Booming.
That’s how Keith J. Kelly from the NY Post describes the current publishing scene in the Hampton East End market. Kelly gives a thorough rundown of recent editing shakeups (you’ll need a flowchart to keep track) and provides a nice update of what’s going on with the high-end publishing ventures that cater to the Hampton crowds.
Familiar titles like Hamptons, Modern Luxury (ML) and Social Life are joined by relative newcomer Purist with its list of big-name contributors. They are all jockeying for position in a market defined by lux. And the advertisers are playing along, eager to engage with the tony tanned set.
“In the latest issue, Purist added national advertisers Brunello Cucinelli, Ralph Lauren, Elizabeth Arden, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co. and Nili Lotan, among others”, Kelly writes. “[Publisher Cristina] Cuomo’s cover feature is English actress Rachel Weisz, who starred in ‘My Cousin Rachel.’”
The Hampton scene reflects the national trends in hyper-local journalism, with city and local magazines filling the gap where newspapers left off. And in this particular locale, advertisers are keen to engage with the upscale because they understand the importance of print in luxury retail.
“Richard Burns, whose Manhattan Media company includes Avenue on the Beach, said his flagship Dan’s Papers is still punching at the top of its class on the East End media scene — with its best ad page showing since 2010,” Kelly notes.
Cuomo reported a healthy 102 ad pages in their 168-page debut issue, and they’ve upped the frequency to six to match the publishing schedule of the iconic Beach.
Another relative newcomer on the Hampton sands is The Daily Front Row Summer Edition from Brandusa Niro, and they are expecting good things this year.
“The Hamptons is still a strong magazine market,” she said. “You can’t really read an iPad at the beach.” Her debut issue with 33 ad pages in a 100-page issue features Dolce & Gabanna’s newest model discovery, Milan-born Chiari Scelsi, on the cover.
“Niro said she expects revenue to be up about 10 percent this summer,” Kelly notes. “And while she said fashion advertisers still like Hamptons print for reaching a targeted affluent audience, she adds, ‘Events are essential.’”
If you’re lucky enough to score some time in the Hamptons this summer, take a look at what the sun-drenched set is reading. The competition for eyeballs for these magazines is fierce because those eyeballs are truly worth the investment.