Some digital-only publishers like Complex and Nylon are reviving their print magazines this year, focusing on special editions and collectibles rather than traditional frequent issues. Established print publishers like Time have demonstrated that this model can be successful, especially when prioritizing newsstand distribution.
Time's Collectible Strategy
Time has been enhancing its special edition “bookazine” business and collectible covers to boost reader revenue from newsstand, retail, and direct-to-consumer sales. A notable example is Time’s Person of the Year cover featuring Taylor Swift, which was released with three separate covers. This issue saw a significant increase in distribution, with 837,000 copies sent to stores, a 365% increase over other single editions. The Taylor Swift covers sold exceptionally well, with people buying all three covers selling twice as much as the next most popular single cover.
Special Editions and "Bookazines"
Time has been leveraging the success of the collectible model by publishing more special interest publications, known as “bookazines.” For instance, a “bookazine” celebrating Pokémon’s 25th anniversary was released with four cover variations, priced at $14.99 each. The publisher plans to rerelease it with new covers to capitalize further on sales. Although print revenue has declined due to decreasing readership, investing in “bookazines” and special editions has helped maintain profitability.
Subscription and Sales Trends
According to the Alliance for Audited Media, Time’s total paid and verified print subscriptions have declined year over year between 2021 and 2023. However, single copy sales increased significantly, largely due to the Taylor Swift cover. Time switched its direct-to-consumer online magazine distributor to Accelerate 360 to facilitate faster global sales, enabling the distribution of the Pokémon “bookazine” to Asia for the first time.
Advertising and Market Response
Time’s print advertising business is currently sold 75% to its annual goal, with a new premium ad page added to accommodate advertisers interested in premium positions. Despite the increase in one-off sales and special issue collectibles, advertisers' budgets rarely include a specific line for print spending. Instead, print ads are often part of a holistic media plan tied to a franchise or event. The industry’s renewed commitment to special interest publications has reassured buyers about the value of print, emphasizing that the marketplace is now more magazine brand-centric rather than channel-centric.
