Who Reads Southern Living?
Southern Living is written for any woman who feels a strong connection to the South--geographic or otherwise--and who wants to live the lifestyle she associates with the region and the magazine. Specifically, she wants a warm, casual, inviting home; great recipes she can count on for friends and family; terrific travel ideas for family vacations; a garden that not only beautifies her home but extends family living/entertaining space into the outdoors; and a sense of pride and respect for the South.
What You Can Expect in Each Issue:
- Weekend Guide for 5 different regions: What to do close to home right now: city day trips; new shopping and dining experiences; hiking and other outdoor activities; romantic getaways and quick vacations.
- So Southern: Creative, seasonal, inspiring ideas.
- Travel: Destinations primarily within the South; insider information from editors who have been there and tried each hotel, restaurant, attraction, etc.; beautiful sense-of-place features that inspire pride in the South; budget travel and splurges; trips packaged for families with young children, couples, girlfriends, etc.
- Homes: Casual, comfortable homes that reflect the homeowners' lifestyle and their Southernness; creative decorating ideas; features that teach readers the basics of good design and offer advice from design professionals.
- Gardens: Beautiful homeowner gardens to inspire; great indoor-outdoor living ideas; expert planting and growing advice specific to the South and tailored to all the regions of the South (coastal, Southwest, etc.).
- Foods: Outstanding kitchen-tested recipes that readers have come to trust and treasure; Southern classics as a well as fresh twists and updated recipes using traditional Southern ingredients.
- Feature Articles: Feature articles reflect the primary sections of the magazine, in terms of content. Recent issues have featured: Azaleas Say Welcome, A Farm-Fresh Easter, Kentucky's Wild Wonder (Red River Gorge), Food-for-You Grilling, The Allure of Natchez, No Fuss Allowed (casual lunch for friends), Creating Character (new Lowcountry home taking cues from Old regional architecture), and Legacy of Wildflowers (Winterthur estate).
Southern Living is a visual magazine but still believes in storytelling. Its photographers have continually worked to raise the visual bar because readers want to see the all the beauty and seasonal color of the South. They also want to access useful information quickly and easily, so Southern Living focuses on clean design and readability. But also makes room in the book for great writing and storytelling. .
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Contributors:
Southern Living is unique in that it is almost entirely staff-produced. Its staff editors were chosen for their expertise in their particular fields. For example, the Garden staff includes landscape architects and horticulturists. The Foods section is produced by former chefs, culinary school grads, and registered dietitians.
Past Issues:
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Comparisons to Other Magazines:
We really can't name another magazine that is (1) completely devoted to the South and (2) committed to combining great lifestyle and service with regional pride and sense of place. In short, Southern Living delivers both service and soul, with a strong Southern accent.
Advertisers:
The top four advertising categories are food, travel, Pharmaceutical, and Homes goods. The advertising to editorial ratio is roughly 50/50.