Borders is claiming a UK first in discounting across all magazine titles with its buy-one-get-one-half-price (BOGOHP) offer, which will run from 29 September to 5 October.
Magazine Week is the industry's campaign to increase consumer awareness of the diversity of the UK magazine industry and boost sales through PR and retail activity. The theme for this year's event is "indulge your passion – try a magazine".
Borders will run the discount promotion throughout its 41 stores. At the same time, it will give shoppers the chance to meet editors and participate in activities relating to specific magazine interest categories.
In spite of many of the bigger consumer magazines seeing their circulation dwindle, the overall industry is in good health.
Figures published by the Audit Bureau of Circulations in February revealed that overall circulation of consumer titles rose by 8.6% in 2007, boosted by the rise in the number of customer magazines as well as a growing trend for smaller, niche titles.
Nicola Rowe, PPA director of circulation, said: "The BOGOHP mechanic will drive consumers to trial new magazines outside their normal repertoire: to prompt them to be more adventurous and experimental in dipping into the wider world of magazines."
PPA is currently in talks with all the major magazine retailers about Magazine Week. For the inaugural event, held last year, retailers including Borders, WH Smith, Tesco and Co-op participated, and an independent promotional store competition was run in conjunction with the magazine Retail Newsagent.
