Bauer Media is leading a group of magazine publishers to launch an initiative in support of newsagents during National Newsagent Week.
The nation’s 2,900 newsagents remain the primary channel for magazine sales, with more than 38 million magazine sales generated from newsagents annually, according to XchangeIT data.
Figures from printing and distribution company Ovato reveal that through the pandemic, magazine sales at newsagents have recorded double digital increases across categories, such as food, up 35%, home interest, up 22%, puzzles, up 20%, children’s, up 32%, and craft, up 16%.
Now, magazine publishers, spearheaded by Bauer Media, including DCThompson, Genera, Just Media, Lovatt’s Media, NewsLifeMedia, Next Media, Seymour, Universal and Yaffa Media, publisher of AdNews, have joined to launch a prize competition to boost these sales.
Working with national peak body for newsagents Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA), the publishers are offering customers who purchase a magazine at any newsagent the chance to win $50,000 from now until the conclusion of National Newsagent Week, which runs from September 19-26.
The promotion is being supported with point-of-sale material, social media and daily advertising across national and metro newspapers.
“As one of the inaugural participants of National Newsagent Week we’ve worked to bring the concept to life to recognise one of the hardest working industries in Australia,” says Andrew Cohn, head of retail sales and circulation at Bauer Media.
“To see suppliers working together and alongside ALNA has been an extremely positive experience for all. It gives us a chance to highlight the importance of the newsagent industry as an essential service and the role they play at the heart of the community.”
During the pandemic, Bauer Media has shut eight magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, NW and OK!, citing the impact of COVID-19 on the advertising market.
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