Are Media has introduced a paid monthly membership under The Australian Women's Weekly, building a first-party data asset for advertisers at a time when programmatic revenue is under pressure.
My Women's Weekly launches at $4.99 per month, giving subscribers access to weekly meal plans drawn from more than 27,000 Test Kitchen recipes, monthly digital masterclasses, exclusive dining events, digital magazine access, cookbook discounts and exclusive member offers.
Are Media's portfolio includes The Australian Women's Weekly, Better Homes and Gardens, Woman's Day, Marie cCaire, ELLE Australia, TV WEEK and others.
In an interview with AdNews, Anna Quinn, head of sales and commercial at Are Media, said the membership was a direct response to the erosion of programmatic revenue.
"So what we've seen is the erosion of programmatic and all of those kinds of channels, where there is that pressure on CPMs," said Quinn.
"It's about creating premium opportunities for brands in really brand-safe environments that are delivering on all stages of the funnel."
Jocelin Abbey, general manager of homes and lifestyle at Are Media, said the product was built around a clear consumer utility.
"At the very core, this product, which is a membership, creates a very clear utility. It solves a consumer need for us, for our audience. It allows us to put a weekly meal plan at the centre of our outreach to an audience, and it creates a really beautiful premium environment for brands and partners to integrate into," said Abbey.
"We are in a cost of living crisis, and we know that about 87% of health professionals really think that things like decision fatigue and what to cook for dinner each night has an impact on the quality of nutrition.
"We know that about three out of every four families cook at least five times a week, and we know that that decision fatigue… is just such a compelling problem to solve."
Abbey said the early data from the membership was already informing content strategy.
"The richness of the data that we are seeing already in just the first few days of this membership launch is incredible. What that's allowing us to do is really change our content strategy to ensure that we are absolutely super-serving our audience in terms of what they're clicking on, what they're engaging with," said Abbey.
Supporting the membership is a new brand platform, With Australian Women For Life, designed to capture The Australian Women's Weekly's 93-year relationship with Australian women across food, health, finance, travel and community.
Sally Eagle, CEO of Are Media, said the membership reflected the company's broader audience strategy.
"At a time when audiences have endless choice, what continues to set our brands apart is the trust, authority and relevance we have built over generations. Australians continue to turn to our brands as a voice of reason and inspiration in the categories that matter most to them," said Eagle.
"Importantly, this creates a more direct connection with our audience and reflects the significant investment we have made in our digital and audience infrastructure over recent years, allowing us to build richer, more connected experiences across our brands and platforms."
Quinn said Are Media's female audience and affiliate business made the membership a compelling commercial proposition.
"I think what really kind of sets us apart from other media players is this incredible female audience with this high propensity to shop. It really is phenomenal how strong the affiliate business is here, and how strong that conversion piece is."
The membership also coincides with a new line-up of food creators joining The Weekly, including MasterChef Australia alumni Laura Sharrad and Depinder Chhibber, and food creator and author Karima-Chloe Hazim.
SMEG has signed as a launch partner, with appliances integrated across Test Kitchen content, seasonal recipes, digital masterclasses, social content, live events and member experiences.
"Partnering with The Australian Women's Weekly Test Kitchen allows us to connect with Australian households through trusted content, shared creativity and a mutual passion for quality," said Francesca Cissell, head of marketing at SMEG.
The brand is also strengthening its finance content offering, led by Effie Zahos, providing guidance to help women navigate their financial lives.
Abbey said the membership model would also reshape what The Weekly could offer brand partners.
"A membership audience gives brands like SMEG a level of insight, integration and creative collaboration that traditional media alone cannot deliver, and it sets the foundation for how we will continue to evolve the broader Are Media portfolio," said Abbey.
Abbey said the membership and platform will work across the full funnel.
"We see different channels and different parts of the ecosystem do different jobs. So when you look at the top of the funnel, that's driven by things like podcasts, or maybe it's print. Then you look at more of the transactional recommendation-based content, and that does an incredible job of that conversion," said Abbey.
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