Haymarket announces ABC results, Automotive division leads motoring category

Haymarket Automotive launched last year to develop the company’s motoring portfolio, with a major investment in digital and ecommerce infrastructure to better serve new and used car buyers, dealers and manufacturers.

The two reporting brands, What Car? and Autocar, have each significantly outperformed the category, which as a whole is down 5.9 per cent, said Haymarket in a press release.

What Car? increased its market share and remains the top performing monthly on the UK newstand in the motoring category. At the same time, whatcar.com delivered significant digital growth – it had more than 20m unique users in 2017, a 9.4 per cent increase on 2016, and generated more than 157m page impressions, a 21.7 per cent increase. The brand has seen major investment in its digital infrastructure as it develops a new
ecommerce platform, allowing users to act on the trusted advice What Car? offers.

Autocar reports an overall ABC of 30,753, an increase on the previous year, marking a return to growth. This has been spearheaded by a major 46 per cent increase in digital editions alongside robust newsstand and subscription performance. 

Meanwhile digital-only brand Pistonheads has seen growth, with more than 47m unique users (+21.3 per cent) and 533m page views.

Haymarket Automotive MD Rachael Prasher says: “We launched Haymarket Automotive with significant investment in the business. This has allowed us to rapidly accelerate our product development, so we can seize the opportunity afforded to us by changing consumer habits in the Automotive sector. We have seen steep digital audience growth since the investment, as well as strong print performance based on our investment in world class content. We’re still at the start of our journey but our performance in this first year has already proven that careful investment in existing media brands can yield amazing results.”

Overall, Haymarket Media Group’s reporting brands recorded an audited circulation of 310,017 for the period, while retail sales value stood at £17.3m on the year. 

Haymarket CEO Kevin Costello says: “Haymarket’s consumer brands are leaders in their specialist sectors, connecting with millions of affluent consumers. Print remains an important platform for our brands to engage with their communities, but it is one of a number of brand platforms through which they entertain and inspire. In the round, our consumer brands continue to grow both reach and engagement, as our passionate and loyal specialist audiences trust them to get more from the things they love.”

Haymarket is a member of FIPP.

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