We currently have Top Gear in print position in the cars segment of our magazine department. Top Gear is pitched to advertisers more as a men’s lifestyle magazine from what I read than a car lovers magazine.
This is why we will experiment with a new Men’s Lifestyle area where we bring together a collection of titles which speak to the same target consumer – Top Gear, Popular Science, Ralph, FHM, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, GQ, Esquire, Inside Sport and a few others.
I’d try and leave them where they currently are and co-locating to a new feature area clearly branded as the Men’s Lifestyle area. The goal of the change would be to get more than one of the titles purchased in each sale. leaving Top gear displayed only with car magazines hinders its sales as well as its ability to drive sales of other titles to many who purchase it.
There are bound to be some mistakes in creating this new area – we will learn from them.
There was a time when the Magazine Publishers of Australia organisation was involved in these layout discussions. Unfortunately, we are more on our own today. I’d be interested in how others group these cross traditional category men’s lifestyle titles.
Top Gear’s position in our store is in the Motoring range, as well as a display near the newspaper stand when it first arrives. We had not considered it as a Men’s Lifestyle/Interest title, however we do have such a section, facing the motoring section, alongside sport, so essentially the whole aisle is aimed at men.
We have never been sure of the ‘correct’ category layout in store, but we have moved categories around the store until they work better.