Sainsbury’s Magazine has undergone its first redesign under editor Sue Robinson, with more lifestyle coverage to attract younger readers.
Robinson, who joined the title two years ago from Radio Times, said the time had come for an overhaul. “I tweaked the magazine and brought in new things, but there comes a point where you are just bolting on bits and you just want to wipe the slate clean and rebuild it,” she said.
Robinson has worked on the revamp for more than a year and promised lifestyle features would now make up 50 per cent of the magazine.
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“Food is still a part of what we do, but we’ve shifted the balance slightly away from it,” she said. “Research told us we were hiding our light under a bushel – they really liked the other side of the magazine and wanted more of that.”
The cover, previously a white frame around a single photograph, has been modernised with a new masthead, a full bleed photograph and prominent cover lines to emphasis the lifestyle and food aspects of the title. Inside, the layout has been simplified, with more bite-sized pieces and a bigger typeface.
Extra editorial staff have been appointed to cope with the expanded coverage, but Robinson has ensured that favourites remain.
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“We’ve been careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water,” she said. “Nigel Slater has been writing for us from day one and readers adore him. Ditto Sue Townsend. People like that are blending in with the new team.”
Australian journalist and chef David Herbert has been made food and drink editor and Ghillie Studd, from Prima magazine, has been appointed as his deputy. Author Josephine Fairley is contributing beauty editor, while Stephanie Bateman-Sweet will oversee the homes coverage and Sharon Ring, former editor of Escape Routes, is in charge of travel.
The publication has also introduced its first price rise in eight years, from £1.00 to £1.20.
By Sarah Boden
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