Canadian Living is unveiling a new look and new logo with its September issue. The TC Media-owned magazine underwent a brand refresh based on feedback from consumer research panels.
The magazine will have expanded fashion and beauty coverage under the new “style” pillar, as well as new columnists, parenting tips, expert health advice, travel stories and photography for each of its recipes.
“We were looking to expand our audience,” said editor-in-chief Jennifer Reynolds, who joined the magazine last November. “We’re very happy with the loyal audience that we have and we definitely want to [draw] younger readers to the brand as well. And it’s time for an overall refresh of the magazine. We’re almost 40 years old, which is a time in anybody’s life to reevaluate what they’re doing.”
The September issue will feature four sequential covers focused on the brand’s main editorial pillars – food, style, health and home – and is supported by four different advertisers. Reynolds also said Canadian Living is exploring more sponsored content opportunities, starting with Procter & Gamble’s “The Talk” guide in the September issue. The parenting special consists of five pages of editorial, four brand ads and three partner pages designed to give moms the tools they need to support their daughters as they navigate their way through puberty.
The magazine’s newly redesigned website is set to launch July 24. “It’s very visually driven, so when readers come in it will look a lot like a Pinterest-type page,” said Reynolds. “A lot of our traffic comes from Google, so people are going to our recipe page. [That page] is updated with a huge picture of the recipe and is very organized and user-friendly.”
The publication is also launching its first Canadian Living PhotoFest, an online initiative that invites readers and followers to share photos about what it means to be Canadian. Participants can share photos through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (#CLPhotoFest) from Aug. 16 to 18. The photos will be used to create a “mosaic map” of Canada to be featured in the magazine.
Canadian Living is promoting the refresh with ads in newspapers and magazines, on television, and through promotions with retailers.
