Visit any bookstore in Japan, and your attention will be drawn to a certain sight. You will see large piles of magazines bundled with giveaways. The giveaways may be larger than the magazines themselves, so you may wonder what readers are paying for: the magazine or the giveaway. Japanese readers are crazy about magazine giveaways. Let's look into what makes them so attractive.

Stylish and Reasonably Priced Magazine Giveaways – The Boom Began in 2002

Magazines with giveaways are sold elsewhere in the world but there is no country like Japan for the wide variety of giveaways. The first such magazine appeared in Japan in 2002, when a fashion magazine came out with a free brand name item. Waves of magazines giving away bags, pouches and other products appeared afterward, along with a growing variety of giveaways, such as coin purses, tableware and cosmetics. The contents also got more luxurious.

The reason for the popularity of magazines with giveaways is their affordable prices. They cost a bit more than average fashion magazines. Despite that, the magazines are quite attractive because, for the same price as lunch at a restaurant, readers get limited items that are not sold on the normal market. When you enter a major bookstore, you will usually find magazines with giveaways filling the magazine area, which is in the most conspicuous spot in the store. Magazines that are especially popular will pull in buyers one after another, who reserve the magazines before they go on sale. These magazines sell out immediately after they hit the bookstands.

Full of Ideas, Women's Magazine Giveaways Exciting Women's Interests

The public is paying lots of attention to some women's magazines because of their fancy giveaways. Let's take a look at some of them, starting with a fashion magazine whose readers are mainly twenty-something women. The February 2017 issue of the magazine offered a tote bag and fur clutch in the popular color of dusty blue. Not only can a woman bring them separately for different occasions but she can also combine them in an ensemble, and this idea appeals to fashion-conscious minds.

The giveaway packaged with the January 2017 issue of a fashion magazine aimed at women in their forties included a calendar, envelopes, small plates and hashi-oki (chopstick rests, or a small knickknack for a pair of chopsticks placed on a table). The richness of the contents became the topic of much conversation. In particular, from the brand of a popular Swedish potter, the small plates and hashi-oki got a lot of attention. Illustrations of very adorable animals were drawn on these pieces of Japanese-style tableware. Just to get them, many women went to bookstores.

Among the magazines with giveaways, the contents of many magazines are entirely dedicated to a specific fashion brand. An example is a magazine covering an immensely popular sundries brand with girly designs. One issue of the magazine gave away a smartphone case printed with a pink ribbon pattern. This giveaway was much talked about online, with comments like, "It would be a shame not getting it!" Not only did it look pretty, but also meticulous attention was paid to detail, like the inclusion of a storage pocket for a smart card that is used to ride trains.

Functional and Stylish Men's Magazine Giveaways Also Getting Attention

Not to be outdone by women's magazines, men's magazines have also had gorgeous giveaways. A men's lifestyle magazine included a special giveaway: a genuine two-way business bag. The bag can be used as a shoulder bag or a briefcase. Besides a large capacity, which accommodates even a notebook PC, the bag is designed with extreme attention to utility. For example, it has a zip pocket for storing a wallet and mobile phone, and is made of a durable water-repellent fabric.

Next, let's look at a knit cap that recently got some publicity as the giveaway packaged with a fashion magazine aimed at men in their thirties. The deep olive-green knit cap is thickly ribbed and stretches comfortably. Its design is simple so it goes well with a variety of outfits. One reader said, about the soft texture of the cap, that the finish compares favorably with caps sold at clothing stores. The cap captured the hearts of stylish readers.

Giveaways are important as the faces of magazines now, when readers rush to purchase magazines for their giveaways. The next time that you are in Japan, drop by a bookstore and go to the magazine area. Among the many magazines arranged there, you will undoubtedly see a giveaway that makes your heart skip a beat and you think, "I want it!"