Heat's Valentine's promotion set to boost sales

A Heat publishing innovation around Valentine's Day, is likely to see the entertainment news magazine posting its fourth successive sales record since December. As part of a massive special price-off promotion, Heat's bumper Valentine's issue will cost R9.95 for one week only - a consumer saving of R5.

In the UK, price-off promotions are standard practice for new and growing titles, and enables astute publishers to increase their circulation base through retention. "Heat's Valentine's issue will enable new potential buyers to sample the magazine to see if they like it," comments publisher Kim Browne.

Browne reports that the last three issues of Heat have all set new sales records for the title and sold well over 60 000 copies each. "One of the biggest gripes we have is that Heat gets sold out quickly and some of our consumers miss their weekly addiction from time to time."

Along with increased sales, Browne reports that advertising has also grown substantially with a wide range of premium advertisers significantly upping their frequency of insertions in Heat, thus endorsing "the brand's massive strength in delivering the key 23-year old affluent female market on a weekly basis, and in a high quality glossy environment".

The bumper Valentine's promotional issue went on sale on Tuesday, 8 February 2005.