Woman, IPC's traditional women's weekly, has had a £3.2m makeover to
keep up with the ‘ten years younger' generation, eager to merge
traditional family focused values with a little self indulgence.
Publisher
Oswin Grady said the move was "to improve our circulation trends" after
research found that mothers picked up reading trends from daughters
rather than their own mothers and "women are leading much more self
focused, self indulgence lifestyles than ever before".
He said:
"Quite simply, everybody wants to be ten years younger. Now more than
ever mothers and daughters are dressed almost identically. That change
made us think that Woman had a real opportunity to redefine what it
means to be a modern, variety packed mainstream women's weekly."
Research
involving IPC editorial director Mike Soutar and creative director Andy
Cowles found the typical Woman reader to be a 35 plus, middle Englander
who was house proud but technologically savvy with internet and
satellite access.
Grady added: "There's a tension between this
family focused woman we've always thought about as the classic sector
reader and the other side of her which is this letting off steam,
escapist woman whose down at Primark and New Look hoovering up the
cheap but fashionable accessories that make her feel good about
herself. That's been a key point in the development of the magazine."
Woman
will retain its real life emphasis with more celebrity, fashion and
beauty, health and home and have improved paper stock and an additional
16 pages and will be promoted with TV advertising, sampling in sister
publications and initial price promotions. The first issue goes on sale
23 May.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog