• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, April 6, 2009

With advertising revenues declining, some big magazines are looking to bolster awareness and their bottom line with brand extensions, including retail product lines. The most recent move comes from Hearst's Country Living. 

Country Living is set to launch a new line of home fashions with products in bedding and bath, tabletop, furniture and home décor this summer. The product line, called the Country Living Collection, will be available in 1,200 Kmart and 500 Sears stores nationwide in August.

With an eye on economic angst, Country Living made a strategic decision to associate the new product line with retail brands that spell affordability. The products are priced accordingly, with a high end of $349 for dining furniture. While distinguishable from other home product lines, the general feel of the Country Living Collection is not overly rustic or quaint; it emphasizes "redefining country." For example, one of the looks offered is "modern countryside."

Country Living is the latest domestic lifestyle magazine to roll out commercial brand extensions in recent years. Martha Stewart Living has been one of the most prolific and successful brand extenders: its Martha Stewart Everyday line at Kmart provided 10% of the company's total revenues in 2008.

In 2007, MSLO launched the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's and a co-branded food line with Costco. The same year, the company also partnered with 1-800 Flowers for a co-branded floral product line.

In 2007, Rachael Ray -- the ebullient chef behind the eponymous Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine -- launched her own line of branded cookware. In July 2008, Meredith licensed Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, a branded real estate brokerage, to Realogy Corporation, which manages residential real-estate brands, including Century 21, Coldwell Banker and ERA. In December, the magazine also partnered with Five Star Mattress to introduce branded Better Homes and Gardens mattresses.