Magazines: Oh Comely - Audience

Read the Oh Comely website page on advertising and audience to get a good idea of the demographics and psychographics for the Oh Comely target audience then answer the following questions:


1) How does Oh Comely introduce itself?
Oh Comely introduces itself in a very straightforward way, letting the reader know instantly that this is not a typical magazine. They put emphasis on style and context, rather than being a profit-seeking magazine. They also state that they are a 'breath of fresh air' for intelligent women to relate to.

2) How do the print circulation/readership statistics for Oh Comely compare to Men's Health?
The print circulation/readership for Oh Comely is much lower compared to Men's Health.

3) How is Oh Comely distributed to the audience? 
Oh Comely is distributed to the audience through independents- available for purchase in WHSmith and international outlets. Readers can also subscribe to the magazine and receive a copy through the post.

4) What do you think the target audience demographics for Oh Comely might be? Some details are provided by the magazine (e.g. average age 27) but make an educated guess on further demographic details.

• The average age of 27
• 98% female readers
• ABC1 demographic
• Most readers will have a university degree

5) What psychographic groups might be attracted to Oh Comely?

• Reformers- Freedom from restriction, personal growth, social awareness. Curious and enquiring, support the growth of new product categories. Select brands for intrinsic quality, favouring natural simplicity.

6) What social class classification would you expect most Oh Comely readers to be? Why?
AB because the magazine is quite expensive (£5) so the readers are likely to have high disposable income, meaning they come from a high social class. The lifestyle presented in the magazine is also one of luxury and requires lots of money to follow. 

7) What level of education would you expect for most Oh Comely readers? Why?
University level education. This is because the magazine discusses controversial topics that will only be considered by open-minded people who are aware of the world around them and are open to change.

8) What audience pleasures are offered by Oh Comely?

• Surveillance- Knowledge of many new topics and awareness of amazing people who have accomplished great things.
• Diversion- The style of the magazine and the thought gone into the photography and presentation of the magazine makes it one that can be enjoyable just by looking at it.

9) It has been suggested Oh Comely is a “magazine about people, their quirks and creativity rather than money and what it can buy”. How does the design and advertising content of Oh Comely support this view?
The design of the magazine is very minimalistic and creative. The cover itself is very unconventional from typical magazine covers. There's lots of empty space and an emphasis on the photography. This, and the fact that there are hardly any adverts in the magazine, emphasise how the magazine cares about content and style rather than making a profit.

10) Why do you think Oh Comely has been able to build a loyal audience of subscribers in the eight years since it launched? Think about audience demand, rival magazines and the overall media landscape in the digital age.
I believe that they have been able to build a loyal brand because they are one of the only magazines that focus solely on providing luxurious content that cannot be found elsewhere. They emphasise the importance of making the magazine look stylish and not bombarding the reader with advertising.

Furthermore, they are very up to date with their social media pages- Instagram, twitter, etc- which means they can remain in contact with their readers and provide them with extra content, other than the magazine. For example, there is an Oh Comely newsletter that readers can sign up to.