True Love and Drum to make a come-back

Last month, Kenyan readers ere taken by surprise when South African publishing group, Media24, withdrew from the market.

With them went True Love, Drum and the more recent Move magazines. But that was not the end of the road for True Love and Drum, at least according to Carole Mandi, former True Love editor.

She was awarded the license to continue publishing the two titles. She talked to CAROLINE NJUNG’E:

A number of readers felt that True Love’s content was predominantly South African therefore alienating the same readers that the magazine targeted – What’s your take?

I disagree that the magazine’s content was predominantly South African. All the features from cover personalities to women in business, real people to fashion were Kenyan.

We did have some international features, and that is to be expected in any title that adheres to high publishing standards. After-all, our readers are Kenyan but they have an international outlook.

They are interested in what is happening beyond their borders from Somalia to the White House. They are as interested in local celebrities as they are in African-American celebrities like Whitney Houston and others.

Our aim was always to give readers a good mix of local content which was approximately 70 per cent and some international content.

Today, the world is flat for magazine readers and that’s why many magazine titles carry stories from all over the globe as long as they are of interest to their target audience.

We are all influenced by what is happening globally, our children’s toys come from China, some of our fabric from India and we may even borrow foreign names for our children. However, we are proudly Kenyan and proudly African.

What do you plan to do differently to hold the interest of your target market?

True Love is the leading women’s magazine in Kenya, it has built a loyal and dedicated readership whose needs for compelling entertainment and information we will continue to meet. 

How will you address the issues that made Media24 pull out?

Pulling out of East Africa was a strategic decision for Media24, who wanted to focus on their other markets elsewhere. It was a business decision and they are not the only company that has opted to focus on other markets.

Like other emerging markets such as India and Brazil, there is a growing magazine audience in Kenya and our strategy is to meet the needs of our consumers by providing them with quality and entertaining magazine titles that offer them the lifestyle inspiration they desire.

Will the concept change?

No. We intend to evolve with our readers rather than revolutionise the product. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

You say True Love will hit the shelves in July this year – what do you have to say to those who might argue that this plan is too ambitious given the time frame and the fact that the South African team was pretty hands-on in the production process?

Fortunately for us, the team had already put in place a full issue before the interruption and we will carry on from there.

e received so many calls from readers who asked, “What do you expect us to read now?” We will not disappoint them, and a July issue is, in no, way ambitious.

What strategies do you have in mind to ensure that this time round, the revived True Love will have staying power”?

We intend to meet the needs of our target audience, ensure sound business practice and continue to develop the magazine market.

True Love is a brand name owned by Media 24 – what is the new arrangement now that you hold the license?

It will work much in the same way a franchise does. We will publish the magazine but still adhere to the licensing agreement in terms of the quality standards and brand values