Home interest mags square up for a fight

The home interest magazine market is gearing up for a circulation war with a launch, a redesign and a price-cutting initiative planned.

Wallpaper Media, an independent publisher with backing from Austrian group Ahead Media, is launching Wallpaper magazine in September targeting 25 to 40-year-old urban flat dwellers.

The magazine, which aims to bring style magazine values to home interest, entertaining and travel editorial, will become bi-monthly in spring 1997. It is offering advertiser circulation guarantees of 50,000, with a cover price of 3.

Next month IPC will relaunch Ideal Home as Ideal Home & Lifestyle to put the title closer to the “lifestyle” market. It has told agencies the title will be carrying 25 per cent more editorial and will increase its print run by 60 per cent.

At the same time the National Magazine Company’s June issue of House Beautiful will go on sale for 1.00, a 50p price cut.