Group steams ahead with refresh of Trade-A-Boat

20 December 2004

Trader Group steams ahead with refresh of Trade-A-Boat

Trader Group today announced the launch of a refreshed, new-format Trade-A-Boat magazine. The refreshed Trade-A-Boat will feature almost 350 pages packed with reviews, editorials and literally thousands of boats for sale, meeting peak demand as summer ushers in the boating season.

“We’ve taken some key steps to expand our offering in 2004, and launching a refreshed version of Trade-A-Boat is a great way to end the year. With boaties looking to the water, the new-look magazine is providing a service to readers and advertisers when they want it most,” said Lee Williams, General Manager of Trader Group.

In addition to more classified listings and extended content, a bonus ‘2005 Buyer’s Guide – Yachts and Launches’ is attached to the first edition of the new Trade-A-Boat, providing an easy point of reference for prospective buyers.

The refresh has been designed to extend the reach of Trade-A-Boat, strengthening its subscriber base and bringing a high quality publication to a larger readership.

“The new format and features will enhance Trade-A-Boat’s appeal – it’s an attractive magazine with a great feel to it and a real pick-me-up factor. This will see it appeal to a broader market, which is good news for readers and advertisers alike.”

A relaunch of the magazine’s online presence, Boatpoint.co.nz, completes the refresh. An enhanced design, faster search functions, thumbnails of boats for search results and improved dealer pages and sorting facilities feature on the new-look website. The comprehensive site has 4,000 boats for sale and is a popular resource, attracting 20,000 unique visitors each month.

The refresh of Trade-A-Boat is the latest move by Trader Group to enhance its offering across New Zealand’s strong classified advertising market. Other key initiatives this year in a focus on the leisure market include the launch of new titles New Zealand Motorhomes, Caravans and Destinations and New Zealand Lifestyle Block.

Mr Williams says the new titles have been popular.

“Our research suggested that there were likely to be receptive markets for these titles, and this has proven to be the case. New Zealand Motorhomes, Caravans and Destinations, for example, sold 3,500 copies in its first month, and its website has been attracting over 5,000 unique visitors monthly.”

Trader Group’s portfolio of 19 publications attracts close to one million New Zealand readers every month and reaches almost a quarter of all males aged 10+ in the country.

“All of our publications are market leaders, and cornerstone publications like Trade-A-Boat have been respected and trusted resources for readers and advertisers for years. Their enduring success has provided a strong foundation for growth and the launch of new niche publications.”

Trade-A-Boat’s readership spans a broad age band, being mainly made up of men between the ages of 20 and 54, many of whom are affluent and highly skilled. Past research has shown that 29 percent of the magazine’s readers belong to high-level occupational groups, and 72 percent are more likely to have Visa Gold Cards.

Trade-A-Boat is also a trusted resource. 60 percent of readers say Trade-A-Boat advertising helps with their purchasing decision making and 43 percent of readers have bought or sold a boat with the magazine.* The diversity of boats for sale reflects its breadth of appeal. Speedboats, leisure boats, and yachts of all classes featured in the magazine range in value from $7,500 to $1 million.

The new Trade-A-Boat goes on sale today at the new price of $6.95.

“The refresh of Trade-A-Boat is another demonstration of ACP Media’s commitment to providing high quality magazines that cater to the needs of readers and advertisers across the full market spectrum. It is consistent with our focus on continually offering more, and reinforces our position as New Zealand’s leading magazine publisher,” said Heith Mackay-Cruise, CEO of ACP Media.

ENDS

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