Zoo versus Krew - battle of men's weeklies is on

Says UCM publisher Kim Browne: "From our experience with FHM and heat, we realised South Africa is a hungry market for new media development, which includes magazines. If done right, magazine brands with proven success in other countries can work really well here.

"With almost three years of international track-record with Zoo Weekly world-wide at our disposal, including all our own extensive local research, everything indicates South Africa is ready for a men's lifestyle weekly - and Zoo Weekly is the best brand in this category."

Two years of research

The announcement to launch Zoo Weekly before the end of the year follows nearly two years of research by UCM to investigate the viability of publishing a men's lifestyle weekly. UCM editorial director Brendan Cooper will oversee the editorial of the new titles.

According to Browne, it will also be one of the first times in SA publishing history that a magazine will be launched in both languages from the very first issue. "We have the necessary resources at our disposal to provide an excellent brand in both English and Afrikaans. The magazines will essentially be the same, with each language edition nuanced for the specific needs of the different groups," she explains.

Browne comments that the Zoo Weekly titles will feature a variety of entertaining content on a weekly basis, which will be packaged neatly together in a compact formula of girls, sport, cars, gigs, jokes and gizmos. The title will be aimed at affluent, urban men with an average age of 22.

"People may wonder why guys did not buy lifestyle magazines on a weekly basis in the past, but the answer is simple - there weren't any! Now UCM will be able to satisfy the 22-year-old guy of today with a riveting international publishing phenomenon that offers frequent, quick reads and caters for a variety of his interests," she says.

Vibrant magazine industry

Commenting on the magazine industry in South Africa, Browne says it is "extremely healthy and vibrant". She says there has been a large range of successful launches in a variety of established and new categories. "The SA magazine market has been totally invigorated over the last two years. We see this trend continuing."

Launched in the UK by Emap plc early in 2004, Zoo Weekly was soon successfully published in Spain, followed by Australia.

"Zoo Weekly has completely revolutionised the magazine business as it created a whole new category of magazines seemingly overnight, while simultaneously providing advertisers with a frequent, glossy and upmarket brand to use on a weekly basis.

"The trend in media is towards frequent communication, driven to an extent by the new digital revolution powered by broadband. Digital activity via the web and mobile will be an integral offering of Zoo Weekly and Zoo Weekliks to both readers and advertisers," says Browne.

Significant growth in Afrikaans market

Browne says the reason why UCM decided to launch an Afrikaans version of the magazine is due to the significant growth the Afrikaans magazine market has experienced during the last few years. "We believe this trend will continue as Afrikaans readers who fall within our target market are longing for a title that entertains and informs in their own mother tongue. This is a potentially very profitable market.

"Advertisers will also benefit directly from this opportunity to communicate frequently with affluent English and Afrikaans guys in their preferred language, through a medium such as Zoo Weekly/Weekliks."

She says the success of television channels such as KykNET and MK89 are examples of the need and support for Afrikaans media targeted at the young, affluent Afrikaans speaking population.

Research copy

Using UCM's editorial and other resources, a full 100-page research copy of Zoo Weekly was created and printed in April this year. "Through our research partners KLA we conducted thorough tests with this concept magazine, including qualitative focus groups of a number of target demographics and psychographics. In addition, an extensive quantitative research project was undertaken to establish the target circulation level through circulation modelling," notes Browne.

Browne says UCM has allocated a professional marketing budget for the launch of the two titles and thereafter to ensure its sustainability. "This level of marketing investment means the Zoo Weekly/Weekliks brand will be given all the necessary marketing support to ensure its success."

The launch of Zoo Weekly/Weekliks will create around 25 new jobs for editorial and advertising magazine professionals.

UCM is a publishing partnership between Media24 and UK publishing giant Emap plc.

Krew

Krew, the brainchild of British publisher Tim Culley, should be on the shelves on 30 October 2006. It will be a 96-pager intended to include all the things that guys really like - bums, boobs, parties, cars, sport, food, music, news and prizes - all covered in a risqué, witty and entertaining manner.

The content will be mostly locally generated, but publishers World Report Media will include a twist of international flavour, thanks to its content agreement with UK magazines Nuts and Loaded. Copywriter, writer and actor Gavin Williams of Crazy Monkey fame is the editor.