Ogilvy Sydney gives the Australian Women’s Weekly new look, brand campaign and iPad app

UPDATED TO INCLUDE TVC  – The Australian Women’s Weekly this week unveils a re-design, a new brand campaign backed by a $4.5 million TV schedule and a new iPad app.

The brand campaign launches tonight with the 45-second TVC airing in all metropolitan markets and regional areas (there are also 30-second brand and retail executions).

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The TVC has been created by Ogilvy & Mather Sydney and directed by Paul Goldman from Exit Films, renowned for directing more than 200 music videos (including for Elvis Costello, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Kylie Minogue, Missy Higgins, Hunters and Collectors, Jimmy Barnes, Crowded House and Silverchair).

A celebration of the Australian woman’s many guises, the creative depicts her relationships throughout life – mother and daughter, teacher and pupil, nurse and patient – across generations and cultural backgrounds.

This emotional connection is reinforced by the well-known song, She, originally recorded in 1974 by Charles Aznavour and performed more recently by Elvis Costello in the movie Notting Hill. The agency has re-recorded and updated the song with a modern, female voice.

The Australian Women’s Weekly is also the first mass-market magazine to introduce an iPad app, starting with its November issue, giving readers a new platform to access the country’s biggest monthly title.

The app, which costs $5.99 from Apple’s online store, brings the pages of The Weekly alive with incredible visuals and exclusive extras, such as behind-the-scenes videos from the magazine’s celebrity shoots, cooking demonstrations from the Food Team which make The Weekly’s famed Triple-Tested recipes even easier to follow, and a host of special executions and additional content across the magazine, from fashion and beauty to books, film and entertainment.

The app complements The Weekly’s new look, which is also being unveiled with the November issue.

Following extensive focus group research, new fonts and layouts have been introduced to make the magazine easier to navigate. Every pillar of the magazine has been examined to build on changes that have been progressively introduced throughout the year.

The result is a greater emphasis on food and homes, in addition to The Weekly’s core commitment to publish the best stories and interviews. There is also a renewed focus on beautiful, affordable and wearable fashion for women 35-plus. The change builds on the expanded books pages, The Weekly’s online book club, plus a new health and wellness section.

There are dozens of additional tips for readers, break-out boxes and how-to pages to help make the information more relevant, engaging and digestible.

The moves coincide with the November issue (on sale tomorrow, Wednesday, 27th October) and represent a major investment in Australia’s most read magazine, which now reaches 2.188 million people every issue.*

With the magazine’s refresh supported by in-depth consumer research, the new brand campaign encourages a new generation of Australian women to pick up The Weekly, while reminding loyal readers of its strengths.

ACP Magazines Group Publishing Director, Phil Scott, said: “This investment in our flagship title, The Australian Women’s Weekly, is part of a regular process of review to successfully take our titles into the future. ACP aims to ensure that all our titles remain relevant to their loyal readers, while also working to attract new audiences.

“It’s also important that we keep pace with technology, so that readers can access our magazines on a range of devices. Our challenge is to be on the right platforms with the right products and ensure that our digital magazines lead the market.

“Audiences should be able to read our magazines when and where they want, but we also have to develop the most effective solutions to ensure the business models stack up.”

The Australian Women’s Weekly Editor-In-Chief, Helen McCabe, said: “It is an exciting time for The Weekly, with an iPad app, a new brand campaign and a refresh of the design all in the one issue.

“This investment represents the considerable faith in the brand both from ACP and Australian women, who still, after 77 years, trust and love this magazine.

“I am confident that new and loyal readers will enjoy the re-design and that the iPad version will be embraced by a growing number of tech-savvy female readers.”

The Australian Women’s Weekly is Australia’s most-read magazine, reaching 2,188,000 people with every issue. The gap between it and its nearest monthly competitors is 321,000 (Better Homes & Gardens) and 1,237,000 (Super Food Ideas)*.

*Source: Roy Morgan Readership Survey Jul 09-Jun10

Creative Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Sydney

Producer – Caroline David