Covers Sell

The 2020 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue results are in.  This year’s issue was pushed by the SI spin doctors as important and groundbreaking, in a desperate attempt to remain relevant.  Why?  Well, because the brand was going to be featuring their first transsexual bikini model!  Plus, as an added bonus, their PR team pushed their coverage of obese women in bikinis.  So how did that work out?  Did the gushing, free media coverage earn them legions of new customers lining up to plunk down their hard-earned cash?  Or did it send their core audience of red-blooded pig dog dudes running for the hills?

You be the judge.  In chronological order from 2015 to 2020…

“The 23-year-old Brazilian beauty was just named a 2020 Rookie for the upcoming issue (on stands July 21), which marks the first time the iconic magazine has featured a transgender model.”

And for the third year in a row Sports Illustrated featured the “world’s curviest” plus size model.

In Canada the sales were:

2015:  33,059 copies sold, worth $297,200

2016:  28,770 copies sold, worth $258,600

2017:  30,986 copies sold, worth $309,550

2018:  18,239 copies sold, worth $182,208

2019:  15,795 copies sold, worth $157,792

2020:  7,063 copies sold, worth $77,622…down 55.3%.

The Magnolia Journal remains a hot seller in Canada.

Launched in the Fall of 2016, the first issue sold 11,100 copies, on a draw of 24,180, for a 46% sell-through at a $9.99 cover price.  That’s impressive!

• In 2017, the Spring issue sold 12,580 copies at a 53.7% sell-through
• The Summer 2017 issue sold 12,481 copies at a 46.2% sell-through
• The Fall 2017 issue sold 11,882 copies at a 45.6% sell-through
• The Winter 2017 issue sold 16,071 copies at an incredible 57.1% sell-through

And the magazine remained on a roll in 2018, with sales up 47% in total.

• In 2018, the Spring issue sold 15,452 copies at a 54.3% sell-through
• The Summer 2018 issue sold 14,558 copies at a 49.2% sell-through
• The Fall 2018 issue sold 22,915 copies at a 38% sell-through
• The Winter 2018 issue sold 25,248 copies at a 40% sell-through

And the magazine remained on a roll in 2019, with sales up 70% in total.

• In 2019, the Spring issue sold 22,966 copies at a 37.5% sell-through
• The Summer 2019 issue sold 19,927 copies at a 32% sell-through
• The Fall 2019 issue sold 221,432 copies at a 33.1% sell-through
• The Winter 2019 issue sold 25,930 copies at a 40.3% sell-through…a new all-time high.

Despite Covid-19, both 2020 issues are poised to continue to sell more copies then prior year.

• In 2020, the Spring issue sold 24,678 copies at a 34.8% sell-through…up 7%
• The Summer 2020 issue currently sits at 24,186 copies (not final yet) copies at a 39.7% sell-through

Starting in 2018, Hearst launched Pioneer Woman magazine in Canada.   The magazine was built around celebrity blogger Ree Drumond, who lives on a working ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

According to Wikipedia:  “Capitalizing on the success of her blog, Drummond currently stars in her own television program, also entitled The Pioneer Woman, on The Food Network which began in 2011.”

The magazine was an instant success in Canada.

• The Spring 2018 issue sold 14,611 copies at a 47% sell-through.
• The Summer 2018 issue sold 15,922 copies at a 45% sell-through.
• The Fall 2018 issue sold 17,903 copies at a 40% sell-through.
• The Winter 2018 issue sold 20,299 copies at a 44% sell-through.

The magazine remained on an upward trajectory in 2019.

• The Spring 2019 issue sold 17,279 copies at a 38% sell-through…up 18.3% from prior year.
• The Summer 2019 issue sold 18,346 copies at a 43% sell-through…up 15.2% from prior year.
• The Fall 2019 issue sold 15,282 copies at a 35.3% sell-through…down 14.6% when they inexplicably cut 1,149 stores or 30% off distribution.
• The Winter 2019 issue sold 20,346 copies at a 47% sell-through…up modestly from prior year, and best-selling issue ever!

Sadly, Covid-19 has taken its toll on the Spring 2020 issue.

• The Spring 2020 issue sold 14,999 copies at a 36% sell-through…down 13.2% from prior year.  It went on sale March 2nd…bad timing, but still a very respectable outcome.

The covers are all “celebrity based” and beautifully composed.  This magazine is a shining example of excellence in difficult times. Covers are in chronological order from launch to current, left to right.

Cottage Life magazine, a Canadian gem, is off to a sizzling start with their first issue of 2020 (All Hale the Eh Frame).  Sales were up 2,326 copies or 43% from last year’s issue in this time slot (The Warmest Season).  Since 2016 this winter time slot has been their top producing slot.

Cottage Life had a down year in 2019, with sales dropping 24% overall, with just 2 of 6 issues posting gains.  But the biggest contributor to the decline was the first issue, which was down 47% from the previous year, effectively dragging the averages down with it.

When you compare the 2019 Winter cover against the 2020 Winter cover you can see that while both featured A Frame Cottages, the 2019 edition was rather bleak, while the 2020 version was fun, playful, bright and active, with a warm yellow logo and sell lines, plus a much bolder type treatment.  What a great way to start off the new year!

In Style magazine has posted a 13% decline in newsstand sales in Canada for 2019. It’s better then the two prior years when sales were down 16% in 2018 and 22% in 2017.   In 2019, 4 of 12 issues posted gains.

Their best-selling issue of the year, the September 2019 issue, sold 30,355 copies at 39% efficiency, but that is down 14,473 or 32% from last year’s results in this time slot.

The November 2019 issue was down 21% this year and was the second-to-worst performer of the year.  They tried removing all cover lines except a small patch down in the far right hand corner (the cover real estate I refer to as Baltic Avenue). Total flop.

The December issue is posting a gain of 11% from prior year, and is the 3rd best performer of the year.  A clearly classic cover.

The Aug/Sep 2019 issue of Cottage Life (on sale July 15th) was a winner…their best-selling cover of the year.  This cover was, in my view, the most non-traditional cover they’ve done in years, with a very unique nostalgic twist.  Subject Matter Matters, but this design was spot on brilliant.

This issue out sold the average of the other five issues by nearly 35%!

The venerable USA title Town & Country is on a bit of a mini-roll, with recent covers performing quite nicely.

• In 2018, 5 of 10 issues posted gains, as the average issue sold 2,174 copies, down 5% from prior year.
• In 2017, 4 of 10 issues posted gains, as sales averaged 2,294 copies sold, down just 16 copies or 1% from prior year.
• In 2016, 5 of 10 issues posted gains, as sales averaged 2,310 copies, up 1% from prior year.
• In 2015, 5 of 10 issues posted gains, as sales averaged 2,305, down just 1.7% from prior year.

This year, their 2019-07 issue was up 941 copies or 55%, but was on sale longer due to a frequency change, so had more time to sell.

Their 2019-09 issue was essentially the same as prior year.

Their 2019-10 issue was a huge winner, with sales up 1,180 copies or 55%…great cover!

I like the unpredictable variety of these covers.

Cosmopolitan magazine continues to trend down in an extremely volatile way here in Canada.

• In 2018, sales were down 26%, with all 12 issues posting losses from prior year.
• In 2017, sales were down 29%, with all 12 issues posting losses from prior year.
• In 2016, sales were down 29%, with all 12 issues posting losses from prior year.
• In 2015, sales were down 29%, with all 12 issues posting losses from prior year.

So far in 2019, sales are down on all 10 issues…too soon to say about November and December issues.

The Jan 2018 issue was their best selling issue that year, selling 55,216 copies at a 45% sell-through…impressive, and only down 3% from the prior year’s issue in that slot.  However, the Jan 2019 issue sold just 30,531 copies at a 46% sell-through, down 24,685 copies or 45% from prior year.

The May 2018 issue sold 20,752 copies at a 30% sell-through.  But the May 2019 issue sold just 13,051 copies at a 21% sell-through, down 14,001 copies or an astounding 52%.  Extreme volatility.

Starting in the Summer of 2018, Magnolia Journal embarked on a massive expansion of the magazine in Canada.

Sales in 2017 were already outstanding, averaging a draw of 26,165, a sale of 13,254, for a 50.7% sell-through, and at a $9.99 cover price.

• Effective with the third issue of 2018, the draw was moved up to 60,435 copies (an increase of 34,395 copies or 132%) from the prior year’s issue.  Sales were 22,915 copies (an increase of 11,033 or 93%).  Dealers increased to 5,212 stores from 3,427 (an increase of 52%).  Nice bump!
• The fourth issue of 2018 was up 9,177 copies or 57% from prior year.
• The first issue of 2019 was up 7,514 copies or 49% from prior year.
• The second issue of 2019 was up 5,940 copies or 41% from prior year.

That’s a spectacular success!

National Geographic had a rough ride in Canada in 2018…with sales slipping by 29% from prior year.  Plus, 9 of 12 issues posted declines. In 2017 they saw sales in Canada increase by 15%.

The best-seller for 2018 may surprise you, as it was on the subject of sleep.  The Aug 2018 issue sold 15,146 copies, up 23% from prior year’s issue in that time slot.  Take note on how large the type treatment is on this one!

The second best seller was their perfectly timed Dec 2018 issue, which sold 12,884 copies, but down 33% from prior year.  In 2017, the cover was also focused on religion, but sold 19,297 copies.  Jesus was #2 in 2017.

Their third best seller in 2018 was the “controversial” April 2018 race issue, which sold 12,591 copies, up 17% from prior year in this time slot.

The worst-selling issue in Canada in 2018 was their Nov 2018 issue, which managed to sell just 6,790 copies, down a whopping 49% from last year’s issue in this time slot.  It’s a beautiful image, and has a bold type treatment, but the subject matter clearly was not of interest to Canadians.  Subject Matter Matters!