Mag ABCs: real growth in the real life mags as Love It hits 400,000 target

News International's Love it magazinemay have lost several key staff in recent months but it has gained circulation hitting its 400,000 sales target.

The weekly real life title, which launched in February as NI's first foray into magazines, reported a circulation of 405,441.

Real People, the NatMags title launched in January, also reached its target, reporting average sales of 318,105.

The publication was given a £6 million marketing budget and was based on 18 months of market research, including 40 focus groups and four separate dummies.

The success of the new players appears to be at the expense of the old – with more established titles owned by Bauer and IPC all reporting a drop in circulation.

Bauer's Bella reported the largest decrease with a 14.8 per cent drop year-on-year to 331,534 and stablemate That's Life also fell by 13.9 per cent to 490,220.

Bauer's market leader Take a Break also fell to a circulation of 1,082,051 – a decrease of 9.9 per cent.

IPC's Pick Me Up, the first of the women's weekly magazines aimed at a younger audience which launched in 2005, dropped 11.7 per cent to 445,098 and Women's Own fell by 13.3 per cent to 367,729.

Women's real life weeklies Jan – June 2006 (year-on-year)

Take a Break: 1,082,051, down 9.9 per cent

Chat: 554,375, down 9 per cent

That's Life: 490,220, down 13.9 per cent

Pick Me Up: 445,098, down 11.7 per cent

Love It: 405,441(new launch)

Woman's Weekly: 391,426, down 8 per cent

Woman's Own: 367,729, down 13.3 per cent

Best: 362,183, down 9.1 per cent

Bella: 331,534, down 14.8 per cent

Real People: 318,105 (new launch)

Full House: 191,987, down 18.6 per cent (period on period)