Magicalia

Magicalia Limited is a digital cross-media publisher and platform provider, based in London, England.^[1] It was founded in 1999 by Adam Laird and Jeremy Tapp.

The company owns a range of consumer magazines and online communities in the Parenting and Active markets. In the ecommerce division, Magicalia publishes websites for magazine clients and retailers.

History

The company was founded in 1999 as a digital-only publisher by entrepreneurs Jeremy Tapp and Adam Laird with its inaugural website, bikemagic.com.^[2] The company expanded over the following 10 years, and more web communities were added to the portfolio, including outdoorsmagic.com, golfmagic.com and roadcyclinguk.com.

In 2000, Magicalia started to help publishers create and publish their own websites, with clients such as Runner's World (Rodale). The following year, Magicalia started building ecommerce platforms for retailers who wanted to create an online presence.

Magicalia was acquired by Exponent Private Equity in 2006 for £13m, which was closely followed by the acquisition of Encanta Media. Encanta^[3] published 9 special-interest^[4] magazines, and Magicalia wanted to create a cross-media strategy incorporating both print titles and online sites.^[5].

In 2007 Magicalia acquired Visordown.com, the motorcycle magazine Two Wheels Only^[6] (Haymarket) and Future Publishing's parenting titles, Junior, Junior Pregnancy and Baby, Pregnancy, Baby and You, with Practical Parenting ^[7] (IPC Media) a year later.

In 2008 the company restructured, and the hobbyist magazine division split from the main business to form its own company, My Hobby Store. Former CNET Networks UK MD Tom Bureau^[8] joined as CEO and Duncan Tickell as MD Publishing from Incisive Media. The company moved to new premises in Islington, London and formed 2 new divisions within its digital and print businesses in the Parenting and Active sectors.

Divisions

The following are divisions of Magicalia:

• Magicalia Parenting is made up of 2 parenting magazines and 4 pregnancy and parenting websites.
• Magicalia Active is formed of 6 special-interest websites and 1 magazine aimed at active, male 30-somethings.
• Magicalia Contract Publishing helps other publishers to create and publish their own websites, the largest of these being Runner's World magazine.
• Magicalia Commerce operates an ecommerce platform aimed at small and medium-sized retailers.

References

1. ^ "Contact us - Magicalia", 2011, webpage: Mag-contact.
2. ^ "Magicalia history", MagForum.com, webpage: MF.
3. ^ "Magicalia breaks into print", MediaWeek.co.uk, webpage: MW.
4. ^ "Magicalia breathes new life into moribund magazines", The Telegraph (finance), 8 February 2008, webpage: Tel878, accessed 2011-05-21.
5. ^ Content management case study http://econsultancy.com/forums/other-topics/content-management-case-study-magicalia?page=1#forum_post_1078
6. ^ Magicalia acquires TwoWheels Only http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/628954/Haymarket-sells-motorbike-magazine-Two-Wheels/
7. ^ Magicalia acquires Practical Parenting, IPCmedia.com, IPC.
8. ^ Tom Bureau joins Magicalia http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2008/jun/12/formercnetheadtombureaujo

External links

• Magicalia website
• Magicalia Commerce website