• by Frank Saxe , February 2, 2003

The largest circulation magazine in the nation, with a combined rate base of 21.5 million, is getting a new focus, as the AARP aims to re-brand its bi-monthly to develop a closer name association between the title and the organization. At the same time, AARP is tinkering with how its demographic editions are broken out to attract more advertisers to the silver set.

The March/April edition of AARP The Magazine combines the group’s two prior titles, Modern Maturity and My Generation, into a singly branded product. It will also break its readership into three editions, appealing to each of its key demographics. The “boomer” edition will target 50 to 59 year olds, and will replace AARP’s My Generation magazine, which was launched for the organization’s growing boomer membership. Two other editions, one focusing on 60 to 69 year olds, with the other tailored for the 70-plus set, have also been developed.

Nearly two years ago, AARP sought to create a special title for its boomer members, figuring they were not going to turn 50 like their predecessors. Out of that, My Generation was born in spring 2001. The plan was to age the magazine with the boomers, so last year members under 56 got My Generation, while this year it would be members under 57. “What became clear to us is that we managed to throw some confusion into the mix,” explains publisher Jim Fishman, who says it was also very difficult to craft a story to tell advertisers. “It wasn’t just the size; the demographics were changing, the rates were changing, and there was never any research to back it up because syndicated research is reflective rather than looking to the future, and we kept changing the future delivery.”

The organization’s research also found out something else: The AARP name resonates with members, while the magazine titles meant little or nothing. “We’ve learned that what brings us together across generations is stronger than that which divides us, and we’re speaking to this unity with the AARP brand,” says Fishman. “That’s logical because no on e writes a check to Modern Maturity or to My Generation. They write a check to AARP every year for membership, so there’s no connection missing there.”

The shift in branding was also seen as an ideal time to make some cosmetic changes to the magazine. Editorial director Hugh Delehanty says they kept the feel of My Generation and Modern Maturity, but created a product that looked substantially different. Each version will carry about 20% different content tailored to the specific demographic group, while much of the other 80% will be edited to fit the reader. “The way we’re doing that is by subtle tone changes in some cases, and in other cases, completely different content or visuals,” says Delehanty. For instance, the March/April edition includes an article featuring a list of people still making a difference over the age of 50. The list may be identical in all three editions, but the boomer edition plays up people like Norma Kamali, while the older editions focus Jimmy Carter. Delehanty says they will put an increased emphasis on cover art as well, and may also change the images between editions.

Last year, AARP’s magazines had advertising revenues more than $100 million dollars, beating not only its budget for 2002, but its 2001 results as well. Yet the advertising story is mixed. According to PIB, ad pages declined in 2002, and even with a title that is larger than circulation monsters TV Guide and Readers’ Digest combined, Fishman says every sale is difficult. Planners and buyers often feel they are already reaching the 50 plus demo in titles like Time, Ladies Home Journal or Sports Illustrated. “That may be true,” responds Fishman, “But an advertiser would probably not deliver a special message in those magazines saying ‘here is a product for older people’ because that would kill them with 30 year olds. What we have here is a publication with walls around it.”

That’s not to say AARP can’t sell a page. It’s current issue features MasterCard on the back cover, with Shredded Wheat and Suburu on the inside covers. With its new demographic breakout, AARP has also adjusted its rate card, which can sell a one-time four-color page for as much as $367,000. Explains Fishman, “Because we’re the biggest circulation magazine, obviously our rates are the biggest. One of the ways to control that is through geography, and we have different geographic editions, and by demographics, targeting just that group an advertiser wants.” The newly combined AARP The Magazine’s rate base of 21.5 million breaks out with 6.2 million readers receiving the fifties edition, 6.8 million getting the sixties edition, and 8.5 million receiving the over 70 edition. AARP is hoping to attract advertisers who only want a certain portion of the over fifty demographic, or wants to target its creative or its message to each edition. For instance, Chevrolet has placed one ad across all three, while financial services companies have tailored their message to each of the reader’s life stage. Fishman says they were also able to win buys from the likes of L’Oreal and Easy Spirit for the boomer edition, as advertisers have realized yesterday’s flower child is probably busy gardening today.