Bauer Media

By Lily Saunders

What is Bauer Media

• Bauer Media is an international media company that is based in Germany, Hamburg.

• It operates worldwide across 15 countries.• It was first found in 1875 by the Bauer family

and has been privately owned by the Bauer’s ever since.

• Bauer Media has 19 million consumers every week with some of the most influential brands in the UK.

Companies Owned by Bauer Media

Magazines Owned by Bauer

Radio Stations Owned by Bauer

Websites Owned by Bauer

Television Channels Owned by Bauer

Divisions of Bauer

• Bauer Media is a sister company of H Bauer Publishing.

• Bauer Media is a division of the Bauer Media Group.

• Bauer Media joined the Bauer Media Group in 2008.

Bauer Media Group

Food Special Interest TV Listings Puzzles Women’s

H Bauer Publishing

Bauer Media Business Strategy

Bauer Media’s strategy is to connect audiences through the excellent content that they produce and their multi-touch point brand platforms.“The value of our in-depth understanding of these audiences is reflected in our unrivalled research initiatives. Bauer Media is in a unique position to be able to deliver groundbreaking consumer insight to media professionals, having more market leading brands across a wider breadth of markets than any other media owner. Bauer Media bridges the insight gap with the battle-tested consumer knowledge that has underpinned its own success in fierce consumer markets, and from an advertising standpoint, its unrivalled experience in providing creative solutions to its customers.”

The History of Bauer Media• Bauer Media (multi-platform UK based media group consisting of many companies)

is a division of the Bauer Media Group that joined in January 2008.• The magazine heritage of Bauer Media dates back to 1953 when the Angling Times

was launched, as well as Motor Cycle News in 1956.• The company’s radio business began in 1990 when the London dance station Kiss

(now known as Kiss 100) was launched, shorty followed by Liverpool’s Radio City and then TWC and the Metro Group. Following that was Melody FM which was changed into Magic.

• In 1994, the company bought the small magazine – FHM, which is now the best selling international multi-platform brand of FHM.

• In 1996, the company acquired the digital music TV channel called The Box, which has grown into Box Television, made up of Channel 4 Music, Heat, Kerrang, Kiss, Magic and Q.

• In 2002, Closer was launched and Britain’s GRAZIA was also launched in 2005.• Bauer Media is a sister company of H Bauer Publishing, the publisher of the UK’s

biggest TV listings.

Types of Magazines Owned by Bauer Media and their Target Audience

• Bauer Media has the leading music and entertainment magazines: MOJO, Q, Kerrang! and Empire.

• Bauer Media releases several Women’s magazines: Closer, Grazia, Heat and Yours.

Mojo

• A popular music magazine.• Bought by Bauer from Emap in January 2008.• First published 15th October 1993 as a classic rock

magazine.

Closer

• A British tabloid released by Bauer Media Group.• Features celebrity news and gossip, fashion, real life stories

and television entertainment.• As well as a British magazine it is also released in France.

Project Phoenix - Bauer Media

• Project Phoenix looks at trends that influence music consumption within the UK. There have been 3 other waves of the project, however, project Phoenix IV looks at how an individual’s music journey is affected by friends, media platforms and brands. Qualitative and quantitative research techniques have been used to discover the influences behind a musical journey.

Findings – bauermedia.co.uk• Top 10 Findings

• 1. Eureka moments define the complexity of consumers’ music journeys• Eureka moments can occur at any point on your musical journey and are the culmination of a build-up in music intensity. At the Eureka moment, an individual becomes engrossed in a genre or individual

band and this tends to be a key point and protected memory on their musical journey.

• 2. Genres are dead• As access to music has become more universal for even less fanatical musical listeners, music consumption is less stringently defined by genres as consumers cherry pick their journey.

• 3. The album is still valuable• The album still holds appeal for consumers. There was evidence of dual purchasing amongst consumers so an initial digital download could then lead to an album purchase. Consumers place value on the

physical product and if the quality and creativity is strong consumers will still purchase.

• 4. Need to control artist access to drive longevity• In the age of social media you can easily follow your musical icons on a minute-by-minute basis. There was a feeling within the industry that this ease of access was leading to artists losing appeal more

quickly.

• 5. Band heritage, as well as the thrill of new• Quite simply a band with heritage was as motivating as the bright newcomers

• 6. Story behind the song can drive consumer interest• In line with X-Factor hopefuls, the story behind the song was important to consumers and can act as a purchase trigger.

• 7. Live music remains enduringly impactful on the journey• Live music remains the pinnacle for any music fan and has a heavy and long lasting impact on the musical journey. They drive heavy consumer engagement and word of mouth within social networks.

• 8. Media platforms need to be used collectively to drive purchase• The musical journey is influenced by all media platforms and each has core strengths to driving purchase.

• 9. Magazine consumers provide a key tipping point to the mass audience• Magazines are particularly valued by music enthusiasts. This group are well informed music consumers, but value magazines to filter their music choice and validate new music as they penetrate your social

network.

• 10. Brands are openly welcomed, if they do it right!• Previously consumers understood the need for brands becoming more involved in music, but they were perceived as a necessary evil. As execution and creativity improves consumers openly accept brand

involvement. Our industry debate highlighted that the industry is placing these brand partnerships very much at the heart of what they are doing.

Other Bauer Media Projects and Insight

• The 4 PS – understanding audiences in more depth.• 4D Men – Bauer Media’s London Lifestyle Insight team year

long research study into men.• Kiss Confidential – targeting planner, buyers and anyone

else in the industry.• E-captivity – developing understanding on how online

affects our moods, behaviour and responsiveness to adds.• Celebrity 2010 – research into celebrity culture and how it

may change the future.• Engagement squared – research on “The Bauer Effect”

carried out by Harris Interactive.

Bauer Verlagsgruppe Offices Across the World

• Germany• USA• France• Spain• Austria• Poland• Portugal• Romania• Hungary• Czech Republic• Mexico• China• Russia• United Kingdom• Nigeria• Slovakia• Australia