Where titles such as Red have successfully tapped into a 'middle youth' mindset, Essentials, with its recipes and knitting patterns, has struggled to relate to readers.
With this radical revamp, the title comes in a handbag size with Easy Living-style colour-coded sections; nothing revolutionary, perhaps, but it allows busy women to dip in to the title during snatched moments of 'me time'. All the products featured, from fashion to homewares, follow an affordable rule; inspiring and attractively laid out, but real in price, fit and accessibility.
Essentials to go is the highlight for me, with 16 pages of useful stuff - all the basics for a first-time mum/homeowner/gardener/cook with easy-to-follow tips, great ideas and checklists.
Do we need Essentials? My answer is no, but a woman in Kidderminster may well scream 'Yes!' As a buyer I am grateful for a title that aims to service the differing needs of women outside London, and it gives me the ability to build a more representative national schedule. However, competition is strong, and more beautiful magazines cost less than £2, so a cut to the £2.40 cover price is a must.
- Publisher: IPC Southbank.
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