Post-anniversary bash: ‘Marie Claire’ upbeat on India

Better late than never – the idiom goes well with ‘Marie Claire’, the premium international women’s magazine, which launched its Indian edition in June 2006 as part of the Outlook Group. The magazine made a late entry into India, much after its entry into China and other Asian countries, but that doesn’t mean it’s taking the market lightly.

“We acknowledge the fact that Indian women are very clever and gifted and one can’t appease them by any piece of ordinary content. Through ‘Marie Claire’, we are making sure Indian women are getting what they deserve – clever content,” said Claire Landrau, deputy director, Asia, ‘Marie Claire’, on her recent visit to India.

When quizzed about the reason for the late entry into India, Landrau replied, “We launched in China a few years back and I think we came to India at the right time. More than the timing of our entry, what’s more important is that we are really expanding in the country.”

Suresh Selveraj, associate publisher for ‘Marie Claire’ India, says, “We have taken both the ATL and BTL route to reach our TG. As we promised at the time of our launch, ‘Marie Claire’ will follow its reader wherever she goes. If you look back, you will realise how we are trying to connect to our TG, especially through the BTL route – doing events and interactive sessions with women across various cities.”

International women’s magazines like ‘Cosmopolitan’, ‘Good Housekeeping’ and ‘Elle’ were all available in India before the entry of ‘Marie Claire’. Then there were a bevy of home-grown titles, including ‘Femina’ and ‘Women’s Era’. So, was there enough space for a women’s magazine in a market that already looks really cramped?

“Any magazine is all about content and if you can provide better content than other players, you will rise, no matter how cluttered the market is. Our sales in the last one year prove the fact that readers will accept you if you have a differentiator attached to you. Our differentiator is our content,” says Landrau.

Adds Selvaraj, “‘Marie Claire’ is firmly established in the media map within a year. While the entire industry talks about a slowdown or decline in magazine readership, such success stories would be a boost to the magazine world. With a circulation of 60,000 copies and very involved readers, ‘Marie Claire’ has carved a niche amongst the fashion and lifestyle magazines in the country.”

The Indian edition of the international title was launched last year in June by the Outlook Group. Founded in Paris in 1937, ‘Marie Claire’ has 26 editions worldwide in 13 languages.