You’ll find it in private jets and cigar lounges; it’s the consumer bible for the über wealthy. But not even Robb Report was immune from cutbacks in print advertising when the economy cratered.

However, the Malibu magazine is building up again, as ultraluxury brands such as Lamborghini are keen to reach Robb’s high-net-worth readers. Ad pages are up 7 percent this year through the August edition to 700 pages, its publisher said.

The uptick has bred optimism, and Robb Report was even inspired to launch a title called Home & Style to tap new advertisers such as real estate developers and interior designers.

“It’s a logical extension for us,” said David Arnold, Robb Report publisher. “It’s a nice mix of advertisers that wouldn’t be core advertisers with the Robb Report.”

Robb Report readers have an average household net worth of $1.8 million. About three-fourths of them are men and the average age is 49.

Advertisers include Rolls-Royce, Dior watches and makers of yacht wear. The magazine charges about $29,000 for a full-page ad. In 2008, circulation was 120,000; today, the magazine claims an audience of 184,000.

But like so many others in the publishing industry, Robb Report suffered during the economic downturn. In 2007, the magazine had 1,752 pages of ads, according to the Publishers Information Bureau in New York. Last year, it had 1,312, down 25 percent compared with prerecession levels. Year over year, the magazine lost 3 percent of ad pages last year and 1 percent in 2011.

But it’s outperforming the broader magazine industry. Ad pages were down year over year about 8 percent industrywide and 3 percent in 2011, according to PIB, which surveys about 200 consumer titles.

Samir Husni, director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi, said this year’s comeback at Robb Report makes sense, since wealthy people are among the first beneficiaries of a recovery. What’s more, launching a Home & Style edition now could prove good timing.

“The best time to launch something is when the economy is not that great – by the time the economy recovers completely, the magazine will be ready to pick up all the gains,” he said.

Boom and bust

Robb Report is the flagship magazine of parent company CurtCo Robb Media of Malibu, which has in recent years sold off other titles such as Worth and San Diego magazines.

The company has also launched and folded a number of Robb Report spinoffs over the years, often in response to the macroeconomic climate. For example, Robb Report in 2007 folded its Luxury Home edition, targeted at second-home buyers, as the real estate market collapsed.

Robb Report also publishes a general interest consumer magazine, Collection, packaged with its main product. It was formerly sent to subscribers monthly, but Home & Style now replaces Collection at newsstands and in mailboxes every other month.

Husni said cheaper printing costs and a niche readership make it easier than ever to launch titles.

“It has become much, much easier to launch a magazine and much easier to kill a magazine,” he said.

Home & Style was created partially by diverting resources from Collection. But the company also hired two editors to run the magazine’s editorial operations from Malibu. Robb Report, including its other editions, has about 100 employees, with about 65 people in Malibu, and others in New York and elsewhere throughout the country.

Arnold said the conditions were right to launch a real estate title given today’s low interest rates and an aging population looking for second homes.

Arnold said Home & Style is different than Luxury Home because it has a greater focus on interior furnishings and design – which opens up more advertising categories, such as appliance makers.

“Luxury Home didn’t have the finesse this one has – it was home without the style,” he said.

Robb Report and Home & Style compete with titles such as Departures, distributed to American Express black and platinum cardholders, as well as Condé Nast Traveler and other specialty titles.

Home & Style had its official launch party last month at a 10,000-square-foot estate in Holmby Hills currently on the market and being sold by a partnership that includes “The Bourne Legacy” actor Jeremy Renner. The event was sponsored by TV manufacturer LG, which was touting its new line of 84-inch, $20,000 ultra-high definition sets.

So far, there have been three editions of Home & Style, and about 326 pages of ads – counted separately from Robb Report’s 700. Arnold said it is a net increase over selling ads for just Collection.

Part of the effort has been reaching out to real estate agents such as Marc Silver, an agent at Sotheby’s International Realty in Beverly Hills, to advertise. Silver would not say if he planned to buy space, but one of his listings, a $35 million home atop Billionaire’s Beach in Malibu, was featured editorially on the magazine’s website. He said it was welcome attention since Home & Style targets his narrow audience.

“Their demographic is one that I would want to reach,” he said. “I spend a tremendous amount of money to reach those buyers.”