Suffering Fashion Mags... Richer Readers...

READERS AND THEIR INCOMES: Hearst Magazines’ Town & Country and Marie Claire scored the highest increases in household income among women for fashion and beauty titles — up 21 percent to $65,018 and 18.6 percent to $78,042, respectively, according to Mediamark Research & Intelligence’s fall 2008 report. The spring Mediamark report had Marie Claire up 22 percent to $72,832. Susan Plagemann, vice president and publisher, credits the consistency of the magazine’s editorial product with its continued climb in household income. “That’s how you build strength in the audience,” she noted, adding this information will go straight into the title’s marketing materials and a news flash to advertisers. She also said luxury advertisers such as Armani, Tiffany and Dolce & Gabbana have all increased their advertising in the magazine during the past year.

Another Hearst title, Harper’s Bazaar, represented the biggest decline in household income among women, down 18.4 percent to $62,465. The category also had Lucky down 7.7 percent to $80,778, Vogue fell 2.3 percent to $64,429, Allure declined 1.3 percent to $63,519, while Cosmopolitan came in essentially flat at $57,940. Gainers during the period included W, up 8.9 percent to $88,661; In Style, up 3.7 percent to 80,868; Glamour rose 3 percent to $65,771, and Elle, up 2.9 percent to $69,061.

— Amy Wicks