I’ll admit it: I am fond of Real Simple magazine. I have no kids, I don’t cook, and my apartment is “decorated” solely in IKEA and clutter, but for some reason I can’t seem to put it down this “moms on the go”-targeted magazine.
I think part of the draw is its unwavering commitment to brand message. Every thing in the magazine tries, in some way, to simplify readers’ lives — whether it’s by giving tips on reorganizing your garage or testing the best nail polishes.
The Christmas issue takes this service mantra to a new level. It has the usual gift guides and cookie recipes that you’ll be seeing in every magazine this season, but it’s the ads that make this issue worthwhile: a good number of them feature cut out or tear-out coupons, special offers, online codes and other actually useful features.
I haven’t read any other magazines’ Christmas issues yet, so maybe this approach to in-book ads isn’t worth a whole blog post. But whether Real Simple’s competitors are also doing this or not, it’s a neat way to tie ads into the brand message, push reader engagement with advertisers’ brands and create measurability in print advertising.
