Homemakers magazine pronounces relaunch/redesign a success

Homemakers magazine says in a release that its relaunch and repositioning in April has been a great success, even in the face of very difficult recessionary times.As part of a crowded women's service portfolio at Transcontinental Media (Canadian Living, Elle Canada, Homemaker's, More, Elle Canada), Homemakers was striving to distinguish itself by focussing on eating and living healthfully and well.

Publisher Lynn Chambers says “It was a bold move to relaunch during these turbulent times for media but we believed it was essential to connect with our readers, to deliver on their desire to “Eat Well, Live Well,” and to lay a foundation for a solid future for one of Transcontinental’s most trusted and popular brands.”

Among the indicators of success, the release reported:

• Newsstand sales, on average, up 30 per cent since relaunch compared with an industry downtrend of - 7 per cent.
• The April issue sold nearly 70 per cent more copies on newsstands in 2009 over 2008; May sold 60 per cent more than in 2008.
• Advertising pages have improved 25 per cent compared to competitors, based on Leading National Advertisers data October 2009.
• Subscriber retention rates are up 12 per cent since the April relaunch issue & a new acquisition campaign is up over 100 per cent.

“Most importantly,” said Kathy Ullyott, editor-in-chief, “our readers are delighted with the new Homemakers. Our refreshed commitment to giving Canadian women ideas and inspiration for healthy living has clearly hit a chord and filled a niche in the marketplace.”

Homemakers,was created 1966 by Comac Communications Limited as a controlled circulation national digest magazine which, at one time had 1.2 million delivered households. It was converted to paid and now has a circulation of 376,000 and PMB-measured readership of 1.56 million.