ToppHälsa magazine succeeds in downturn

Bonnier Tidskrifter magazine ToppHälsa will celebrate its fifth year of publication with an anniversary issue, No. 5, later this year. Editorial staff are working now with issue No. 4 which goes to press in a few days. The theme is strength. Managing editor Frida Boisen proudly explains that ToppHälsa is the only magazine in the health segment that has raised its readership numbers – while other health magazines have lost readers.

"We actually managed to raise ad sales by 10 percent. I believe our successes are due to our smart mix. The magazine looks fresh, gorgeous and trendy, and we've worked a lot on the design," says Boisen. The proof is in art director for ToppHälsa Anna Ågren's nomination as Art Director of the Year for the Swedish Tidskriftspriset prize in the autumn.

ToppHälsa was started by Amelia Adamo and Ann Fredlund. In 2009 the magazine underwent a complete facelift and Frida Boisen became managing editor at that time. She predicts the next big trend – "after the music boom of the ´90s and the fashion wave of the ´00s" – will be health. Since she started with the magazine, profits have quadrupled and the trend doesn't look to change any time soon. And there is always room for more – the magazine has a number of events and cooperations underway at all times.

"We have noticed that our readers want to feel good, so our events are extremely popular," says Boisen, who works hard to find new opportunities to partner with companies and other media. "Our readers want to concentrate on their health and they're ready to pay for it. The workout trip to Portugal that we've sponsored three years in a row always gives us a positive kick from every traveler. And it really builds the brand."

What else is on your agenda?

"There's a lot coming up. Along with Portugal and a tour around Sweden with the VårRuset race for which ToppHälsa is a media partner, we are arranging for the first time a trip to New York for the New York Mini 10K women-only race, and I'm going to run. We're a whole group going and I'm convincing people to join. With Bonnier Creative, we brainstorm about other creative events - for example, we have a new workout DVD coming out. In the autumn, ToppHälsa and free weekly Stockholm City will be sponsoring a "health initiative for Stockholm."

The website for Topphälsa is also getting a facelift. A full schedule for Boisen and her team in other words, but fully inspiring as well.