Mr. Magazine

The oldest continuously published magazine in America is becoming a parent one more time. Scientific American magazine will add a new sibling to its family of magazines. In addition to the mother ship, SA now publishes SA Reports and SA Mind. Now comes to the SA Body. On newsstands Dec. 4 and on the web Dec. 12 SA Body promises to be a welcomed addition to a newly energized science magazine field that will see yet another new science magazine launch on Dec. 18, when the first issue of Science Illustrated from the Bonnier
group hits the newsstands.

I asked Bruce Brandfon, VP and Publisher of Scientific American Why Body? His response,

” We conducted extensive audience segmentation research earlier in the year which identified a “science-interested public” in excess of 40 million adults in the US. SciAm reaches 3.5 million of this market. One of the top areas of interest of those not currently part of the SciAm audience was Health. We perceived an opportunity to create a product that served these interests in the “zone” between the New England Journal of Medicine and magazines that are essentially life style magazines such as Mens Health and Self, etc So the science behind health and wellness with an emphasis on health (and not disease) is our focus. Since all of us have had to become more knowledgeable about our own health (as a result of health insurance etc) we believe that there is an educated, affluent dual audience of readers (and a web audience also) that aren’t SciAm devotees but will be interested in an authoritative source of reliable and accurate information about the subject.”

I asked Bruce why now? His response,

“In addition to the above mentioned need, we know that there is an expanding interest on the part of the educated general public about science issues, particularly when these issues have personal implications such as physical and mental health, aging, environment and “green,” education,etc. SciAm the brand believes that we can expand our franchise by reaching out to this audience both in print and digitally. This is another step in that direction (along with SA Mind and our redesigned website and flagship).”

Since we are still on the Men’s Health page, the magazine announced that it is launching a new title Men’s Health Living on Dec. 4. (see ad above… with the small Living word). However, the Brits were quicker in launching their edition of Men’s Health Living on the flip side of the November issue of the UK Men’s Health. (Note the word Living is much bigger in the UK edition). If the UK edition is the preview of the USA edition, it will mean a whole new genre of magazines aimed at men (home and interior design) is on its way. Check it out on Dec. 4 in the US, or if you are like me and can’t wait, take a look at the UK Nov. issue on the US marketplace right now.

Once a year min magazine asks me to select my hottest magazine launches of the year for the period of Sept. thru October, including the hottest magazine launch of that period. This year more than 700 titles were introduced to the market place during the aforementioned period. The job was tough, but as is the case every year a choice has to be made and the 17 titles that surfaced to the top are indeed hot in all what that word embodies. Hot in terms of their vision, hot in terms of their voice and hot in terms of their values. They are all vibrant and they all deserve the awards that were presented in New York City at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. In addition to the 15 printed magazines, this year I awarded the first online/offline magazine award (JPG magazine) and the first telemag award (an online only magazine, Automotive Traveler.com) award. I have asked the editors and publishers seven questions about their magazines and the challenges they face in launching a new title in this day and age.
At the event I handed the Hottest Launch Award to Condé Nast Portfolio, and the second place went to Garden & Gun magazine with the third place went to Outside’s Go. After the awards presentation the Hottest Launch Publisher of the year David Carey of CN Portfolio worte me to say that the Hottest Launch Award “provides the ‘soul satisfaction’ that a launch culture simply thrives on.”

Check all the winners and what they have to say about their magazines here.

The October numbers of new magazine launches are in and they are the highest of any month this year. Wow, what a month after a very cold and lousy September. It brought back memories from the “father of magazine launches” John Mack Carter who once told me “October is the best time to launch a magazine.” Well 96 magazines listened to John’s advice and launched in the month of October. You can see each and every one of them if you click here. Sorry prophets of doom and gloom who have used my numbers for September as a stepping-stone to mourn the death of print yet one more time. So, recapping the October numbers, a total of 96 new titles were launched compared to that of 94 last October bringing the number of new magazines so far to 571 which is short of the 866 new titles launched in the same period of 2006. The overall number of new titles launched with a frequency of four times or above so far this year has reached 197 compared to that of 288 for the same reporting period of 2006. For a complete list and images of all the new titles of 2007 so far click here.

The September numbers of new magazine launches are in and they match those of the two coldest months of new magazine launches this year: February and July. A total of only 32 new titles were launched in September compared to that of 91 last September bringing the number of new magazines so far to 475 which is way short of the 772 new titles launched in the same period of 2006. Any good news reported last month disappeared with almost two thirds less new magazine launches last month. The overall number of new titles launched with a frequency of four times or above so far this year has reached 169 compared to that of 250 for the same reporting period of 2006. For a complete list and images of all the new titles of 2007 so far click here.

Three new magazines are reviewed on the What’s Hot What’s New section of Mr. Magazine™, our weekly review of new magazines as they appear on the nation’s stands. If you like your magazine to be considered for review please send a copy of your premiere issue to: Samir Husni, 114 Farley Hall, P.O. Box 2906, University, MS 38677. Click here to enjoy the Aromatherapy Thymes’ review plus two more.

The August numbers of new magazine launches are in and they are almost double than July, but still short of the numbers of August 2006. A total of 61 new titles were launched in August compared to that of 74 last August bringing the number of new magazines so far to 439 way short of the 681 new titles launched in the same period of 2006. The good news this month is that the number of titles launched with four time frequency or above is 27 which is 16 more titles than the 11 launched in August 2006. The overall number of new titles launched with a frequency of four time or above so far this year has reached 163 compared to that of 217 for the same reporting period of 2006. By far August has been a very good month for new magazine launches, a much needed boost in the midst of some of the announcements of magazine closures. I am glad The Reaper is providing a RIP website and I am gladder that the delivery room in the magazine world is introducing many more titles than The Reaper can handle. For a complete list and images of all the new titles of 2007 so far click here.

What a Duck! is the name of the new magazine aimed at the surfing, music, and art lifestyle of the young and young at heart who enjoy such a way of life. The logo of the magazine, you’ve guessed it, is a rubber duck. What is more interesting is the cover shot with the rubber duck mask on his face surfing on the water. Quite an interesting use of a logo and cover image, not to mention the choice of words for the name of the magazine. Remember the many television sitcoms with the famous use of the word witch with a capital B.