Men's Health - Industries case study
Men's Health - Industries case study blog tasks
This is a comprehensive case study covering a range of Industry contexts. It is divided into three sections: Hearst publishing, the impact of digital media and Men's Health online platforms. You will need to allow for at least two hours to work through the following tasks.
Hearst publishing
Research Hearst publishing by looking at the Hearst UK website and the Wikipedia entry for parent company and conglomerate Hearst Communications.
1) Hearst UK is part of Hearst Communications. What is Hearst Communications and where is it based?
--> Hearst Communication is an American media conglomerate based in New York that is over 130 years old and is still owned by the Hearst Family.
2) What media industries and brands make up the Hearst Communications conglomerate?
--> it owns a range of media business information brands including American newspapers, magazines e.g Cosmopolitans, half of the A&E Network TV Channel and 20% of US sports broadcasters ESPN.
3) What was the global revenue for Hearst Communications (in dollars) for the most recent year on record?
--> The most recent revenue was 10.8 billion dollars and that was in 2016.
4) Focusing on Hearst UK, what other magazine brands are part of Hearst UK publishing? How many UK people do they reach in print and online?
--> Hearst UK publishes over 20 magazines Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Inside soap and more.
Hearst UK brands reach 30% of UK women and 25% of UK men. They sell over 4 million magazines a month and have 17 million UK digital unique users.
Hearst UK also diversified into events and other licensed brand extensions.Read this Campaign interview with Hearst UK CEO James Wildman.
5) What is James Wildman's plan for Hearst UK?
--> James Wildman's plan for Hearst UK is to grow share in print to stem decline, accelerate growth in digital, diversify revenues through events and partnerships, and look at acquisitions. That will be tough when consumer magazines are facing ad declines of more than 10% this year, money is flowing to Google and Facebook, and online influences are chipping away at print brands.
6) What percentage ad decline are consumer magazines facing?
--> consumers magazines are facing more than a 10% decline this year.
7) What Wildman think about premium content and paywalls?
-->Wildman thinks we should charge for our premium content," he says, citing "the most extraordinary recipe archive" at Good Housekeeping as an example. But he says no paywalls are planned yet.
8) How has Hearst used diversification to grow the business?
--> Diversification looks the best way to grow. Hearst runs about 100 events a year and he plans to focus on fewer, bigger events such as Esquire Town House. Merchandising deals such as a Country Living range of sofas with DFS have been a money-spinner. Hearst also wants to make more of Good Housekeeping’s respected accreditation team, which tests products. Its endorsements can drive sales for products such as Procter & Gamble’s Olay, which subsequently led to the magazine taking part in a TV ad.
Read this Hearst UK press release for their late 2017 ABC figures.
9) Is Men's Health increasing or decreasing in circulation?
--> Men's Health has decreased in criculations from 2013 till 2017.
10) What explanation is provided by Hearst for the success of their magazines in a tough print market?
-->Our trusted print magazines can engage and inspire readers in a way that other media struggles to do. We proudly circulate over four million magazines a month, and I’m thrilled to see such a robust set of numbers. We have invested heavily in print and to be rewarded with market leaders in each of our monthly competitive sectors, alongside six period-on-period increases is a fantastic achievement.
The impact of digital media on the print magazines industry
Read this BBC website feature on the print magazine industry and then this Guardian feature on the demise of NME magazine and print magazines in general.
1) Why are traditional print magazines struggling?
BBC News says that the invention of the internet started the struggle for magazines.
2) What genre of magazines is currently bucking the trend and increasing sales? Why is this?
News and current affairs magazines are becoming more popular, the past 18 months in politics has caused a lot of attention to come to the news, and the public want to be informed ad understand the facts and why things like the economy are in the current state.
3) In contrast, what magazine genres are struggling? Give examples of magazines that have declined or stopped printing altogether.
Genres such as celebrity, gossip, music and fashion are decreasing. The NME had recently ceased publication in March 2018. Magazines down in weekly sales approximately:
Look - 35%
Now - 21% 87,000
4) Look at the Guardian article in detail. What statistics are provided to demonstrate the decline in the print magazines industry between 2010 and 2017? What about the percentage decline from 2000?
Top 100 UK print titles subscribers fell by 42% from 23.8mn to 13.9mn. From 2000 the decline is 55% from 30.8mn.
5) What percentage of ad revenue is taken by Google and Facebook?
65%, $6.5bn
6) What strategies can magazine publishers use to remain in business in the digital age?
The Guardian suggests making magazines for more niche audiences which will drive in readers to the publishers. Introduce paywalls to online content.
7) Why does the Hearst UK CEO James Wildman suggest that the magazine industry is not dead?
'Magazine brands are much more diverse'. He talks about how Hearst have events for magazines.
8) What examples from the Guardian article are provided to demonstrate how magazines are finding new revenue streams? What is the Men's Health branding used for?
They make magazines for more niche audiences, which are likely to have 'a fanbase'.
9) What signs for optimism might there be for traditional magazine brands?
Audiences care more about how much they can trust a brand, Wildman says, 'with issues such as fake news'[...], audiences look to 'trust and context'.
10) How does Men's Health fit into this picture? Why do you think Men's Health has remained successful in the digital age? Do you think Men's Health will continue to publish for many years to come? Why?
They diversify their content. They have created magazines for more niche audiences and that are specialised. They create luxe magazines which are brand extensions such as Urban Active(sports fashion), Synchronised(watches), Expicure(food/drink).
The Men's Health website and social media
Visit the Men's Health website, Twitter feed and Instagram.
1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?
They feature articles like watches, which matches their promotion of the products in their print edition. They also show articles that match the coverlines and pages in the print edition on how to lose body fat.
2) What is the Men's Health daily newsletter and what does it include? How does this help Hearst UK to make money?
The newsletter features new articles and tips on 'weight loss tips and workouts'. There are advertisements of products which reinforce some products that the audience my have already seen in print editions and on social media platforms.
3) Look at the menu bar along the top of the website. What are the menu options? What does this suggest about the representation of men and masculinity associated with Men's Health?
It's a very hegemonic and traditional representation of men always having to look their best physically and to be physically fit more than the average man. Their bars like summer body, workouts. muscle, fitness and weight loss reinforce their representation of masculinity.
4) Choose one of the menu sections and write a list of the features in that area of the website. What target audience are these features aimed at?
They feature stars like Zac Efron, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Daniel Craig as James Bond. The target audience are likely to be young men who are active consumers of going to the cinema and most likely following these influencers on social media. Target Audience would be 20-35/40. They also show 'the no gym home six pack', so this may be for those with low incomes who can't afford a gym membership or are busy working and don't have the time to go the gym.
5) Do you think the Men's Health website is trying to sell the print version or simply build a digital audience? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a 'digital first' strategy?
I think they are trying to do both. Their front page is the content that will be see the most by young men. The hashtags and telling consumers to sign up to the digital newsletter means they are building a digital following. But also they may be building a print audience. They advertise, '6 reasons to buy the new issue of men's health', so they are really trying to gain loyal consumers who go online and buy the physical magazine. They also show watches, which means they want audiences to buy the niche luxe.
6) How does the Men's Health Twitter feed use 'clickbait' to try and get users to click through to the magazine's website? Give examples of tweets that are designed to get the audience to click through.
Some tweets use the handle of stars like Hugh Jackman. He is already an influential figure and captions like 'knows what he's talking about', makes the audience trust the article as it comes from a movie star who has a lot of power to draw in an audience.
7) How does the Twitter feed uses images and video content alongside text and links?
They feature models who are heavily built to try and get viewers to click on the link to the article. It gives them a false idea that a single workout will give them a body like this, but in reality the models work 24/7 to look like this and don't just try for 6 weeks to look a certain way.
8) What does the Men's Health Instagram suggest about the Men's Health brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?
They feature movie stars and articles about the online version. I think this is appealing to a younger demographic like teenagers and adults from 20 to 35. The print magazine may feature those of a slightly older audience from 25-40/45 as they can afford to buy the products when at the top of their respective field of high income earners of an AB demographic, as they are likely the ones to buy the advertised products in the print version.
9) Is the Men's Health social media designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?
I think its both. The feeds of both the social media platforms advertise the online articles but also the print magazine and tells the audience to go and buy it.
10) Evaluate the success of the Men's Health brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?
I think the brand is very successful to keep a large audience and increase its digital readership to 17m monthly usersome news publishers don't even draw close to that number and I think they have transitioned successfully online. As a result of this, it does show that they have communicates well their target audience as they still continue to the loyal readers and buy the products advertised in the magazine. I think the digital platforms will so this eventually, but not for a long time as conglomerates still have a lot of power and persuasion over the audience to convince them to keep buying print versions of the magazine. As an established brand, print magazines give are given a headstart and give them more control on how long their print magazines will survive before eventually digital platforms take over.
This is a comprehensive case study covering a range of Industry contexts. It is divided into three sections: Hearst publishing, the impact of digital media and Men's Health online platforms. You will need to allow for at least two hours to work through the following tasks.
Hearst publishing
Research Hearst publishing by looking at the Hearst UK website and the Wikipedia entry for parent company and conglomerate Hearst Communications.
1) Hearst UK is part of Hearst Communications. What is Hearst Communications and where is it based?
--> Hearst Communication is an American media conglomerate based in New York that is over 130 years old and is still owned by the Hearst Family.
2) What media industries and brands make up the Hearst Communications conglomerate?
--> it owns a range of media business information brands including American newspapers, magazines e.g Cosmopolitans, half of the A&E Network TV Channel and 20% of US sports broadcasters ESPN.
3) What was the global revenue for Hearst Communications (in dollars) for the most recent year on record?
--> The most recent revenue was 10.8 billion dollars and that was in 2016.
4) Focusing on Hearst UK, what other magazine brands are part of Hearst UK publishing? How many UK people do they reach in print and online?
--> Hearst UK publishes over 20 magazines Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Inside soap and more.
Hearst UK brands reach 30% of UK women and 25% of UK men. They sell over 4 million magazines a month and have 17 million UK digital unique users.
Hearst UK also diversified into events and other licensed brand extensions.Read this Campaign interview with Hearst UK CEO James Wildman.
5) What is James Wildman's plan for Hearst UK?
--> James Wildman's plan for Hearst UK is to grow share in print to stem decline, accelerate growth in digital, diversify revenues through events and partnerships, and look at acquisitions. That will be tough when consumer magazines are facing ad declines of more than 10% this year, money is flowing to Google and Facebook, and online influences are chipping away at print brands.
6) What percentage ad decline are consumer magazines facing?
--> consumers magazines are facing more than a 10% decline this year.
7) What Wildman think about premium content and paywalls?
-->Wildman thinks we should charge for our premium content," he says, citing "the most extraordinary recipe archive" at Good Housekeeping as an example. But he says no paywalls are planned yet.
8) How has Hearst used diversification to grow the business?
--> Diversification looks the best way to grow. Hearst runs about 100 events a year and he plans to focus on fewer, bigger events such as Esquire Town House. Merchandising deals such as a Country Living range of sofas with DFS have been a money-spinner. Hearst also wants to make more of Good Housekeeping’s respected accreditation team, which tests products. Its endorsements can drive sales for products such as Procter & Gamble’s Olay, which subsequently led to the magazine taking part in a TV ad.
Read this Hearst UK press release for their late 2017 ABC figures.
9) Is Men's Health increasing or decreasing in circulation?
--> Men's Health has decreased in criculations from 2013 till 2017.
10) What explanation is provided by Hearst for the success of their magazines in a tough print market?
-->Our trusted print magazines can engage and inspire readers in a way that other media struggles to do. We proudly circulate over four million magazines a month, and I’m thrilled to see such a robust set of numbers. We have invested heavily in print and to be rewarded with market leaders in each of our monthly competitive sectors, alongside six period-on-period increases is a fantastic achievement.
The impact of digital media on the print magazines industry
Read this BBC website feature on the print magazine industry and then this Guardian feature on the demise of NME magazine and print magazines in general.
1) Why are traditional print magazines struggling?
BBC News says that the invention of the internet started the struggle for magazines.
2) What genre of magazines is currently bucking the trend and increasing sales? Why is this?
News and current affairs magazines are becoming more popular, the past 18 months in politics has caused a lot of attention to come to the news, and the public want to be informed ad understand the facts and why things like the economy are in the current state.
3) In contrast, what magazine genres are struggling? Give examples of magazines that have declined or stopped printing altogether.
Genres such as celebrity, gossip, music and fashion are decreasing. The NME had recently ceased publication in March 2018. Magazines down in weekly sales approximately:
Look - 35%
Now - 21% 87,000
4) Look at the Guardian article in detail. What statistics are provided to demonstrate the decline in the print magazines industry between 2010 and 2017? What about the percentage decline from 2000?
Top 100 UK print titles subscribers fell by 42% from 23.8mn to 13.9mn. From 2000 the decline is 55% from 30.8mn.
5) What percentage of ad revenue is taken by Google and Facebook?
65%, $6.5bn
6) What strategies can magazine publishers use to remain in business in the digital age?
The Guardian suggests making magazines for more niche audiences which will drive in readers to the publishers. Introduce paywalls to online content.
7) Why does the Hearst UK CEO James Wildman suggest that the magazine industry is not dead?
'Magazine brands are much more diverse'. He talks about how Hearst have events for magazines.
8) What examples from the Guardian article are provided to demonstrate how magazines are finding new revenue streams? What is the Men's Health branding used for?
They make magazines for more niche audiences, which are likely to have 'a fanbase'.
9) What signs for optimism might there be for traditional magazine brands?
Audiences care more about how much they can trust a brand, Wildman says, 'with issues such as fake news'[...], audiences look to 'trust and context'.
10) How does Men's Health fit into this picture? Why do you think Men's Health has remained successful in the digital age? Do you think Men's Health will continue to publish for many years to come? Why?
They diversify their content. They have created magazines for more niche audiences and that are specialised. They create luxe magazines which are brand extensions such as Urban Active(sports fashion), Synchronised(watches), Expicure(food/drink).
The Men's Health website and social media
Visit the Men's Health website, Twitter feed and Instagram.
1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?
They feature articles like watches, which matches their promotion of the products in their print edition. They also show articles that match the coverlines and pages in the print edition on how to lose body fat.
2) What is the Men's Health daily newsletter and what does it include? How does this help Hearst UK to make money?
The newsletter features new articles and tips on 'weight loss tips and workouts'. There are advertisements of products which reinforce some products that the audience my have already seen in print editions and on social media platforms.
3) Look at the menu bar along the top of the website. What are the menu options? What does this suggest about the representation of men and masculinity associated with Men's Health?
It's a very hegemonic and traditional representation of men always having to look their best physically and to be physically fit more than the average man. Their bars like summer body, workouts. muscle, fitness and weight loss reinforce their representation of masculinity.
4) Choose one of the menu sections and write a list of the features in that area of the website. What target audience are these features aimed at?
They feature stars like Zac Efron, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Daniel Craig as James Bond. The target audience are likely to be young men who are active consumers of going to the cinema and most likely following these influencers on social media. Target Audience would be 20-35/40. They also show 'the no gym home six pack', so this may be for those with low incomes who can't afford a gym membership or are busy working and don't have the time to go the gym.
5) Do you think the Men's Health website is trying to sell the print version or simply build a digital audience? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a 'digital first' strategy?
I think they are trying to do both. Their front page is the content that will be see the most by young men. The hashtags and telling consumers to sign up to the digital newsletter means they are building a digital following. But also they may be building a print audience. They advertise, '6 reasons to buy the new issue of men's health', so they are really trying to gain loyal consumers who go online and buy the physical magazine. They also show watches, which means they want audiences to buy the niche luxe.
6) How does the Men's Health Twitter feed use 'clickbait' to try and get users to click through to the magazine's website? Give examples of tweets that are designed to get the audience to click through.
Some tweets use the handle of stars like Hugh Jackman. He is already an influential figure and captions like 'knows what he's talking about', makes the audience trust the article as it comes from a movie star who has a lot of power to draw in an audience.
7) How does the Twitter feed uses images and video content alongside text and links?
They feature models who are heavily built to try and get viewers to click on the link to the article. It gives them a false idea that a single workout will give them a body like this, but in reality the models work 24/7 to look like this and don't just try for 6 weeks to look a certain way.
8) What does the Men's Health Instagram suggest about the Men's Health brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?
They feature movie stars and articles about the online version. I think this is appealing to a younger demographic like teenagers and adults from 20 to 35. The print magazine may feature those of a slightly older audience from 25-40/45 as they can afford to buy the products when at the top of their respective field of high income earners of an AB demographic, as they are likely the ones to buy the advertised products in the print version.
9) Is the Men's Health social media designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?
I think its both. The feeds of both the social media platforms advertise the online articles but also the print magazine and tells the audience to go and buy it.
10) Evaluate the success of the Men's Health brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?
I think the brand is very successful to keep a large audience and increase its digital readership to 17m monthly usersome news publishers don't even draw close to that number and I think they have transitioned successfully online. As a result of this, it does show that they have communicates well their target audience as they still continue to the loyal readers and buy the products advertised in the magazine. I think the digital platforms will so this eventually, but not for a long time as conglomerates still have a lot of power and persuasion over the audience to convince them to keep buying print versions of the magazine. As an established brand, print magazines give are given a headstart and give them more control on how long their print magazines will survive before eventually digital platforms take over.
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