| I keep hearing about the incredibly adventurous trips that my Leisure Wheels colleagues undertake in the guise of work. They claim to be working while braving Botswana, meandering through Mozambique or being 'nuked' in Namibia. Jealously is clearly not a very endearing quality so I guess I need to accept the fact that they are just thoroughly testing the latest off-road vehicles on location in the most arduous conditions and living their mantra of enjoying the journey as much as the destination. It may be difficult to reconcile the described lifestyle with a truly successful publishing case study but the Leisure Wheels chaps seem to have achieved true balance. The magazine is now the number one adventure motoring title in South Africa with a 54% market share and is 15% larger in circulation terms than its nearest competitor - a complete reversal in just one year! Success is rarely acknowledged so we were particularly appreciative of "Top Print Performer" accolade we recently received in the annual Marketing Mix rankings. Managing Editor Jannie Herbst believes that the addition in the number of promotions and successful double bagging of the magazine should be credited for the growth - proof that playing hard is sometimes rewarded.  | According to the latest AMPS, 73 000, or 67%, of our readership would rather be outdoors than indoors and it seems as though the recession has in fact encouraged them to explore the beauty of Southern Africa rather than venturing abroad as they may have previously - they now own the 'toys', 24 000 of them owning an off-road vehicle and an incredible 60 000 of them have visited a game park or have gone camping in the last 12 months.
Leisure Wheels has also succeeded in attracting younger readers, many of whom have opted to travel locally rather than being burdened with long-haul flights and unfavourable currency conversions. 33 000 (31%) are aged between 25-34 years and the average age has dropped to 39. Add to this the fact that almost 20% of our readers are regarded as the richest of the rich in LSM 10 and you have an ideal environment for marketers of 4x4 vehicles and equipment.  | Look out for the new Leisure Life section of the magazine that focuses exclusively on game lodges and parks; tour operators; bikes; quads; caravans; tourism authorities etc. It's already become a firm favourite with readers and offers great value.
Rates are low and this is an ideal opportunity to call Jay Devenish on cell 082-371-5792 or Christian von Durckheim on cell 079-937-4866 who'll no doubt be able to explain what a brilliant opportunity this section presents, particularly given that 75% of its readers admit to being influenced by ads in the publication and 80% have a genuine interest in the outdoors* (*according to a recent independent survey by Bateleur) Yours in Motoring.
Andrew Stodel
Marketing Services Manager | 
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