JCS - -
We'll start with some top-level information on Hachette Filipacchi,
particularly because the company's French home page outlines the
company's strategy.
First, since 2000 Hachette is 100% owned by a French industrial
conglomerate, Lagardère as noted by the financial research service
Hoover's:
Hoover's Online
"Hachette Filipacchi"
http://www.hoovers.com/co/capsule/6/0,2163,92826,00.html
Lagardère is a diversified concern, with related interests in
CanalSatellite, book publishing and Internet content. Overall
publishing accounts for 60% of Lagardère's revenues:
Lagardère Home Page
http://www.lagardere.com/
HACHETTE FILIPACCHI STRATEGY
=============================
Hachette's own home page is available in English and French. It
includes a description of strategies and outlook, though my attempts
to see an English version of that page yielded the objectives only in
French:
Hachette Filipacchi
"Strategy and Outlook" (undated)
http://www.hachette-filipacchi.com/en/groupe/index.html?strategie&0
What follows is my translation of 'Strategy and Outlook' (you could
have the Google search engine perform a page translation for you to
check it):
"Satisfy the shareholders: in developing the know how of the group in
its core profession: the printed press, in France as well as
internationally.
"Improve results with objectives that are both qualitative and
quantitatively ambitious.
"Reinforce the company's No. 1 position worldwide as a magazine
publisher, by being particularly vigilant about operational efficiency
and acquisition of new magazine titles.
"Reinforce distribution networks in countries with strong publicity
potential, in particular in markets which haven't been open in the
past to international investments for print companies, such as Italy
and Japan.
"Pursue the plan to acquire French daily newspapers on a regional
basis, developing regional concentrations."
Note: see this web page for existing holdings:
Daily Regional Press
http://www.hachette-filipacchi.com/en/activites/index.html?organigramme&4
"Develop new media by relying on the strength of existing trademarks."
ORGANIZATION & STRUCTURE
===========================
In looking at Hachette, it may help to know that it consists of 5
divisions (Magazines France, Magazines International, Daily Press,
Advertising Media Planning, Image Division):
"Organizational Chart"
http://www.hachette-filipacchi.com/en/activites/index.html?organigramme&4
Of course Hachette Filipacchi U.K. is part of the international
publishing division. The Hachette U.K. page is particularly helpful
in listing the leading executives in each department, as well as the
titles published in the U.K. I won't repeat the organization
structure, as these pages print easily and are nicely formatted:
Hachette Filipacchi U.K. Home Page
http://www.hachettefilipacchiuk.co.uk/
Within the U.K., these are the titles published by Hachette. Each of
these pages lists key managers:
Red
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=Red
and the reader site:
http://www.redmagazine.co.uk/
Elle
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=Elle
(no website for the magazine)
Elle Decoration
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=Elle%20Decoration
(no website for the magazine)
Elle Girl
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=Elle%20Girl
(no website for the magazine)
B
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=B
and the reader site:
http://www.bmagazine.co.uk/
Inside Soap
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=Inside%20Soap
and the reader site - -
http://www.insidesoap.co.uk/
All About Soap
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=All%20About%20Soap
and the reader site - -
http://www.allaboutsoap.co.uk/
tvhits!
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=tvhits!
and the reader site - -
http://www.tvhits.co.uk/
Sugar
http://www.atticfutura.co.uk/index.htm?page=Sugar
and the reader site - -
http://www.sugarmagazine.co.uk/
COMPETITION
=============
Hoovers describes the prime Hachette competition as Condé Nast, Hearst
and Vivendi Universal Publishing. However, in the U.K. the Manchester
Guardian's media site notes that Emap and IPC (a division of AOL Time
Warner) are both bigger in the consumer magazine market:
MediaGuardian.co.uk
"Shooting for the Stars (Again)" (Sept. 16, 2002)
http://media.guardian.co.uk/circulationfigures/story/0,11554,793194,00.html
Until late last year, Hachette and Emap were partners in Red Magazine.
It's also important to note that Kevin Hand, the chaiman of Hachette
Filipacci U.K., is a former executive with Emap:
"Hachette outbids Emap for control of Red" (Oct. 2, 2002)
http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspublishing/story/0,7495,802677,00.html
One of the strategies for Hand will be to expand Red Magazine
internationally:
Media Week
"Red to hit international scene" (Oct. 2, 2002)
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/ThisWeek.News.View.aspx?ContentID=8943
A good strategy for getting up-to-speed on media issues is to use the
search capability on the Manchester Guardian site to quickly review
recent stories on Hachette. There are 43 stories available, well
summarized. It includes Hachette's libel suit (over alleged links
with Saddam Hussein) and a recent story ranking the top U.K. women's
magazines by circulation:
"Glamour retains glossy crown" (Feb. 13, 2003)
http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspublishing/story/0,7495,895017,00.html
Another good source of media news is Brand Republic. It's magazine
has a good Internet site with summaries of stories (though you have to
be a subscriber to gain full access to the site):
Brand Republic
http://www.brandrepublic.com/home/index.cfm
A search of Hachette-related stories turns up more than 200,
including:
* Red Magazine was conducting a search for a new ad agency in April to
counter competitors use of TV advertising. They selected DFGW.
* Hachette also changed PR agencies in April, signing with Ian Monk
Associates
* a new teen-oriented title, Celeb Central, is being prepared for
release
* Lysanne Currie was a new appointment in April as head of publishing
for teen magazines. As part of the assignment, Elle Girl will go to
monthly (from quarterly) publication.
Note that one area of the magazine business is in trouble - the teen
segment, where sales have fallen more than 20% since Hachette bought
publisher Attica Futura. Vivien Cotterill, who joined Hachette from
Attica Futura was subsequently fired by Hachette:
The Guardian
"Teen mags continue to merge after falling sales" (Oct.24, 2002)
http://www.responservice.com/archives/oct2002_issue2/media/intlmdia.htm
An excellent overview of the Hachette group is here at the Ketupa
Project, a spinoff website by Caslon Analytics covering worldwide
media:
Caslon Analytics (Australia)
The Ketupa Project
http://www.ketupa.net/hachette.htm
MAGAZINE MARKET CONDITIONS
============================
Though it's not available on the Internet, the Periodical Publishers
Association (London) does an international study of the magazine
market. It's a good overview of general market conditions and shares
of the participants. Here's a 4-page example covering Spain. I
mention it because you may have the ability to find it at a local
library or business school library:
FIPP/Zenith World Magazine Trends Handbook
http://www.apa.co.uk/international/pdfs/Spain.pdf
Google search strategy:
"Hachette Filipacchi" + U.K.
"Kevin Hand" + Hachette
I hope that this covers the major areas of operation and strategy for
the company. If not, please seek a clarification request before
rating this Google Answer.
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA |
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