New Rags for New Money

The MPA's list of new magazine titles in 2005 includes a staggering twenty (20) rags catering to affluent markets. Here they are in case you want to subscribe:

• 24: 24 is a new magazine devoted to nightlife & fine living for the affluent market. This magazine aims to cover night life and good living in the major cities on both coasts and in between.
  
• Affluent Living Magazine: This magazine targets the affluent reader in Oregon.
  
• Boston Commonwealth: Targeting affluent readers and to be distributed via high-end hotels, restaurants, limos and private jets. The magazine is to be a celebration of the city of Boston.
  
• Bronzeville: A magazine for the "Buppies" of Chicago featuring articles for the achieving urbanite, covering all things of interest in Chicago. Not exclusively targeting affluent African Americans, but the achievers and up-and-comers in the urban communities.
  
• Capitol File: A magazine that caters to the affluent in the DC area. The magazine will be mailed free to all homes valued over $1 million. It will regularly cover art and society.
  
• Cookie: Launching as a test, the upscale parenting magazine; "Cookie" is billed as the magazine for sophisticated parents. It targets parents who want to spend money outfitting their kids in the latest gear and fashion.
  
• Florida Travel & Life: Intended for the affluent Florida resident or well-heeled tourist wishing to get in closer to what's special and unique about the state.
  
• Golf Living: A title aimed at the affluent golfer who travels, looks for the best equipment and insists on the finer things that surround the game.
  
• Mason-Dixon Arrive: Mason Dixon Arrive is a digest size color magazine that serves the affluent homeowner. Fine restaurants, gardening, travel, fitness & health, antiques and interior design will form the basis of the editorial.
  
• Men's Vogue: A spin-off of the classic Vogue targeting affluent men over 35 with varied and dynamic editorial and the high quality photography the Vogue brand is known for.
  
• MotorTrend Classic: Motor Trend Classic is targeting an affluent automobile enthusiast audience. Aimed at baby-boomers seeking to reconnect with the cars they loved as children and in their youth who know have the discretionary income to act on their desire for special classic vehicles.
  
• Noir: Serving the affluent and upwardly mobile African American communities, Noir magazine promises features on the entertainment scene, the world of fashion, personal finance, health and well being. It will also feature coverage of pressing social issues. Featuring profiles of African Americans in society, the role models and leaders.
  
• OC Flair: A lifestyle magazine that targets the affluent readers of Orange County California. There will be recurring features on health and fitness as well as recreation and outdoor sports.
  
• Our Weekly: Our Weekly is a new magazine created for the affluent African American communities of Southern California and the greater Los Angeles area. The magazine includes stories on human interest, social issues, health, fitness and new profiles of African American leaders in the community and beyond.
  
• Positive: Positive Magazine is the must read for busy professionals who are constantly traveling but still desire the finer things and want to be kept up on lifestyle trends and innovations in leisure. It will combine high end photography from locations around the world but with local interest stories as well with thorough business features. Positive Magazine targets the discerning professional business traveler.
  
• Premier Essentials: Premier Essentials will be an affluent men's magazine targeting men 30-49 with an incomes of $150,000 and a net worth of at least $500,000.
  
• Satisfaction: Satisfaction is a new title aimed at adults age 55 to 64 who are making the transition to new stages in their lives. It will target affluent adults who are moving from full-time work to the next exciting phase of their life.
  
• SW Quarterly: Sporting Woman Quarterly had its beginning online in 2002. A women's sporting magazine that will bring the women’s luxury sports calendar into the hands of the affluent sports socialite or enthusiast who attends regular sporting events and related charity functions. A historical perspective of women’s sports will be featured in the first print issue.
  
• Ultimate Homes Magazine: Ultimate Homes showcases a first-ever list of more than 850 upscale homes for sale in the country. This new annual issue from the publishers of the leading luxury real estate magazine, Unique Homes, will cover the affluent home market with high-end photography and quality editorial content.
  
• Weekend: Weekend targets the 30-something affluent woman. The magazine will focus on the time of the week related to leisure, family, recreation, home improvement and entertainment

On the other hand, Pride & Class magazine is catered to owner-operators of Peterbilt trucks. And Divorce in Denver magazine is, well, for Denver swingers with lighter-than-air ring fingers.

I interpret these new "affluence" periodicals as instruction manuals for how to spend those piles of extra cash. In other words, this is a sad misallocation of resources just like Veblen was growling about more than a century ago. Conspicuous consumption, complete with sparkly adverts and trifold photospreads.