vision and passion. This is another distinction from mainstream, large-scale magazine publications. 

If a magazine is owned and created by the same person, conflicts of interest are immediately eliminated, whereas a large-scale magazine publication may want to jeopardize the creator's artistic vision in order to make more money.

8) What does the article suggest regarding the benefits of a 'do-it-yourself' approach to creating independent magazines?

“The term “do-it-yourself/do-it-with-others” emphasises semiotic self-determination in how citizens formulate and live out their identities and actions as citizens” (Hartley 2010 241). It is through this collaboration that the concept of a magazine community is established.

9) The article discusses the audience appeal of print. Why might audiences love the printed form in the digital age?

A culture of collaboration, creative passion, appreciation of graphic design and physical print all represent an alternative to the conventions of mainstream mass media. 

10) What are the challenges in terms of funding and distributing an independent magazine?

There are going to be fewer people inclined to invest in funding an independent magazine, especially if he magazine's subject matter is incredibly niche or specific.

Irish Times feature

Now read this short feature in the Irish Times on the growth of independent magazines and answer the following questions:

1) Why are independent magazines so popular?

These are magazines that play with the form, from open binding to multiple paper stocks. Their subject matter is as diverse as their production techniques, from mental health to trans rights, from football to street wear. They are driven by a passion, both for their content, and the printed form, and thanks to technology, they are able to reach audiences around the world.

2) Why is the magazine publishing industry set up to favour the big global conglomerates?

Money. Revenue from advertising for example

3) What does the article suggest regarding finding an audience for an independent magazine?

Make it too narrow and your audience will be too small. Get it right and you just might have a chance. And once you know who your audience is, many other elements will fall into place.

4) What are the challenges for magazine distributors?

Shipping boxes of magazines is expensive, and with publishers taking all the risk (they pay for both shipping, and if the magazines don’t sell, the price of shipping them back), it’s key that publishers focus on getting as many direct sales online as possible.

The cost of actually distributing them via a mainstream source is costly so the final copy needs to perfect and sellable.

5) The article suggests that many independent magazines only make money by diversifying into other products. What examples do they give?

Hosting events and selling merchandise. 

TCO interview with Ruth Jamieson

Finally, read this excellent interview on the TCO London website with Ruth Jamieson, who has written a book on the renaissance of the independent magazine sector. Answer the following questions:

1) Why does Ruth Jamieson suggest there's a renaissance in independent publishing?

It’s never been easier to start your own magazine and find an audience. There’s never been a better time to be a magazine fan. The whole ‘Print is dead’ narrative has turned out to be only half true. The internet has killed or is killing, print, but the only print of the 10-minutes-of-distraction-before-you-chuck-it-in-the-bin variety.

2) What are the common themes for successful independent magazines?

Doing something no one else is doing, and offering something digital media can’t offer. That and great art direction and editorial, a focus on the reader rather than the advertiser, and having a strong, and a unique idea at the magazine’s core. Also good paper stock, expert printing, well-researched, well-produced content.

Something worth owning as a physical object, being lovingly crafted.

3) How many of these aspects can you find in Oh Comely? Make specific reference to the CSP pages where possible.

Prominent focus on the reader rather than the advertiser.

Being aesthetically pleasing

Lovingly crafted, well put together.

Close and personal connection with the editorial team
Niche aspect

Unique or alternative subject matter and views.

Front cover has art house minimalistic photographs

Attention to detail. 

4) How does Jamieson see the future for the magazine industry?

I think we’ll see more magazines come and go. But that the standard will continue to rise. There really hasn’t been a better time to be a magazine fan.

We’ll also see the mainstream starting to look more like the indies. They have to learn from independents if they want to survive. So, there’ll be more investment in content and more focus on producing a quality product, more collectable issues, a move away from trying to compete with the internet and towards doing things only print can do. We’ll also see mainstream magazine branching out beyond their print issues to offer other things, like events, products, educational programmes and experiences.

5) How might this future impact Oh Comely? Do you think Oh Comely will survive the next five years - and why?

If the standard is rising, and mainstream magazines will start looking more indie, surely smaller publishers like iceberg press aren't going to survive economically? Although the magazine appeals to the right audience and has intrinsic value, surviving in a climate where magazines are already dying seems like it's going to be difficult, no matter how dedicated your audience is to your product.

Magazines: Oh Comely - Audience

Magazines: Oh Comely - Audience

Our second Magazine Close-Study Product is the niche women's lifestyle publication Oh Comely - recently rebranded as simply Oh.

The Oh Comely CSP pages we need to study are available here - you'll need to log in to your Greenford Google account to download them. We'll be doing a close-textual analysis of the pages next week.

This week, we need to study both the target audience for Oh Comely and the audience pleasures that readers get from the magazine. First, let's cover the basics about the magazine. 

Notes from the lesson

Oh Comely magazine is a niche women’s lifestyle publication with a strong feminist perspective. It launched in 2010 and publishes six issues a year. It describes itself:

“Oh Comely is a curious, honest and playful independent magazine. It’s a place to meet strangers, hear their stories and look at life a little differently – where our readers are our writers and our models, too.

“Each issue we pick a theme and see where it takes us. We try something old, something new and something that scares us a bit. Then we present our findings in a beautiful, artbook style, putting new writing, photography and illustration talent at the heart of it.”

[Source: Oh Comely magazine website]

Oh Comely audience

Social Media Reach: 100,000 
Readers Per Issue: 25,000 
Average Age of reader: 27 
Sold through independents, WHSmith and international outlets

Oh Comely offers: “Access to a difficult to reach and highly-targeted niche demographic of creative women who spend money on the things they love.”

“Oh Comely is a powerful mix of words and pictures, stylishly presented and much loved by its readers. It provides an alternative to the ‘pile-it-high-sell-it-cheap’ aesthetic of mainstream magazines for young women, and this is why it has carved a loyal niche of fans. It is a breath of fresh air for a creative audience desperate to find something that speaks to them directly in an accessible, intelligent and interesting voice.”

[Source: ohcomely.co.uk/advertise]

Psychographics

Oh Comely magazine's description of itself would suggest targeting the Reformer and Explorer psychographic groups with an emphasis on creativity, self-discovery and a rejection of consumerism and commercialism.

Audience pleasures

There are many potential audience pleasures for Oh Comely readers. Applying Blumler & Katz’s Uses & Gratifications theory, three in particular would be:

Personal identity: Readers enjoy having their quirky, creative lifestyle and feminist viewpoint endorsed and reflected by the magazine.

Personal relationships: Oh Comely is presented in a particularly personal way. It is the creation of three university friends, the magazine offers background on the contributors and readers are encouraged to ‘get to know’ the editorial team.

Surveillance: Oh Comely deliberately looks to inform its readers about niche stories, events and people.

Oh Comely - Audience blog tasks

Read Meet the Editor - Oh Comely in Media Magazine 65 (p26). You can find this in our Media Magazine archive. This gives you a brilliant introduction to the magazine. Answer the following questions:

1) Summarise the ownership and production of Oh Comely - how did it start and who owns it?

Started by 3 friends at Oxford university with the notion that women were negatively portrayed in magazines.
Owned by iceberg press

2) What is the print circulation and how many subscribers do they have?

The print circulation per issue is 10,000 copies
they have 3000 subscribers.

3) How does the editor Alice Snape characterise the typical Oh Comely reader?

18-35-year-old creative, intelligent women who may or may not be settled into careers and are looking for inspiration from other women/interesting characters. Oh Comely readers are educated and politically aware and looking for a unique and thought-provoking look at the kind of lives they aspire to lead.

4) What are the key aspects of the magazine's design aesthetic discussed by the editor? How might this link to audience pleasures?

The magazine’s design reflects the words, it’s thoughtful, beautiful – the clean and minimal layout allows the words and pictures to shine. We work very closely with illustrators who create original works of art for our features - readers could see themselves reflected in the design.

No airbrushing or photoshop - a very honest depiction of women linking to personal identity.

5) How does the magazine represent women in terms of its production team and editorial decisions?

Core team consists of 4 women. They work with freelancers too, both men and women, as she feels that it's important to have a women's magazine worked on by lots of women but also by men too. Currently only wanted to feature interviews with women in the media and arts – as men have enough platforms - however thinks it's important to change and be reflective of the times so can't say they'll stick to the same formula forever.
Editor decided to have covers illustrated, with all of them portraying the female form in some way.


Now read the Oh Comely website page on advertising and audience to get a good idea of the demographics and psychographics for the Oh Comely target audience. Answer the following questions:

1) How does Oh Comely introduce itself ('what it's all about')?

'It is a breath of fresh air for a creative audience desperate to find something that speaks to them directly in an accessible, intelligent and interesting voice.'

2) How do the print circulation/readership statistics for Oh Comely compare to Men's Health?

OC:
Social Media Reach: 100,000
Readers Per Issue: 25,000

MH:

Print circulation: 180,000
Readership: 1 million

Oh Comely has a significantly smaller audience compared to MH, likely due to it's subversive niche and less mainstream appeal.

3) How is Oh Comely distributed to the audience?

Sold through independents, WHSmith and international outlets

4) What do you think the target audience demographics for Oh Comely might be? Some details are provided by the magazine (e.g. average age 27) and you can fill in further gaps using the Media Magazine interview with the editor.

Average Age of reader: 27
Female, left leaning

5) What psychographic groups might be attracted to Oh Comely? If you've forgotten this, revise psychographics here!

Reformers:social awareness, support growth. intolerant of bad taste
and possibly Explorers:challenge, new frontiers, brand choice highlights difference, the first to try new brands

6) What social class classification would you expect most Oh Comely readers to be? Why?

ABC1/AB upper middle class. The editor states a typical reader as having an interest in 'art, culture, music, theatre, clothes, jewellery, experiences, travel, home, craft/creative projects...'

7) What level of education would you expect for most Oh Comely readers? Why?

University level, due to the magazine offering intelligent political discussions as well as the demographic of younger women. However I think many women would engage in the narrative the magazine shares despite their level of education.

8) What audience pleasures are offered by Oh Comely?

Personal identity - A magazine for women to connect and be represented instead of being sexualised and misrepresented in mainstream magazines. Readers would relate to the feminist viewpoint and identity reflected in the magazine, being produced by women.

Surveillance  - It's also a place to learn about other women in different careers ect.

9) It has been suggested Oh Comely is a “magazine about people, their quirks and creativity rather than money and what it can buy”. How does the design and advertising content of Oh Comely support this view?

The design is minimalist but creative. It's about being able to express yourself and highlights the importance of being unique.

10) Why do you think Oh Comely has been able to build a loyal audience of subscribers in the years since it launched? Think about audience demand, rival magazines and the overall media landscape in the digital age.

The magazine presents a feminist and more broad representation of what a woman is that many women would relate to. It has access to a specific niche that isn't overly exploited in any rival magazines, so they've been able to somewhat monopolise that demographic for themselves. A majority of rival magazines either sexualised or had bad representations of women, and so there was an audience of women drawn to a magazine that provokes intelligent discussions on expressing their identity. Oh comely themselves advertises "It provides an alternative to the ‘pile-it-high-sell-it-cheap’ aesthetic of mainstream magazines for young women, and this is why it has carved a loyal niche of fans." The digital landscape allowed for more women to connect a build a demographic for the magazine.

Magazines: Men's Health Industry case study

Magazines: Men's Health Industry case study

To explore the Industries context for Men's Health we need to study Hearst publishing and look at the impact of digital media on the print magazine industry.

This means interrogating why the internet has had such a devastating effect on certain print brands and why some other magazines are continuing to thrive in the digital age. We also need to spend some time on the Men's Health website and consider the similarities and differences to what we've found in the print version of the magazine.

Notes from the lesson

Men's Health UK is published by Hearst Publishing UK, a subsidiary of Hearst Communications.

Hearst Communications is an American media conglomerate based in New York that is over 130 years old and is still owned by the Hearst family.

It owns a range of media and business information brands including American newspapers, magazines (e.g. Cosmopolitan), half of the A&E Network TV channel and 20% of US sports broadcaster ESPN.

It employs 20,000 people and its 2016 revenue was $10.8 billion.

Hearst Publishing UK

Hearst UK publishes over 20 magazine titles including Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Inside Soap and more.

Hearst UK brands reach 30% of UK women and 25% of UK men. They sell over 4m magazines a month and have 17m UK digital unique users.

Hearst UK has also diversified into events and other licensed brand extensions (e.g. Esquire Townhouse pop up members club, Country Living sofas and Men’s Health home gym equipment).

The impact of digital media on the magazine industry

Some key questions:

• Why has digital media (the internet) had such a devasting effect on the magazines industry?
• When did YOU last buy a magazine?
• Who IS buying magazines?

Suggestions for SWOT analysis of the impact of digital media on magazines:

• Strengths: Magazine brands are well established to diversify online, audiences already know and like them.
• Weaknesses: Print publishers do not have the expertise or knowledge of digital – it is a very different medium.
• Opportunities: Magazines can find new audiences online.
• Threats: Audiences will stop buying paper products and expect everything online for free. 

Ultimately, it is this threat that has had the most devastating impact on the industry: 

• Print sales fell by 42% from 23.8m to 13.9m between 2010 and 2017. 
• Back in 2000, sales were over 30m – signalling a 55% decline in just 17 years.
• Advertising in consumer magazines has fallen from £512m in 2010 to £250m in 2017. 
• Google and Facebook now dominate online advertising (they account for 65% of the UK digital ad market).

As a result of these changes, many magazines have closed.

Digital media: Hearst and Men’s Health

Hearst UK has posted losses in recent years due to the decline in the magazines market.

Men’s Health has also declined in recent years from a circulation high of 228,000 in 2008 to around 120,000 now. However, it has moved up and down in recent years (dropping to 160,000 in 2016 before going up to 180,000 in 2018) which shows decline is not necessarily inevitable.

Men's Health - Industries case study blog tasks
This is a comprehensive case study covering a range of Industry contexts. It is divided into three sections: Hearst publishing, the impact of digital media and Men's Health online platforms. You will need to allow for at least two hours to work through the following tasks.
Hearst publishing

Research Hearst publishing by looking at the Hearst UK website and the Wikipedia entry for parent company and conglomerate Hearst Communications. Then, answer the following questions:

1) Hearst UK is part of Hearst Communications. What is Hearst Communications and where is it based?

Hearst Communications is an American mass media and business information conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York City

2) What media industries and brands make up the Hearst Communications conglomerate?

Hearst Television
Hearst Magazines
Hearst Ventures
Hearst Business Media
Hearst Entertainment & Syndication
Hearst Newspapers
Verizon Hearst Media Partners (50%)

3) What was the global revenue for Hearst Communications (in dollars) for the most recent year on record?

US$11.4 billion (2019)

4) Focusing on Hearst UK, what other magazine brands are part of Hearst UK publishing? How many UK people do they reach in print and online?

hey reach a total of 1,880,400 readers a year.

Now read this Campaign interview with Hearst UK CEO James Wildman and answer the following questions:

1) What is James Wildman's plan for Hearst UK?

'His aim is to grow share in print to stem decline, accelerate growth in digital, diversify revenues through events and partnerships, and look at acquisitions'

2) What percentage ad decline are consumer magazines facing?

10%

3) What Wildman think about premium content and paywalls?

That Hearst should charge for premium content but no paywalls are planned.

4) How has Hearst used diversification to grow the business?

They run events, sell merchandise and endorse other products: "Diversification looks the best way to grow. Hearst runs about 100 events a year and he plans to focus on fewer, bigger events such as Esquire Town House. "

Finally, read this Hearst UK press release for their late 2018 ABC figures and answer two simple questions:

1) Is Men's Health increasing or decreasing in circulation?

Increasing

2) What does the press release say about recent successes associated with Men's Health?


'Men’s Health’s #MendTheGap campaign continues to help redress the disparity between attitudes toward mental and physical health, whilst its range of home gym equipment is the best-selling premium gym range in Argos'

The impact of digital media on the print magazines industry

Read this BBC website feature on the print magazine industry and then this Guardian feature on the demise of NME magazine and print magazines in general. Now answer the following questions:

1) Why are traditional print magazines struggling?

The rise of the internet and digital media: content published in magazines can be found online for free.

2) What genre of magazines is currently bucking the trend and increasing sales? Why is this?

News and current affairs magazines due to the nature of them: we rely on the media to give us information of the current political climate and news.

3) In contrast, what magazine genres are struggling? Give examples of magazines that have declined or stopped printing altogether.

Celebrity, gossip and fashion titles: LOOK, NOW, HEAT, GRAZIA

4) Look at the Guardian article in detail. What statistics are provided to demonstrate the decline in the print magazines industry between 2010 and 2017? What about the percentage decline from 2000?

Those that readers buy or subscribe to – fell by 42% from 23.8m to 13.9m between 2010 and 2017. Since the start of the internet era in 2000, the decline is 55% from 30

5) What percentage of ad revenue is taken by Google and Facebook?

Google and Facebook account for 65% of the $6.5bn (£4.7bn) UK digital display ad market. They are also strangling attempts by magazine and newspaper publishers to build their digital ad revenues by taking about 90% of all new spend.

6) What strategies can magazine publishers use to remain in business in the digital age?

Including special and inclusive content, such as content only accessible on your website, can help build a digital consumer base. Advertising is an obvious one, although even massively advertised magazines like Vogue have seen a decline in readership. Marketing to audiences with niche interests can also help maintain readership.

7) Why does the Hearst UK CEO James Wildman suggest that the magazine industry is not dead?

Wildman suggests the magazine industry isn't dead because they are "much more diverse"

8) What examples from the Guardian article are provided to demonstrate how magazines are finding new revenue streams? What is the Men's Health branding used for?

“Endorsement, accreditation and licensing are increasingly lucrative." The Men's Health brand is being used for home-gym equipment on sale at Argos. 

9) What signs for optimism might there be for traditional magazine brands?

There is always going to be a demand for certain magazines like news and current events that niche audiences may feel important to consume and preserve physically.

10) How does Men's Health fit into this picture? Why do you think Men's Health has remained successful in the digital age? Do you think Men's Health will continue to publish for many years to come? Why?

Men's Health will be in production for at least a decade because they can survive a lot off their health products. As society becomes more conscious about body image, they can exploit that market and get a lot of profit.


The Men's Health website and social media

Visit the Men's Health website, Twitter feed and Instagram. Answer the following questions:

1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?

They have very similar cover lines about losing fat, with a focus on the body. While both having hypermasculine images and texts and promote fitness and health, they also shed light on men's mental health and the struggles they endure.

2) What newsletters are offered by Men's Health what do they include? How does this help Hearst UK to make money? There is more information on newsletters here if you need it.

An email subscription which delivers work out, nutrition and health advice. It helps Hearst as customers are also emailed with promotions and offers from the company.

3) Look at the Men's Health website menu bar. What are the menu options? What does this suggest about the representation of men and masculinity associated with Men's Health?

The options are fitness,mental strength,health,nutrition and workouts. These are all conventional aspects of masculinity that links it to strength. However, the addition of mental strength shows the evolution of traditional masculinity

4) Choose one of the menu sections (e.g. Mental Strength) and write a list of the features in that area of the website. What target audience are these features aimed at?

Mental health:How to Deal with Stress
 How to Support Your Friend's Mental Health during Quarantine,
The Prison PT: Lockdown, Just Like Prison, Presents You With an Opportunity
Considering Therapy, but No Idea Where to Start? This Will Help
21 Reasons Why Men Don't Talk About Their Mental Health -And why every single one of them is bollocks...
Fighting Spirit: The Military's Battle for Better Mental Health

5) Do you think the Men's Health website is trying to sell the print version or simply build a digital audience? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a 'digital first' strategy?

The website seems to mainly be focused on building a digital audience instead of selling the print version.

6) How does the Men's Health Twitter feed use 'clickbait' to try and get users to click through to the magazine's website? Give examples of tweets that are designed to get the audience to click through.

This simple switch can make a big difference in how you feel...
“I was a little shocked to see you only had to lift weights 3 days a week,” he said...
Somehow, the CrossFit champ never feels hungry...

7) How does the Twitter feed uses images and video content alongside text and links?

They use videos and images as a visual medium to to entice audience and help frame text and links in an easily digestible way. They use links to promote their digital content.

8) What does the Men's Health Instagram suggest about the Men's Health brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?


It seems to appeal to a similar audience, posting similar content - workout tips, celebrity endorsements. However the Instagram doesn't link to the print subscription, suggesting a target of a younger and more digitally inclined audience.

9) Is the Men's Health social media designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?

It mainly seems to be building a digital audience, due to digital diversity being key to surviving in the industry.

10) Evaluate the success of the Men's Health brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?

It is consistently publishing articles relevant to current events with a 21 million readers across it's social and digital platforms, showing to be very successful and communicating with it's target audience. I believe that it's likely it will eventually replace the print magazine, although the magazine market still hasn't died out completely so it will probably be a long time in the future until we see that happen.