Gorkana meets…Top Santé
Jane Druker, editor of Top Santé, on the magazine’s first interactive issue, why her readers are in their dynamic decade and how PRs can help with content.
You’ve been in the editor’s chair for nearly a year – what’s the biggest challenge you face each month?
To bestow each issue with a special “collectible” feel. It’s important to provide issue-on-issue something meaningful our readers will want to keep and refer to. Also really searching for the genuinely new, fresh take on our readers’ primary health concerns. Often core health stories are cyclical (I’m talking about you sugar!) and offer nothing revealing or brand spanking new.
You relaunched the magazine in September with the new strapline ‘Look After You’. What changes did you make and what has been the reaction from readers?
Yes we kicked off Autumn with a re-design. Top Santé was 20 years old and we wanted to reinvigorate a heritage brand bringing it bang up to date, modern and relevant to our readers’ lives. The tagline changed from ‘Be the Best You’ which, to my mind, implied work, and instead we created a more supportive, truthful statement about the thrust of editorial in the magazine.
What is the content split each issue and how many pages does the magazine run to?
Content is split into health, fitness, food, beauty and experts and issues are 132 pages.
Tell us a bit about the typical Top Santé reader…
She is in the middle of what I call “the dynamic decades”. She is in her 30s and 40s, has a long term partner or husband, children who still live at home, she works and she probably has ageing parents; classic sandwich generation really. Her primary health concern is stress because she often feels overwhelmed, so Top Santé is designed to alleviate her anxieties, and provide insightful, thoughtful and expert guidance for emotional issues, sleep, relaxation, good nutrition, easy fitness tips and beauty that actually works!
What’s the most popular bit of the magazine?
Food, beauty, health are pretty evenly well read.
What can PRs help with most?
Experts and breaking health information (internationally), new products and events that are genuinely relevant.
How do you like to work with PRs?
By email, primarily, on health and events with beauty.
Is there anything that PRs keep sending that you just wouldn’t feature?
Unhealthy food, processed food, low fat foods, diet pills. We believe in healthful food – no fad dieting.
How far in advance does the team work and what key planning meetings should PRs be aware of?
We have a planning meeting next week for our May issue so about four months ahead.
You’re set to launch Top Santé’s first interactive issue next month – tell us more.
Yes it’s the issue on sale now – February. It’s our first interactive issue; as a reader you can be our cover girl by Blipping on the image and adding a selfie! We have a beauty special where you get to try on celebrity hairstyles and a fitness special where each exercise is demonstrated in real time. It’s a first for health magazines and we’re really excited about it.
You also produce a digital edition of the magazine, as well as a free fortnightly newsletter – are there opportunities for PRs to get involved?
Yes – both for information, news and events and competitions and special offers.
Any other plans you can tell us about?
So many exciting plans for 2014 but my lips are sealed so watch this space!
Jane was talking to Gorkana’s Richard O’Donnell
