Last month, Singapore Women's Weekly (SWW) became 'better, bolder and bigger', available in a larger format, along with a sleeker masthead and snappier layouts -- all changes that the title hopes will help in Singapore's fiercely competitive female magazine sector.
"The reason for the revamp was to keep up with our readers," says Tara Barker, editor-in-chief, SWW. "Our readers are more discerning, better travelled and more fashionable than ever. They have the money, just not the time to read full articles and learn about trends in detail. Our readers want to be practical -- but inspired."
According to Barker, the revamp was designed to enable its readers to take a cursory glance and absorb as much information as possible. "One key addition is Notebook, a section towards the end of the magazine, where we suggest things to see, buy, and wear," she says. "Notebook acts almost like a personal shopper: our readers basically pay us to edit what's relevant and of interest to them."
In a tightly segmented female publications market, SWW has carved a niche audience of young mothers and working women with a median age of 32. Its pool of advertisers, according to Barker, are more well-rounded than the other female magazines, ranging from FMCGs to children's educational establishments to banks.
"With the relaunch, I hope advertisers realise what we've known all along: the quality and spending power of our readers. Though we always say that women have the highest spending power, naturally many advertisers here still take it with a pinch of salt," she says.
Ariane Goo, senior planner at Universal McCann, anticipates that the revamped SWW will expand its appeal to advertisers by attracting more fashion labels, accessories, and gadgets tailored to busy women.
"But whether more advertising dollars will flow in is still very much dependant on SWW 's marketing efforts and its recruitment drive for new readers. When the product is set in the right direction, which I believe it is now, I think half the battle is won," she says.
However, Goo was more cautious about the physical changes of the magazine. "SWW is generally treated like a coffee-table book, rather than an on-the-go read. I don't think the larger size will impact readers' preferences."
