Linda Mali on serving a diverse audience in their own language
Under Mali’s direction, circulation has gone from 3.2m to 4m, bolstered in part by their approach to covers, the celebrities they choose to feature, as well as TV and digital strategies. BONA is currently the only magazine to publish in more than one language, in a country that is home to more than ten dialects.
Here she speaks to Magazines Canada’s, Tina Pittaway.
How does publishing in four languages affect the stories published?
‘The languages we opted to publish in, don’t really shape the story. What really shapes the stories is mainly who our reader is, and what concerns them the most and that obviously straddles across languages. If the background is similar, the stories and concerns that our readers have, will be similar’.
Do you have different covers for each language that you serve?
‘Up until recently, we have been publishing the exact same cover and cover lines, placed in the exact same place. It was very rigid. What we found is that a lot of our readers would buy the wrong language by mistake… We started earlier this year in creating personalised covers, of each of the languages, to better distinguish them on the shelf and we found it has had the result we were after.’
Mali joins a panel at the FIPP World Congress, ‘Making language work in an internationalised world’, discussing the role of language in building successful businesses.
What is the FIPP Congress?
The 2015 FIPP World Congress is the largest magazine media event in the world.
Join us in Toronto, Canada, for the chance to hear from the industry’s top speakers in a host sessions covering the very latest trends, developments and innovations in magazine media publishing.
This event will also provide a platform upon which to network with 800 members of consumer and B2B media from around the globe, while hundreds of businesses will be on hand to demonstrate products and services that could help take your business to the next level. Outside of the conference, you will have the chance to relax and make contacts during a series of stunning excursions and events, ensuring you can relax while exploring opportunities for your brand.
This year’s event takes place on 13-15 October in Toronto, home to nearly three-quarters of Canada’s CA$2bn thriving magazine media industry – making it the perfect destination for the 2015 FIPP World Congress.
Book your place at the FIPP Congress here.
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