http://adage.com/article/media/seeking-shelter-housing-recovery-boosts-mags/241827/
Publishers are heading into summer optimistic about a housing recovery
that's restoring confidence -- and spending -- to advertisers in the
home category.
Last week, Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller home-price index posted its
biggest gains in seven years. Other indicators, such as building permits and
new and existing home sales, are also showing promise. “The boost in spending
from the house category has been new,” said Lucy Schmidt, print director at
media-buying agency Empower MediaMarketing. “That's a direct reflection
of the housing market.”
Ad pages in the national shelter-magazine category climbed 7.2% in the
second quarter, buoyed by an 8.7% increase in June issues over the year prior,
driving year-to-date growth of 6%, according to the Media Industry Newsletter.
Monthly magazines overall saw ad pages drop 0.9% in the second quarter,
following a flat first quarter, MIN's data show.
Hearst's HGTV magazine, which published its first issue in June/July last
year, ran 91.28 ad pages in its June issue this year, a 76.6% increase.
Some of that growth is a new magazine expanding from a relatively small base,
but Empower's Ms. Schmidt said it also reflects a trend in home advertising
toward do-it-yourself projects.
