EMG responds on Action + Adventure
Following a comment on this blog about Action + Adventure from EMG being bagged with other titles from the publisher I contacted EMG for feedback yesterday. They responded in detail and I publish there response here for all to see and consider:
In the past newsagents commented about EMG using returns for value add. As you know EMG has stopped collecting returns since last year. Every value added magazine which goes with every new title is mint.
In the case of Action + Adventure that magazine is bagged with 4WD Action, 4WD Custom Guide, Camper Trailer Touring, 4WD Camping Guide, Modern Fishing, Modern Boating, Overlander, Saltwater Fishing and Fishing Tips. The print run for that magazine is some 190,000 copies with 20,000 distributed separately. The trial of 3 issues was to determine if there were buyers of just Action + Adventure but who did not wish to purchase any of our regular titles – as that title contains 4WD driving, camping, fishing, boating and trail biking.
In the short time Action + Adventure has been published it has been popular with readers and advertisers. We know many advertisers have achieved a good response as they have increased their advertising expenditure and this would not have happened if buyers were not reading it. I can see Brendan’s point that maybe it should not have been sold separately if it was being given away free. Then again how would we determine whether Action + Adventure has a following in its own right.
The strategy for Performance Garage is very similar and it goes with Street Commodores, Street Fords, Hot 4’s, Fast Fours, Performance Imports, Zoom, Extreme Performance and some motoring specials. Again, it is only a trial for three issues.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention and if you wish to do so you may post all or part of the above.
This is a good response, a direct explanation from the publisher about their strategy. I’m glad they are open to sharing this here and for the opportunity for newsagents to comment.