• by Sara Guaglione , December 3, 2020

Southern Living says ad revenue for its December issue is up 51%, compared to last year, due to an increase in the volume and pricing of ads sold in the magazine.

The Meredith Corp. magazine’s site had its biggest November in its history this year, with nearly 19 million visits, up 23% year over year.

Southern Living is introducing a refreshed design, with enhanced paper stock, in January 2021 for the January/February issue.

“Southern Living’s success underscores the brand’s resonance with people across the South and beyond. The brand’s rich heritage, coupled with its modern take on the Southern lifestyle, continues to appeal to marketers,” stated Doug Olson, president of Meredith Magazines. 

The company’s “investment in improved paper” will provide “an even better reader experience,” he added.

Also, the pub will introduce a new front-of-book section in the January 2021 issue called “In Season,” which will reflect readers’ interest in seasonal moments, experiences and celebrations. New columns will roll out in various issues throughout the year, covering topics such as home, cooking, travel and beauty.

“This year has given us all a different perspective on what’s important, and it pushed us to rethink our content, add some new columns and make the magazine even more immersive,” stated Sid Evans, editor in chief. He called the redesign “vibrant, energetic and fresh.”

Southern Living’s monthly year-to-date audience across digital, print and online has averaged 25.5 million, up 2% from 2019 (AAM, Sept. 2020).

Its social-media audience across platforms is also up, 14% year-over-year: 7 million total social fans/followers in October 2020 versus 6.2 million in October 2019.

The December issue marks the 25th year of the brand’s annual tradition of featuring a holiday white cake cover and feature story.  This year, it is a coconut cake.