BBC Match of the Day

How we researched and helped develop a new magazine

Background

Match of the Day is the BBC’s flagship football programme. A earlier attempt to expand the brand was unsuccessful and a new opportunity foreseen in the teenage publishing and online market.

Challenge

To understand the market for football news and gossip, and also identify gaps in the market for a new multi-media football offer.

BBC Match of the Day Magazine

Magazine Market Research Approach: Three stage process:

• Research planning session to decide issues and opportunities to explore and also create/compile new ‘offer’ stimuli.
• Group and depth insight programme. Methods included paired depths with pairs tasked as investigative journalists, and groups with respondents asked to complete football and football media diaries. In addition, paired father and son depth interviews and individual football enthusiast interviews. These respondents were also asked to buy and review magazines.
• Working session to debrief findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Results

Identified opportunities and created blue-print for new Match of the Day magazine and website targeted at tweens.
The magazine launched in 2008. In year 1, sales amassed c. £8.5m thus enabling it to vye for category leadership.

Read BBC Match of the Day magazine