Echo Magazine

What Echo Magazine does

Echo Magazine is the operating brand of Info Communication Service, a privately held French publisher founded in 1997 and headquartered in Lespinasse, in the Toulouse metropolitan area. It produces and distributes free regional women's magazines across four cities in the Occitanie region of southern France: Toulouse (Echo 31, ~100,000 copies per issue), Montauban (Echo 82, ~45,000), Albi (~40,000), and Castres (~40,000). The magazines are published twice yearly (Printemps-Été and Automne-Hiver) and cover lifestyle pillars including Mode, Beauté, Services, Gastronomie, Décoration, and Habitat. Distribution is hybrid: approximately 80% of copies are delivered directly to selected household mailboxes, with the remaining 20% placed at pickup points such as medical offices, clinics, bakeries, and partner businesses.

Revenue is generated entirely from advertising sold to local businesses and professionals in the form of "publi-reportages" (advertorial content that profiles local expertise, products, and services), supplemented by dedicated coupon/promotional offer sections in each regional edition. The company sells multi-year placements to a fragmented base of local SMB advertisers, with no disclosed subscription or consumer revenue. There is no proprietary technology platform; the business runs on a basic content website (echo-magazine.com) maintained by an external web developer, and operations are run by a micro team of 1-10 employees.

The legal entity (Info Communication Service, RCS Toulouse 412 667 297) is privately held with no external investors, parent company, or funding rounds on record. There are no AI/ML capabilities, no API surface, no native applications, and no data monetization layer. The competitive position rests on 25+ years of continuous local presence, a built mailbox distribution network, and brand recognition as the first free women's magazine in Occitanie.

Name

Echo Magazine

Legal name

Info Communication Service

Website

https://echo-magazine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Echo Magazine is a privately held free women's magazine publisher in southern France, distributing bi-annual print editions across Toulouse, Montauban, Albi, and Castres (totaling ~225,000 copies per issue) and selling publi-reportage advertising to local SMBs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Print Magazine

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Women’s Interest & Parenting Magazines (MPAJAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF)

Keywords

• Free women's magazine
• Regional print magazine
• Publi-reportage advertising
• Local lifestyle content
• Advertising publication

Headquarters

HQ city

Lespinasse

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Publi-reportages: Echo Magazine generates revenue primarily through advertising and advertorial content (publi-reportages) sold to local businesses, retailers, service providers, and professionals. Local businesses pay to feature their products, services, and expertise in the magazine, targeting female consumers in their region.
2. Coupon/Offers Section: The magazine publishes special coupon and promotional offer sections, generating additional advertising revenue from businesses looking to promote deals to readers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Echo Magazine publishes free regional women's magazines across four cities in southern France (Occitanie), distributed twice yearly (Printemps-Été and Automne-Hiver). The magazines feature lifestyle content covering Mode, Beauté, Services, Gastronomie, Décoration, and Habitat, combined with publi-reportages (advertorials) from local businesses. Revenue is generated by selling advertising and advertorial placements to local businesses targeting female consumers.

Product overview

Echo Magazine is a network of free regional women's magazines published in southern France (Occitanie). The portfolio consists of one central brand (Echo Magazine) with four regional editions: Echo 31 (Toulouse, 100,000 copies), Echo 82 (Montauban, 45,000 copies), Echo Magazine Albi Edition (40,000 copies), and Echo Magazine Castres Edition (40,000 copies). All editions share common content pillars (Mode, Beauté, Services, Gastronomie, Déco/Habitat) and feature publi-reportages from local businesses. The magazines are distributed twice yearly (Printemps-Eté and Automne-Hiver seasons) via mailbox distribution (80%) and deposit points (20%). A digital version is available online at echo-magazine.com. Each regional edition maintains its own coupon/supplement section with special offers from local advertisers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Echo Magazine: Free women's magazine with publi-reportages covering Mode, Beauté, Santé, Services, Gastronomie, Décoration, and Habitat for local communities in Occitanie, France.

Products and services

• Echo 31 (Toulouse Edition) Local free women's magazine edition for Toulouse and surrounding area, distributed at 100,000 copies per issue since 1997. Features Mode, Beauté, Services, Gastronomie, Décoration, and Habitat content with publi-reportages from local businesses.
• Echo 82 (Montauban Edition) Local free women's magazine edition for Montauban and surrounding Tarn-et-Garonne region, distributed at 45,000 copies per issue since 1999. Features lifestyle content and local business publi-reportages.
• Echo Magazine Albi Edition Local free women's magazine edition for Albi, Gaillac, and Carmaux regions, distributed at 40,000 copies per issue since 1998. Features lifestyle content and local business publi-reportages.
• Echo Magazine Castres Edition Local free women's magazine edition for Castres, Lavaur, and Mazamet regions, distributed at 40,000 copies per issue since 1998. Features lifestyle content and local business publi-reportages.
• Digital Magazine (Online Edition) Online digital version of Echo Magazine accessible at echo-magazine.com, featuring the same content as print editions including Mode, Beauté, Services, Gastronomie, and Décoration/Habitat sections with full-screen magazine viewing capability.
• Coupons (Special Offers) Special coupon and discount sections published periodically with each regional edition, offering promotional deals from local advertisers targeting female consumers in the Occitanie region.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• La Citadelle MontalbanaiseminorOthersSecurity services provider advertising in Echo Magazine Montauban edition, located at 83 rue Léon Cladel, 82000 Montauban.
• La Citadelle ToulousaineminorOthersSecurity services provider advertising in Echo Magazine Toulouse edition, located at 62 rue Bayard, 31000 Toulouse.
• L'AlcôveminorOthersRestaurant partner advertising in Echo Magazine, located in Villemur sur Tarn.
• MarquisatminorOthersArtisan food producer advertising in Echo Magazine, specializing in local Southwest products since 40 years.
• AquavelominorOthersAquabiking center partner advertising in Echo Magazine Toulouse edition.
• MonOpticienminorOthersOptical services provider advertising in Echo Magazine, located in Bressols.
• Body Sun ClinicminorOthersAesthetic and wellness center advertising in Echo Magazine Montauban edition.
• C2CminorOthersAccounting and expertise firm advertising in Echo Magazine.
• AGN AvocatsminorOthersLaw firm advertising in Echo Magazine Montauban edition.
• Salon MonMariageminorOthersWedding salon/event partner advertising in Echo Magazine, promoting seasonal wedding trends.
• Montauban Tattoo ShowminorOthersTattoo convention event partner advertising in Echo Magazine Montauban edition.
• LeonidasminorOthersChocolate retailer advertising in Echo Magazine Toulouse edition.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Prisma Media: Leading French magazine publisher (Grazia, Voici, Femme Actuelle, Capital) and a major advertising platform. Broad incumbent whose portfolio includes direct competitors to Echo (Femme Actuelle, Prima) but operates at national scale with diversified digital and print assets.
• Reworld Media: French multimedia group publishing magazines (Télé Magazine, Grazia France, etc.) and digital media properties. Comparable as a publisher monetizing female and lifestyle audiences via advertising, but operates at significantly larger national and digital scale.

Regional players

• 20 Minutes: Free French daily newspaper with local Toulouse/Occitanie editions, distributed via urban pickup points and digital. Comparable free-distribution and local advertising model, though news-focused rather than women's lifestyle; competes for the same local SMB ad budget in Echo's markets.
• Direct Matin / CNews Matin: Free daily French press title with regional editions distributed in major cities including Toulouse. Comparable free-distribution model reaching urban French households, though with a daily news focus rather than women's lifestyle.

Direct peers

• Prima: French women's lifestyle magazine covering fashion, beauty, home, family, and consumer advice — directly overlapping Echo's editorial pillars and female consumer target segment. Comparable advertising-supported print model.
• Notre Temps: French women's magazine aimed at active 50+ women covering health, lifestyle, beauty, and home — partially overlapping Echo's Mode, Beauté, Santé content pillars and similar advertising-supported print model.
• Version Femina: French weekly free women's magazine distributed nationwide, primarily through partnerships with regional daily newspapers. Closest direct comparable to Echo Magazine in that both are free women's magazines monetized via advertising, though Version Femina operates at national scale versus Echo's regional Occitanie footprint.
• Télé Star Magazine: French free magazine distributed at newsstands and pickup points, covering entertainment and lifestyle. Comparable free-distribution, advertising-funded model to Echo Magazine, though with a broader entertainment-led editorial focus.
• Femmes Actuelles: Leading French women's interest magazine covering beauty, fashion, health, family, and lifestyle — directly comparable content mix and female audience to Echo Magazine, with a much larger national distribution footprint.
• Modes & Travaux: French women's lifestyle magazine covering fashion, beauty, home decoration, and cuisine — overlapping content pillars with Echo Magazine's Mode, Beauté, Décoration, and Habitat sections. Comparable target audience of female consumers, though distributed via paid subscription.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Echo Magazine