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27 November 2009, CREEMORE, ONT.

Holmes magazine launches

With an autograph signing session by the cover boy Mike Holmes last week at Toronto’s Union Station, Holmes magazine launched its first issue. Published by Dauphin Media Group, the magazine is distributed by TransMedia Group and printed in Canada.

Mike Holmes signing copies at Gateway Newsstands

Mike Holmes signing copies of Holmes magazine at Gateway Newsstands

Communications director Maud Martinsen said the audience for the magazine is anyone who owns a home and plans to renovate or build new. “The magazine is all about providing homeowners with the necessary information to comfortably hire the right contractor to do the right job.”

With a cover price of $5.95 and a circulation of 75,000 for the first issue Martinsen says the book would like to reach 250,000 over the next couple years. The first perfect-bound issue has 124 pages including cover and 41 pages of advertising which includes a few pages of ads for Holmes’s other projects.

The Dauphin Media Group also publishes Canadian Architecture & Design magazine.

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Comments (15) Post a Comment

Comments:

1. Anon says:

1 December 2009 at 12:02 AM

Too bad this mag is such a bummer, it had such potential. Who decided to aim the thing at men? BIG. MISTAKE. Hello Mike -- who's your fan base?

2. Hal says:

1 December 2009 at 11:29 AM

There was a real lack of market research for this project which in my opinion is likely to result in it going out of print sometime within the year. The design work is bland and flat and as mentioned already the obvious skew is toward male readers. Shame.

3. Anon says:

1 December 2009 at 1:03 PM

The design is terrible. Extremely disappointing. I expected more from Mike Holmes since he generally has very high standards of quality. Sad.

4. Hal says:

1 December 2009 at 2:43 PM

Here's hoping they smarten up and quickly adapt based on the critiques they've had thus far. This looks like a bad b2b magazine right now and that - especially now - just isn't going to cut it.

5. Anon says:

1 December 2009 at 7:26 PM

I haven't seen a copy yet, but from what I heard from someone whose word I trust, it's just a buncha advertorial. Is that true?

6. Wtf says:

2 December 2009 at 7:14 AM

"...circulation of 75,000 for the first issue Martinsen says that the book would like to reach 250,000 over the next couple years." Umm...wouldn't we all "like to" reach 250,000 circ. I'd like to know what the STRATEGY or plan is to get their, not the hope, and how they claim 75,000 for a launch issue. Do they mean distribution of 75,000...or how are they reaching circ of 75,000 out of the gate? Is it newsstand only? Distributed through the Globe and Mail.. what?

7. Anon says:

3 December 2009 at 2:54 PM

Just flipped through it at the newsstand--so badly done that I wouldn't even buy it to use as an example of how not to get it right! Bad B2B look--nothing consumer mag about it. Pacing, flow & editorial architecture so bad it seems they just put all the elements in a basket, shook it up and ordered the issue according to what fell out first. Typography that hurts my eyes. Really really really bad.

8. Someone says:

3 December 2009 at 4:22 PM

Let's wait to see what their audited circulation figures look like.

9. Circ. Professional says:

3 December 2009 at 4:24 PM

I agree. How can a newly launched title claim 75,000 in circ.? That must be how many they printed or, how many they sent to TransMedia. Very misleading. I guess they are expecting an unusually high sell through rate.

10. Anon2 says:

7 December 2009 at 4:05 PM

What a blah cover. I actually like Mike Holmes, but didn't recognize him (and couldn't read the cover title) at first. Sort of a red flag. And really, it seems like they tried so hard to butch up the layout, make it some sort of salt-of-the-earth, anti-Azure that it comes across as little more than an ad.

11. Jay says:

8 December 2009 at 11:41 AM

Too bad he didn't heed his own advice and "hire the right people for the job." Looks like Mr. Handyman isn't totally committed to "doing it right the first time." A hack job.

12. Igg In To says:

8 December 2009 at 1:42 PM

Interesting magazine, solid articles - very well written and researched. Hopefully this first issue can be built upon for success. Most of the comments here are not-supportive - which is typical of anonymous postings - but I think for a first effort, it is a good start. I'll buy the second issue.

13. So Igg In To says:

8 December 2009 at 2:48 PM

Do you work on the magazine or does one of your loved ones? Honestly people are shredding this apart for a reason. It's a crazy time to be launching a new book in the first place, and to launch one of such poor caliber. What kills me is how good this book could have been, and that the resources were out there to get it done right (how many good mag people are scrapping by right now...) Damn shame.

14. Disappointed In Disgust says:

9 December 2009 at 8:44 AM

This will NEVER reach it's potential with such a poor exposure...it could not be found in so many huge retailers, that everyone will forget quickly. No marketing+poor customer reception=flash in the pan. Too bad for his namesake.

15. Wtf says:

9 December 2009 at 10:14 AM

Couldn't agree more. I tried to contact them before the launch, and it took six attempts to get a call back. Business school 101: return your freaking phone calls and emails.

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