Open – eight issues later

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The RPG group launched the weekly Open in April this year claiming hit to be an “opinionated features and current affairs magazine.” We spoke with editor Sandipan Deb before the launch of the magazine as reported in the February issue of Indian Printer and Publisher. Deb said at the time that Open was targeted at “up-market global minded Indians” and the magazine intended to begin with a print run of one lakh copies.

Following up on the performance and marketing of the weekly, we recently met Nitin Garg, marketing head and Umesh Kumar, publisher, RPG group’s Open Media Network. Garg explained the marketing model of the weekly re-asserting Deb’s contention that Open is not competing with any political, business or any other genre of magazine in market. He said that they are targeting niche audiences in urban cities claiming good advertisement revenue and a circulation of 85,000 copies. However, we see only three or four pages of advertisements in most of their issues so far. There are generally ads in every issue from television shopping channel Home Shop 18, and ads from RPG group companies and of course Open Media Network.

The Open Media Network has been distributing complementary copies of the magazine at selected five star hotels, spas, multiplexes and private hospitals. Apart from this, the company has stuck to its original strategy of floating the slick in the RPG group’s stores and chains to increase its visibility. Garg told us that the company is being very discreet in marketing the product. They would “only put up banners and hoardings where they expected their target audience. Thus, Open was not marketed all over the cities without any strategic planning.” The magazines, on the other hand are sold at news-stands and by street kids. The company is also following the selling strategy complementary to the newspaper line model where the hawkers home deliver the magazine at the full cover price on monthly basis. The subscription can thus be cancelled as and when the reader wants to stop getting the magazine. Garg points out that this strategy helps them avoid discounted offers to customers.

Kumar told us that they do not use any editorial software for Open but they might consider using one in near future. The magazine Designed by Itu Choudhary Design makes an initial impact by its layout and visuals. Kumar said that all the articles and issues of Open are available on its website – www.openthemagazine.com .

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