However, despite these odds, seventeen managed to secure the support of many prestigious advertising brands and launched with 25 ads - establishing the magazine as a main player in the youth market from the word go. The readers' reaction to seventeen was impressive. That first issue sold over 24 000 copies on a print run of 35 000, and readers wrote in to say they loved that they finally had a magazine that spoke to, rather than at, them, and tackled interests and issues relevant to their age group.
A year later, seventeen continues to impress. The official circulation figure for the Jan-June period of 2004 has settled into a comfortable, and very competitive, 28 097, and seventeen continues to enjoy support from South Africa's top advertising brands, with an impressive 45 ad pages appearing in our November 2004 1st birthday issue.
This first year milestone also heralds a time of change. The look and feel of the magazine has been revamped to keep up with the ever-changing needs and preferences of its readership. The design is brighter, bolder and slicker while the content aims to be punchy and exciting. With this in mind, the magazine's content was also streamlined by replacing cumbersome, copy-heavy pages with new, exciting sections. The editorial direction continues to focus on fashion and beauty, but is increasingly paying more attention to the Real Life section that has proved very popular - giving a powerful voice to the reader, and providing teens with a vehicle to discuss, debate and instigate change through constant communication.
