This morning, at The Vitrine in Grey Lynn, Bauer unveiled a new lifestyle magazine brand fronted by celebrity chef Nadia Lim.
Dubbed Nadia, the bi-monthly publication will debut to the public on 17 October, as Bauer distributes a hefty run of 60,000 copies to supermarkets and bookstores throughout the nation.
“It’s been about six months in the making,” says Bauer Media publisher Brendon Hill. “We’ve thought a lot about launching a women’s lifestyle brand and Nadia really captures what we were looking for.”
While Lim has made her name in food, Hill says the publication will extend well beyond the remit of a standard cuisine title.
“We already have food category covered with Foodtolove.co.nz, Recipes+, Food, and Taste, so Nadia will be different,” he says.
Hill sees the magazine occupying a similar editorial space to indie publication Mindfood, but targeting a younger audience.
Hill explains the decision to work from Nadia arose from research showing that she has 96 percent brand awareness among younger women.
Research released by Bauer last year had Kiwi women ranking Lim as one of the most influential people in the nation.
This level of influence is evidenced by social media presence, which includes over 220,000 Facebook and 21,500 Instagram followers.
Her personal website also attracts over 50,000 unique visitors per month, and Lim has a newsletter mailing list in excess of 60,000 people.
As part of this collaboration, Bauer will take over Lim’s website, revamping it and making sure that it’s updated with content on a regular basis.
While Lim will be the face of the magazine, much of the editorial responsibility will rest with editor-in-chief Shelley Ferguson, who also works on Your Home & Garden and Taste.
Ferguson explains that the magazine will draw heavily on Lim’s approach to life.
“Nadia fans are inspired by her positive, calm and down-to-earth approach to life in general – including business, motherhood, wellness and food – and these traits will be reflected in the magazine,” Ferguson says.
Tying a magazine to a celebrity isn’t without its risks. Fame is fickle at best, with audiences often shifting their admiration to the next big thing. And as Martha Stewart showed us, even the most long-standing lifestyle brands are only one scandal away from being destroyed.
Asked whether he was concerned about Lim getting caught up in a scandal or moving out of the limelight, Hill said this wasn’t a concern at all.
He described her a ‘super brand’ and said that fans see her as more than just another celebrity chef.
He also pointed to her involvement with My Food Bag, as a good sign that she had sticking power.
“She is inextricably linked to one of New Zealand’s fastest growing companies, which is not going anywhere, and is already a part of tens of thousands of New Zealand families’ everyday lives,” Hill says.
With the changing media landscape, it has become something of an anomaly to see a new large-scale consumer magazine released. But this is one that Bauer certainly seems to believe in, because the media company is throwing $500,000 in the marketing budget to support the launch campaign.
No doubt Bauer will be hoping for Lim’s successful streak to continue when the title hits store shelves.
