Fashion
magazines haven't yet closed their September issues in the hotly contested ad
page race, but Hearst is hoping to grab the spotlight ahead of its rivals,
revealing that Elle, Harper's Bazaar and Marie Claire will all break their own previous records this year.
“The
fashion and luxury world has come roaring back in spending in advertising,
particularly in print,” said Hearst Magazines president, marketing and
publishing director Michael Clinton. Economic instability in Europe and slowed
growth in Asia, he added, have led more high-end brands to focus their
marketing budgets on North America.
Hearst
estimated that Elle’s ad pages would be up 10 percent year over year to about
440 pages—making it the biggest single issue ever published by Hearst—on strong
beauty and retail business as well as tech. Marie Claire is expected to be up 8
percent, boosted by a 36-page addition of its fifth Marie Claire @Work insert.
New advertisers included Stuart Weitzman, Crest and TD Ameritrade. Hearst
didn't give an estimate for Bazaar, only to say it would be up in ad pages over
last year.
Elsewhere
at Hearst, Cosmopolitan's September issue, editor in chief Joanna Coles' first,
is projected to be up 26 percent. On the men’s side, Esquire’s advertising
increased more than 25 percent. Riding the luxury wave, Town & Country saw
gains across all categories for a 12 percent increase, adding new advertisers
like Valentino, Asprey and David Yurman.
