Bauer Media in talks with agencies over ad account review

Bauer Media is set to review the advertising for its weekly gossip magazine Heat, almost a year after acquiring it.

The publisher is understood to have started talks with a number of agencies, although has yet to call a formal pitch or issue a brief. The business is held by Quiet Storm, which has worked with the magazine since 2004.

H Bauer, the German publisher, acquired Heat as part of its £1.1bn acquisition of EMAP’s consumer magazine and radio divisions in December last year.

It kicked off a strategic review of the business soon afterwards, with two magazines – First and New Woman – axed in February this year.

A month later, it promoted Magic 105.4 managing director Andria Vidler to its chief marketer across its portfolio of brands (MW March 20). Vidler’s role includes dev-eloping the “powerhouse brands”, which span magazines, TV, digital and mobile. Heat is the first brand to benefit from this strategy.

Bauer is also thought to be considering reviewing other brands. It is not thought that media planning and buying is affected at this stage.

A Bauer spokeswoman says: “We are currently reviewing our marketing strategy and the resources required for the Heat brand to ensure we have the best possible creative ideas and strategy in place to support its next phase of development.”

Bauer Media’s portfolio contains 80 brands, including Closer, Grazia, Magic, Kiss, Q and FHM.