Outdoor Athletics Advertising Up In Time For Summer

Despite an overall decline in ad pages in consumer magazines through the first half of 2014, several advertising categories increased their print advertising January-June. Measured from 157 national consumer magazines, Home Furnishings (+7.4%), Financial & Real Estate (+7%), Professional Services (+4.6%) and, perhaps most notably, Athletics (+7.6%) were all ad-page positive through June.

Athletics advertising increased by 159.5 pages January-June 2013 to 2,247.8 total pages. Ad-page increases from 176 brands in this category contributed to the gains, resulting in growth in several subcategories including Fishing (7.4%), Cycling (+14.9%), and the enormous Boating subcategory (+7.7%). The most active advertisers in the Athletics category came from Boating and Golf brands, led by Callaway with 65 pages and TaylorMade with 50 pages.

While boating and golfing magazines received the bulk of these ad pages, 66 of the 157 magazines analyzed received ad pages from brands in the Athletics category. Power & Motoryacht received the highest share with 277.3 pages, followed by Yachting with 235.9 pages.