Targeting the million-plus American citizens currently living in Mexico, the English-language magazine Inside Mexico (20,000, monthly, English) has just celebrated its first anniversary.
“It’s really a big milestone,” says Inside Mexico’s President and Managing Editor Margot Lee Shetterly. “It’s been crucial to establish trust not only with our readers, but also with our advertising partners. Both of those relationships are really taking off, making this a very interesting and exciting time for us.”
The magazine currently distributes in Mexico City, Monterrey, Cancun, and other areas heavily populated by English-speakers. “The market is substantial,” says Shetterly. “There are more Americans living in Mexico than in any other country outside the United States, and more Canadians living in Mexico, outside of Canada and the United States. They come because the pace of life is alluring, the infrastructure is great, and because their money goes a lot further here.”
And with this influx of foreign citizens and capital comes a demand for the various goods and services that these newcomers are accustomed to, or find themselves in need of upon arrival. As such, the magazine has drawn assorted advertiser interest from local, national and international advertisers: “Many of the local advertisers include hotels, restaurants, lawyers and accountants, among others. Now that we’re publishing a real estate supplement we’ve gotten lots of interest from large banks like Banamex and Bancomer,” says Shetterly.
Distribution has been a challenge because of the size of the country and how dispersed its expat community is. The magazine is therefore distributed through a variety of channels to achieve maximum penetration. These channels include corporate headquarters, restaurants frequented by expats and newsstands. Inside Mexico also signed an interesting distribution deal with the distributor who handles subscriptions to The New York Times, The Washington Post and other U.S. publications to have the magazine sent to the same subscribers. “It makes sense, doesn’t it, that if you are receiving news from your homeland in English, you would want to receive news and info about your adopted homeland in English as well,” comments Shetterly.
Establishing an English-language magazine in Mexico is not an easy undertaking. Many have tried it and disappeared within the few first months. However, with its first critical year behind it, and having established both a solid reader base and steady advertising, Inside Mexico looks like it is poised to remain inside Mexico for some time to come.
