Architechtural Digest debuts in India

Condé Nast has designed a high-decibel marketing programme for the magazine targeted at an affluent and style-conscious readership

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | March 12, 2012

Condé Nast India has launched the fourth magazine from its stable – Architectural Digest (AD). As the ninth edition of the magazine after those in the US, Italy, Germany, France, Mexico, Russia, Spain and China, AD in India is priced at Rs 150, and will be a bi-monthly.

The glitzy launch event was held in New Delhi on Friday, March 9, 2012, in association with India Design Forum and supported by Absolu Elyx and Maserati. The magazine is aimed at an affluent and style-conscious readership.

“The editorial content of our bi-monthly magazine will have photo-spreads of some of the best homes in the world, feature stories on the latest developments in architecture and design, practical advice and solutions for home improvement,” said Manju Sara Rajan, Editor, AD India.

Alex Kuruvilla, MD, Condé Nast India, said, “Having established leadership in the luxury life space with Vogue, GQ and Conde Nast Traveller, and with a rapidly increasing affluent audience, we feel the time is right to introduce Architectural Digest in India.”

AD India would initially have a print run of 20,000 copies.

Oona Dhabhar, Marketing Director, Condé Nast India, informed, “Our marketing strategy will be three-pronged. We will be doing targeted programmes to attract our TG, which includes new home buyers and renovators and anybody who is interested in design. We are engaging them through a combination of mass media, and targeted programmes through our database. If the numbers are anything to go by, we have 1,000 subscribers already.”

“We are doing a design initiative targeted at design houses or interior designer houses and stores by introducing 'Design Showcase', a window dressing contest. We have asked them to design their windows in the colour of our launch issue, red and white, to create awareness about our magazine. Other than this, we are engaging the TG through AD Insider,” Dhabhar added.

AD India will also see the launch of a companion website.

Dhabhar said Condé Nast has a set of core advertisers for the magazine, “We have a large core set of luxury advertisers who wish to reach the affluent set of consumers through us. They know of our product through international markets and many of them form the advertising core for us,” she said.

“With the successful launch of three magazines earlier, we have gained fundamental understanding of the readers. I would not say that we do not have competition, but it is not really a crowded market. Our production and editorial quality sets us apart from the competition,” Dhabhar concluded.

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