Following Associated Media Publishing’s strategic decision to significantly transform its existing publishing model and expand its business offering with the recent launch of ampDigital – its joint venture with Thumbtribe – the company has decided not to renew its licence of the Marie Claire brand. Associated Media Publishing relaunched the South African edition of Marie Claire in 2003 and publishes the magazine in partnership with Groupe Marie Claire.
In a press release sent to Bizcommunity, CEO Julia Raphaely said,
Our business has become South Africa’s most digitally- and event-led multi-media company in the lifestyle space and as the licence of the Marie Claire brand came up for renewal, we felt it was the right time for us to concentrate our efforts on our digital and creative offering. We have enjoyed a long and trusted relationship with the brand and our partners in France for 15 years; the magazine has been providing readers with incredible reportage, investigative features and inspiration, and we thank them for their support, engagement and loyalty.Raphaely said existing subscribers would have the opportunity to receive any of the company’s other women’s titles for the duration of their subscriptions. Associated Media Publishing will work to redeploy the brand’s staff to other parts of the company as it continues to build its business.
