EMAP to take on women’s glossies
EMAP Elan plans to launch a women’s monthly magazine to compete with Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan.
The launch is planned for spring next year and has been described by one EMAP insider as “less in-your-face than Marie Claire and Cosmo”. Marie Claire is published by IPC and Cosmopolitan is published by The National Magazine Company.
The special projects division under EMAP Elan’s editorial director Ian Birch has expanded as the project nears launch and a number of agency media buyers have been told to prepare for the magazine.
The project is believed to be the responsibility of Fiona Gibson who developed the company’s teen title, It’s Bliss, leading to speculation that it may be slightly younger than Marie Claire and closer to Company.
Asked about the project Gibson will only say:”I cannot discuss that.”
EMAP already publishes New Woman and Elle in the woman’s glossy sector. But both are acquired titles published jointly with French company Hachette. EMAP is believed to feel that a wholly new title is required to crack the market.
“Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan are phenomenally strong brands, so taking them on will be incredibly difficult,” says Richard Britton, head of press at CIA Medianetwork. “It’s more likely that they will build on their successful teenage titles like more! to take on Company.”
Fiona McIntosh, deputy features editor of the Daily Mirror, will be the new editor of Company magazine, replacing Mandi Norwood who moved to edit Cosmopolitan.
