Birmingham is a lot of things to many different people. Above all, it’s a great place for families. Bham Family magazine connects you to families throughout Jefferson and Shelby Counties better than any other publication.
The evolution of a magazine
In 1999 — before Facebook, Google, or Instagram — a new publication made its appearance in the Magic City. Birmingham Kid’s Directory started with much promise, catering to busy parents. The directory-style publication was immediately popular with parents and advertisers alike.
By 2011, the publication had changed names to Birmingham Kids & Family, and again to Birmingham Fun & Family in April 2014. As social media became more popular with nearly every age and demographic group, the magazine held its own.
By 2019, the magazine was celebrating 20 years in publication, and its longtime owners were looking for someone to pass the publication on to for its next chapter. Matthew Allen, a 15-year advertising sales veteran in the Birmingham market, purchased the magazine in January 2019.
The next year saw changes and improvements to the magazine. For the first time, the magazine featured regular content — stories and photos — and the magazine welcomed its first-ever Content Director in February 2020. A new website debuted in August 2019, and the magazine’s Facebook page crossed the 50,000-fan mark the next month.
By early 2020, with a new Content Director on board, the magazine changed names to Bham Family, a shorter, more concise description of who we are. We are a family publication, telling stories about families and celebrating the things families are doing. We aren’t a parenting magazine; we aren’t a baby publication. We are a community publication, for families, owned by a family.
Partner with us
You own or manage a business. You’re charged with advertising and reaching the right audience. How does a printed magazine fit in with what everything you hear in 2020? It’s tempting to listen to one of the thousands of “experts” whispering (or shouting) in your ear: “No one reads magazines anymore.” “Put all your money in digital.” Or, one of our favorites, “Don’t spend money on advertising…word of mouth is all you need.”
Print media has undeniably changed. Daily newspapers have suffered; national magazines are ceasing publication on a regular basis; people spend more time on their phones than ever before. But, key sectors of the print landscape have done well. Hyperlocal newspapers are thriving, delivering news to communities. Niche magazines are also doing well, as they focus on underserved audiences and bring them unique, engaging content (both in print and through digital formats).
The best marketers know (even if some won’t say it out loud) that marketing isn’t effective when it’s limited to one or two outlets. Traditional media (print, TV, radio, outdoor) are all vitally important to breaking through the suffocating digital world we now live in. Don’t believe us? Google advertises on TV and in magazines. Amazon buys billboards and also utilizes TV and print media. Ebay runs commercials on TV and radio regularly. Nearly every new Internet-based retail company — selling everything from mattresses to socks to clothes to electronics — has included direct-mail catalogs extensively in its marketing plan.
If the world’s largest digital companies utilize traditional media, why shouldn’t you?
So what does this mean on a hyperlocal level? Very few companies can dream of having the marketing budget of Google, Amazon, or Coca-Cola. You can still use your budget, no matter how large or small, to include Bham Family as a complement to what you’re doing online.
Bham Family has tremendous reach:
- 14,000 copies every month, available at 600+ high-impact locations
- Facebook page with 50,100+ fans
- Instagram page with 2,000+ followers
- An email database of more than 9,000 subscribers
Partnering with us through advertising gives you access to our extended readership through all these channels.
As we continue to grow, we’ll be adding new ways to market your business, including online contests, family festivals, and much more.
We are 100% on board with making our partnership worth every dollar you spend…and more.
Want more information?
Fill out the form below, and let’s get to know each other.