Idealog magazine attracts new business audience

August 21 2006

Idealog magazine attracts new business audience

Idealog, the innovative new business magazine published by AUT Media, has become one of New Zealand’s largest circulating business titles within months of its launch.

Official figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation today show Idealog’s total New Zealandnet circulation is 12,221.

“This is a great result,” says AUT Media director and Idealog co-publisher Martin Bell. ”It is particularly gratifying because it’s based on only the first three issues of the magazine.

“We know that issue four has sold extremely well and issue five, out for just one week, is our biggest issue to date. Subscriptions have been accelerating, so we expect our paid sales to continue to grow.”

The audit result coincides with the release of positive feedback from a readership survey conducted by independent research company CBG Research. The survey shows: Readership is estimated at 32,337 32% of readers are senior managers or owner/entrepreneurs 37% of readers earn more than $100,000 a year Readers are evenly spread across Idealog’s target industries: technology, design, marketing, manufacturing, finance, advertising and engineering Readers, on average, spend an hour with their magazine, and 35% spend two hours

“The research is a real endorsement for what we set out to achieve,” says AUT Media director and Idealog co-publisher Vincent Heeringa. “We want to inspire people about innovation and creativity - almost 90% of readers say the magazine achieves this for them.”

He says the research also shows Idealog is attracting a new audience to the business category.

The highest cross-over with another business title was with NBR, with 38% of Idealog readers saying they also read NBR. Few other business titles featured consistently in Idealog’s readers’ reading lists, which indicates many are not regular readers of traditional business media.

Moreover, 45% of readers are female * an unusually high number for a business magazine.

Heeringa saysmuch of the success in reaching this non-traditional business readership is through the magazine’s unique sponsorship strategy where five sponsors distribute several thousand copies to their own key client databases.

“Idealog is reaching an audience that other business magazines simply aren’t reaching. We’re grateful to our sponsors AUTUniversity, Baldwins, Image Centre, Microsoft and Telecom. Without their support and shared vision, it’s fair to say that Idealog would not exist.”

Magazine co-founder David MacGregor says Idealog is attracting a new group of readers who are not well served by the traditional business press. “We call them the Commercial Creatives. Idealog is all about passion, excitement, creativity and the sheer brilliance of Kiwi creative entrepreneurs.”

Since its launch last December, Idealog has:

o Launched a comprehensive website (idealog.co.nz) with daily changing content including, blogs, event listings, jobs, podcasts and web exclusives. NetRatings figures show the site already ranks 25th in newspaper and magazine websites

o Launched an online business directory called WhoZoo, with some 50 companies listed and thousands of visits each month

o Sponsored the TV One primetime blockbuster show Dragon’s Den

o Run events such as a sold-out breakfast seminar series on Generation C

“Idealog is a strong idea with many potential extensions beyond just a print magazine,” says Martin Bell. “As we’d hoped, it’s truly becoming a multimedia brand.

“This result is only possible with the outstanding work of our team to whom we owe a great deal of thanks: Anna Shrubshall(production), Ben Gibb(sales), Adrian Clapperton (art direction) and the incredibly talented Matt Cooney(editor, web guru, problem solver extraordinaire).”

ENDS

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