It’s good to see OK! moving weekly. I’d not seen any comment on the planned on sale day and for me that’s a big question. If it is a Monday there will be a real-estate problem given newsagents, who sell half all magazines Australia, have Woman’s Day, New Idea, TV Week, NW and Famous out on a Monday. On a Friday we have Who and given the pitch of the OK! monthly magazine I’d say Who is the likely competitor. Friday would be easier from a real-estate perspective and it could boost Fridays and that would be welcome. The other on sale day possibility is Wednesdays. The problem with that is it’s the Take 5 and That’s Life on sale day and the demographic match is not good.
If I were launching OK! I’d buck the trend and launch on a Wednesday. It would be the only title of its type on sale on a Wednesday except when Women’s Weekly comes out once a month. I’d provide newsagents with preassembled counter display units which provide for a full face display. In the month leading to the launch I’d provide newsagents with a one page double sided give away with a story and a couple of photos and a tease piece about the new magazine about to arrive. This helps set newsagents and consumers up for the habit. I’d create a second display unit to facilitate promoting the title next to newspapers as this is where the most traffic is in a newsagency.
Publishers launching new titles need to spend time in newsagencies. Too many launch strategies are developed by marketing departments with little understanding of how people shop for magazines.