The latest entrant to the lucrative woman's magazine market, Real, is going to the heart of issues that affect women in South Africa currently, by publishing the first magazine-dedicated HIV/Aids advice column.
Publisher Jonathan Harris says the column is in response to reader research, which has shown that the market is not getting the information on HIV/Aids they require.
"Many of our readers have close family members who are HIV positive or living with Aids, so they don't want information on the epidemic presented to them as someone else's problem, or written in a 'preachy, patronising style'. They face the reality of the epidemic every day, and require practical, relevant information on dealing with this stark reality,"
explains Harris.
Providing readers with information that they cannot get anywhere else also forms part of the title's quest to build a strong brand identity and sense of loyalty among its readers.
Looking at the largely under-traded South African "black female magazine" market, Harris says that one of the biggest challenges prior to Real's launch was getting to grips with the estimated 1.7 million readers, who fall within the title's target audience.
This massive market is largely un-segmented and extensive research proceeded the launch of the magazine. Interestingly, this revealed, that among her many goals, the quintessential Real woman wants to bridge the gap between African traditions and Western ideals and is interested in empowering herself.
The magazine features celebrity covers, but keeps it 'real' by ensuring that these translate into intimate profiles and interviews within the magazine, supported by compelling first person stories, useful information and fact boxes.
Additional editorial elements include: advice features, covering
relationships, jobs, money and lifestyle management; fashion and beauty makeovers, where real people take centre stage; and lifestyle features, that are filled with genuine tools, ideas and information.
Real magazine is a brand extension of South Africa's second most popular television programme, SABC 1's All You Need is Love which is watched by 7.8 million people (source TGI 2003). It retails for a more affordable R7.95 and is available
at all major retail and cash stores.
