• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, May 26, 2011

Monthlies' Ad Pages Mostly Flat

Ad pages in monthly magazines are either flat or almost flat in the first six months of 2011, suggesting that print magazines -- while holding steady -- will not be seeing much of a recovery this year after all.

According to MIN Online, total ad pages in 152 leading monthly magazines increased 1.44% in the first six months of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010, with approximately two-thirds of the titles (87, or 67%) seeing ad pages grow, while the other 33% were stagnant or down. The total ad page gain for June was even more modest, with a mere 0.86% increase.

The MIN Online data echoes earlier figures from the Publishers Information Bureau, showing that total ad pages for the first quarter posted a modest 2.5% gain compared to the same period in 2010. (These figures also include weekly magazines, which are excluded from the MIN Online count.)

While any growth is good, these small gains leave a lot of distance to make up before the magazine business regains its pre-recession vitality. The steep decline is evident in ad page comparisons from just a few years ago: The PIB's total of 35,755 ad pages in the first quarter of this year is down 31.4% from 52,154 in the first quarter of 2007.

House Beautiful Debuts Paint Colors App

Home ownership carries with it many mundane joys (or punishments) and one of the biggest is choosing paint colors, with all its potential for creative self-expression and marital discord. And while the new 500+ Favorite Paint Colors iPad app from House Beautiful can't provide marriage counseling, it can at least serve as a handy reference during intense paint-related negotiations.

Sponsored by Blanco, the $4.99 app uses intuitive navigation to guide users through the world of paint, along with search functions that allow them to browse 669 specific paint colors from brands like Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball, Glidden, Ralph Lauren, and Sherwin-Williams, among others. The app also provides suggestions for different spaces in the home, moods, and matching with interior design elements. There's even a "Color Personality" tool to help you choose the right paint for you.

Zmags Unveils CommercePro

With commerce and media increasingly intertwined, digital magazine vendor Zmags is helping publishers and advertisers market directly to magazine readers with a new interactive e-commerce platform called CommercePro. Among other things, CommercePro enables merchants to sell via tablets and mobile devices including the Apple iPad; bring their e-commerce platform to Facebook; track data covering conversion rates, order value, and related information; and integrate online catalogs with product databases and recommendation engines.

Sareyan Leaves Meredith Corp.

Andy Sareyan, Meredith Corp.'s chief brand officer and president for consumer brands, is leaving the company. Sareyan had been responsible for major magazine brands, including Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle, Parents and More. He also led digital, newsstand and licensing operations for Meredith's consumer magazines.

Here Media Names Sousa Integrating Marketing Director

Carlos Sousa has been named integrated marketing director by Here Media, a leading LGBT interest media company that owns brands including The Advocate, Out and Here! TV. Previously, Sousa served as associate marketing director at Hachette Filipacchi Media.