Verve India
37% increase in subscribers
Quest Digital Services Used
Google Ads
Social Media Marketing
Overview
Verve India Magazine is a leading home-grown digital magazine dedicated to luxury, lifestyle, and culture, crafted especially for the modern Indian woman. Established in 1995 by Anuradha Mahindra, Verve has consistently championed diverse narratives, remaining at the heart of India’s evolving cultural landscape by spotlighting the style, spirit, and substance of contemporary Indian women.
Goals
​1. Grow Subscriber Base
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The primary objective was to boost the overall number of magazine subscribers, expanding reach and readership.
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​2. Increase Paid Subscriptions
Beyond growing subscriptions, the focus was on maximizing the volume of paid orders—specifically encouraging upfront payments to enhance order efficiency and revenue predictability.
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Challenges
​ 1. The print industry overall has faced a steady decline in subscriptions
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In an era where magazine subscriptions are shrinking, Verve needed to identify and connect with the right audience—discerning readers who value curated, culturally rich content. Our challenge was to distinguish Verve from the growing sea of lifestyle content, and position it as a magazine truly worth subscribing to.
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2. Lack of Content Exclusivity
As Verve's articles and features became more accessible online, the magazine faced the challenge of redefining its value proposition. With most of the content available digitally at vervemagazine.in, we needed to appeal to readers in a new way—offering them not just articles, but an immersive experience and exclusive perspectives they wouldn’t find elsewhere. The key question became: Why choose to subscribe when so much is online for free?
Our Strategies
​ 1.Find the Right Audience
With content increasingly available online, we needed to reposition Verve as more than just a magazine—it had to be seen as a symbol of style, achievement, and cultural relevance. The goal was to make Verve not just something to read, but something to belong to.
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2.Creative Display Ad Concept
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We developed a dynamic display ad with the tagline:
“Your Story. Your Style. Your Verve.”
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The visual featured a mock Verve cover with the subscriber’s name stylishly placed where a cover personality’s name would typically appear—conveying that every woman has a story worthy of the spotlight.
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The concept celebrated the idea that subscribing to Verve is a declaration of confidence and individuality. It’s not just about staying updated on trends—it’s about aligning with a brand that amplifies women’s voices, aspirations, and aesthetics. The cover treatment emphasized that you don’t just read Verve—you become part of its narrative.
This approach planted the idea that Verve is not only aspirational but also personal—a reflection of who you are and who you’re becoming.
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Video Appeals To A New Audience
Our strategy in creating video content for Verve Magazine was to engage a new generation of culturally aware, style-conscious readers—particularly recent college graduates. While this isn't Verve’s traditional demographic, we saw an opportunity to redefine the brand’s relevance for younger audiences, presenting Verve as both aspirational and accessible: a publication that’s not only stylish, but meaningful.
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We set ourselves apart by focusing on the values that define Verve—creativity, individuality, empowerment, and cultural depth—while using a medium that resonates with younger viewers. In today’s digital landscape, platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook are where conversations happen. By entering these spaces with premium video content, Verve claimed a spot in the feeds—and minds—of the next generation.
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While most magazines use video to boost their online presence, we took a different approach: we used video to promote our print subscription. Our goal was to reframe print not as outdated, but as a luxury experience—something tactile, curated, and worth collecting. The video emphasized that subscribing to Verve is more than receiving a magazine—it's joining a cultural movement that celebrates modern Indian identity through the lenses of fashion, art, travel, and lifestyle.
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Even though Verve is well-known in cultural and fashion circles, we wanted to increase awareness of our affordable subscription pricing. After showcasing Verve’s prestige and editorial quality in our display and video ads, we asked a simple question: Why wouldn’t you subscribe for just ₹299 a year? For young professionals, creatives, and students beginning their journey, the price point becomes an easy and attractive entry into the world of Verve.
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Our video production team created engaging, high-design video content for use across programmatic display, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook campaigns, delivering Verve’s signature elegance in a format that connects with today’s digital-first audiences.
PPC Optimization
We broadened our audience strategy to include a wider range of age groups, income levels, and interests—redefining assumptions about who a Verve reader could be. While we initially had a focused demographic in mind, testing new audience segments allowed us to uncover untapped potential and expand our reach.
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We moved beyond brand-specific keywords and tapped into mid-funnel traffic by targeting users searching for magazine subscriptions more generally. When we began managing the account, nearly all subscriptions were coming from keywords directly tied to "Verve." By shifting our strategy to include terms like “luxury magazine subscriptions” and “lifestyle magazine for women,” we grew Verve’s subscription base and reached readers who hadn’t yet discovered the brand.
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We also leveraged audience lists to drive targeted campaigns. Past subscribers were segmented and re-engaged with renewal messaging, while users who had claimed free digital issues but hadn’t converted to paid subscribers were retargeted with special subscription offers. This allowed us to maximize retention while continuing to build trust with newer prospects.
Additionally, Verve’s free lifestyle newsletters—covering topics like fashion, travel, and culture—offered another way to engage users and capture emails. These contacts were added to segmented retargeting lists and served tailored Verve Magazine ads, encouraging conversion to full subscriptions.
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Previously, Verve had not invested heavily in display advertising, but we introduced it as a key channel. We targeted lifestyle and culture enthusiasts, fashion readers, and design aficionados, ensuring Verve appeared in front of the right users across the web. We also re-engaged website visitors with visually rich display ads that reflected Verve’s signature aesthetic, increasing both visibility and subscription conversions.
Results
37%
Growth in subscribers YoY
2
New Marketing Channels
20.4%
Increase in revenue
110%
Increase In PPC Traffic