Real Me rolls out in China with unusually heavy ad support

<p>Real Me magazine has launched in 22 cities across China, targeting </p><p>upwardly mobile women. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The monthly has an initial print run of 300,000 and its roll-out was </p><p>accompanied by a massive RMB7 million (about US$0.9 million) </p><p>nationwide advertising blitz. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Real Me is part of Sun Art Communications, a broadcast production </p><p>network with publisher Redwood Asia-Pacific playing a publishing </p><p>consultants role. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Redwood MD Jim Marett said TVCs were rare among magazine launches in </p><p>China, however, commercials were used to not only build brand awareness </p><p>but also brand loyalty. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Research in Australia suggests that the average person reads an average </p><p>seven or eight issues of a magazine a year. This is not the case in </p><p>China because there is no brand loyalty. This, therefore, means that </p><p>relying on impulse buying is hazardous," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Real Me has a regular advertising presence on 200 stations across China </p><p>and the commercials promote both the magazine's overall image, brand </p><p>identity and point of differentiation and the specific content of each </p><p>issue. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Marett said that Real Me is special in that "there isn't a </p><p>publication that currently caters to this new and growing group of </p><p>affluent people the way we do which is by adopting an editorial attitude </p><p>that is pragmatic and direct." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Real Me keeps readers abreast of the latest trends in health and beauty, </p><p>while addressing the needs and aspirations of Chinese women. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Priced at RMB12 a copy, Real Me is nearly at the bottom end of the price </p><p>range of all women's magazines circulated in China. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We're treating the magazine to a certain degree like a FMCG. That is </p><p>having a quality product, priced low and promoted heavily. We don't want </p><p>any barriers to the purchase of the publication," Mr Marett told MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>