Bauer Media has a new name – it is now known as Are Media – and with the change comes a revamped strategy for the business, which includes a magazine sales trial with Australia Post and Aldi.

Are Media CEO Brendon Hill told Sprinter that moving forward, the company will put into action diversification plans and opportunities that will take its business to the next level and benefit the broader publishing industry and magazine category.

“Are Media marks the start of a new chapter for the business with a focus on innovation and growth,” he said.

“These include optimising our print media via new distribution channels such as a new trial with Australia Post to sell our magazines and Aldi, which will sell Bluey magazine. We are also going to invest in the magazine category with ATL media campaigns, encouraging and supporting magazines as a captivating, engaging and highly-read medium.”

According to Hill, the rebrand will not change any existing deals in place with its local print partner, Ovato, but rather, build on their partnership.

“We have great relationships with our printing partners. Are Media is investing heavily in the growth of the magazine category as a whole including an investment in ATL advertising to drive direct to consumer and retailer sales,” he told Sprinter.

The launch of Are Media follows Bauer Media’s buy out by private equity firm Mercury Capital in July.

“We are delighted to be back under Australian management and invest in key areas that will see our business, and the broader magazine industry, grow and thrive,” he mentioned.

“We are excited to build on our innovative digital offering, e-Commerce expansion and enriching our first-party data. The Better Homes & Gardens online shop has been hugely successful and we’re looking forward to replicating that success with e-commerce platforms across other brands in our portfolio.

“Another area that continues to thrive is our review and sampling sites such as Beauty Heaven and Bounty Parents so we will be investing more in this space.

“The new distribution partnerships with Australia Post and Aldi are a great example of Are Media’s commitment and investment in expanding our retail footprint and increasing our direct to consumer sales.”

Ovato CEO Kevin Slaven told Sprinter that the rebrand of Bauer Media to Are Media sits in line with Ovato’s business transition plans.

“We have a strong partnership based on decades of experience printing and publishing magazines. The rebrand to Are Media is very much in line with the transition we undertook in moving to Ovato in 2019, putting the audience and the value for our clients and customers at the heart of the proposition to market. We’re very proud to be a core partner for this next stage of the publishing evolution,” he said.

In a statement, Hill also mentioned that with new ownership and a new identity comes a refreshed and reinvigorated focus for the business, one which embraces its existing strengths while allowing it to innovate and move into new areas.

“We will continue to deliver captivating, premium magazine content and experiences across print, digital, books, rewards, events and TV, connecting six in ten Australian women with commercial partners each and every day,” he said.

“Today commences a new chapter for our business. I want to thank the entire team for their collaboration in developing our new identity and for their ongoing passion and dedication to Are Media.”

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