‘InStyle’/’W’/’Marie Claire’ Lead The Impressive ‘Spring Forwards’

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Like the overall magazine industry and the U.S. economy as a whole, the women’s fashion/beauty sector experienced very tough times in 2009 and 2010, and since then the positives have largely come in dribs and drabs. Although we cannot report that March 2012 produced a universal breakthrough, there are several examples of--to borrow the famous advertising slogan--Baby, look at us now. Here are three (covers are February):

1. InStyle (+12.7% versus March 2011), with publisher (since February 2009) Connie Anne Phillips telling min that the 347 ad-page issue is not only the largest for the month in IS’s soon-to-be 18-year history, but in the last three Marches alone, business has jumped by 154 ad pages (+79.8%).

2. W (+25.2%), with vp/publisher (since March 2005) Nina Lawrence saying that the 204 ad-page issue is further evidence that “we are accelerating on all fronts with our strongest first-quarter ever [+17%].” Credit the since-September 2010 reign of editor-in-chief Stefano Tonchi for engineering the momentum. Saks Fifth Avenue is among the major advertisers, and its presence will be further pronounced as being the retail partner with W’s 40th-anniversary issue in November.

3. Marie Claire (+32.3%), with vp/publisher (since December 2009) Nancy Cardone matching Phillips in reporting that the issue’s 181 ad pages set an 18-year record for the month. Cardone was among the publishers who built March with new business along with “bigger commitments and units from advertisers who have been with us for a long time.” Among the “game-changers” is a “10-page exclusive unit from a luxury company” that will be revealed with the release of the issue in mid-February.

Allure’s March gain is small (+5.7%), but the 143 ad pages surpass the 136 carried in the 20th-anniversary issue last year. That doubled as a tribute to founding editor-in-chief Linda Wells, so vp/publisher (since May 2008) Agnes Chapski faced the added handicap of competing with the “tribute” ads--and she succeeded, thanks to huge growth in (naturally) beauty. In a different sense, that is a tribute to Wells, too.

Perennial leader Vogue with 442.7 ad pages is +3.9%, and vp/publisher (since January 2009) Susan Plagemann says that the small gain followed a big gain (+14.3%) in March 2011. Not so at Harper’s Bazaar, where March 2012’s +15.4% offset the -13.2% from 2011, when then vp/publisher Valerie Salembier told min that was the effect of her obeying Hearst Magazines president (since June 2010) David Carey’s edict for a higher net per page. Mission accomplished, says Salembier’s HB successor (since June 2011) Carol Smith, and Salembier herself echoes that at new home Town & Country (also since June), where she is very optimistic that March’s +5.0% will pick up further this year as the ad community embraces editor-in-chief (since February 2011) Jay Fielden.

HB and Glamour (+6.0%) are unveiling redesigns in March, with the lingo by Smith and Glamour vp/publishing director (since May 2004) Bill Wackermann “brand transformation” and “upgrade,” respectively. Wackermann tells min that the issue’s 348-page book size is the largest for the month since 2008.

Elle produced the smallest gain (+2.1%) in the fashion sector largely because vp/publisher (since June 2011) Kevin O’Malley works with different parameters than those set by 1985-2011 owner Hachette Filipacchi Media before the May 2011 acquisition by Hearst Magazines. Lucky (-21.1%) and More (-17.9%) are down in part because respective publishers Marcy Bloom and Sabine Feldmann are new hires, but new Teen Vogue hire Jason Wagenheim tells us that March’s -9.8% would have been have been +8.6% had last year’s Prom onsert not been moved to February.

And, as expected, People StyleWatch’s -6.9% March ends a 31-issue ad-page “winning streak.” All great things must come to an end. Read more.

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