Print media continues to be a contentious subject. With Marie Claire amongst the latest to announce it is folding its physical edition and becoming an online-only outlet, many are sceptical about the future of print media. But is this a case of all for one and one for all?
We all know digital websites and social media influencers have taken over the fashion landscape, as the recent news from Marie Claire highlights. But the interiors industry has often appeared somewhat stubborn in its approach to print media. We’ve blogged about this a couple of times; earlier this year, we highlighted the new wave of print magazines hitting our newsstands, such as Design Anthology, Enki and Disegno – all of which are taking on the big guns and making a name for themselves as stalwarts of the design landscape. This is reflected in the liberal ethos of many homeware brands. In fact, Sunday Times columnist Katrina Burroughs recently wrote about the ignorant bliss many interiors brands seem to find themselves in, as they continue to open new stores, launch new collections and invest in significant partnerships with household names. But what does 2020 hold for our design favourites?
Well, in a nutshell – hopefully more of the same, just with added variety. Recent figures from ABC – the independent body collating magazine data and circulations – indicated that Elle Decoration, for example, recorded a total circulation figure of 68,805 in June 2019. Its neighbours at Hearst are also going strong, with its perhaps more accessible sister brands Country Living and House Beautiful racking up circulations of 187,574 and 89,536 respectively.
Pictured: House & Garden’s website is hugely popular thanks to its daily content and easy-to-scroll online galleries
However, interiors titles were traditionally fairly slow on the uptake when it came to websites. House & Garden spearheaded an online revolution, building an incredibly active site via paid partnerships with the likes of LG and a dedicated online team, designed to drive news stories, online galleries and bespoke articles on the daily. This is reflected in its huge social media reach, most notably accumulating over 6 million followers on Facebook. Despite this, however, it has taken some other magazines a little longer to follow suit, so we welcomed a plethora of new sites in 2019 with open arms. Livingetc and Homes & Gardens both developed specific online arms to accompany their print issues, while the aforementioned Elle Decoration just recently launched its new-look website. Wallpaper* has perhaps had the longest and most successful web history, however, perhaps benefitting from its huge global influence. In fact, its website far out-performs its print magazine (the former receives 1.7m monthly unique users, while the print mag enjoys a healthy circulation of 100,000+ each month). Thus, we are entering 2020 with an increasingly varied approach to the interiors landscape, offering greater flexibility and versatility than ever before via a mixture of solid print and online editorial.
Pictured: Smeg in the home of fashion blogger Lydia Millen. Image courtesy of https://lydiaelisemillen.com/2018/05/let-go-of-negativity-live-a-more-positive-life/
Where the boundaries do blur, however, is on social media. There’s a significant difference between bloggers and influencers with a genuine passion and enthusiasm for the interiors market and those renovating their houses, sharing their story on Instagram as they go. In recent months, the markets between fashion and interiors have become increasingly intertwined, with some of the most prominent names in style and beauty – Lydia Millen, In the Frow and so forth – establishing their own home accounts on Instagram, allowing for marked differences in content across their two platforms. And of course, some of the most popular names continue to reign supreme – our good pal Kate Watson-Smyth’s Mad about the House blog is amongst those leading the charge, combining a solid following with impressive engagement to create an Instagram channel and accompanying blog that many of our clients are desperate to be part of.
And how do these developments impact our clients? Well, in a world of fast fashion, many of our own clients are considered purchases – ones you may first spot in a magazine or newspaper, then notice five or six times before you even get to that point of purchase. They require more thought and consideration than perhaps your standard ASOS order – for example, Bisque customers are required to calculate the heat output their room requires before confirming their purchase. Thus, there’s something rather old-school about flicking through a print magazine, looking for inspiration and carefully curating how these investment pieces may look in your chosen room. Saying that, our previous partnerships with the likes of social media powerhouses 2LG Studio (you know – that pink bathroom) and Kate Watson-Smyth continue to prove that there is absolutely still a space for social media in the interiors industry.
Above: Victoria + Albert Baths pictured in 2LG Studio’s infamous pink bathroom
Keen to find out more? Check out some of our most recent projects, where we have combined both knockout ‘traditional’ press offices with forward-thinking social media campaigns and digital projects here: https://littleredpr.co.uk/for-brands/
