Effective 1 September, Crown Publications will streamline its distribution model to have a primary focus on digital publishing. As the company approaches its 40th anniversary in print publishing, this marks both a poignant milestone and an exciting new chapter.
This decision of a greater focus on digital publishing is a forward-looking move to secure the long-term sustainability and vitality of Crown’s individual brands. It will enable the company to deliver content that is more timely, relevant, and engaging - while also aligning with today’s business, environmental, and trade realities.
Why this change is necessary
1. Rising production and distribution costs
Printing and distributing physical magazines incurs increasingly prohibitive costs – printing, packaging, postage, and logistics. With declining advertising revenue in print, the model has become financially unsustainable, especially after the South African post office problems which forced us to us a distributor with a limited geographical reach. It has therefore become necessary increasingly necessary to harness the Crown’s growing digital distribution.
By eliminating printing and distribution costs, Crown can reallocate resources to enhance content creation, audience engagement, and digital innovation.
2. Evolving consumer behaviour
Reader expectations have changed. Audiences increasingly demand real-time access to content, interactivity, and multi-platform accessibility - needs better met through digital formats. Smartphones, tablets, and desktops have largely replaced print as the preferred channel. A digital-first approach enables Crown to meet its readers where they are, providing a richer and more flexible user experience.
3. Declining print advertising revenues
The advertising landscape has shifted decisively toward digital. Advertisers favour online channels that offer targeting, performance tracking, and multimedia capabilities. As print advertisement pages continue to decline, it becomes harder to justify the cost of producing a physical magazine as the primary vehicle for Crown Publications.
Digital platforms offer advertisers better value, flexibility, and analytics-driven performance.
What this means for advertisers
After Crown Publications started claiming eEditions as part of its audited circulation, the ABC figures of the individual brands have in some instances doubled. This will buffer its circulation figures with the greater emphasis on digital issues.
Crown’s brands will remain ABC-audited as the ABC is the only body that protects the advertiser by legally reiterating that a claimed circulation is correct. While overall ABC numbers will decline with a greater emphasis on eEditions, the majority of current circulation already comprises digital editions. Importantly, the shift to digital eliminates geographic limitations, enabling global reach and new international partnerships.
Crown has expanded its advertising offerings to enhance exposure and campaign impact:
- Magazine placements (eEditions)
- Website banners
- Targeted eNewsletters
- Digital billboard advertising (DOOH)
Advertising Managers will still distribute printed copies of the magazines to advertisers and potential advertisers and so keep the brands in circulation.
These developments are part of a broader evolution: transitioning from Crown Publications to Crown Media, with future plans to integrate additional media channels for a more comprehensive marketing ecosystem.
This is not the end of an era – it’s the beginning of a bold, new future.
