Cosmo brings in more extensions

Women’s magazine Cosmopolitan is stepping up its assault on the high street with more brand extensions – which could be backed by an advertising campaign.

The UK’s leading women’s monthly is to launch ranges of shoes, watches, handbags, luggage, towels and robes, swimwear and yoghurts, in a drive which will place the brand in retailers including John Lewis, House of Fraser, Debenhams and Bentalls. The swimwear range, launching in February, will be available by mail order through Freemans, as will the lingerie range which has already been launched.

A joint advertising campaign, which would link the various brands, is being considered by The Licensing Company (TLC) and the various manufacturers of Cosmopolitan products. TLC has managed the licensing process for all Cosmopolitan-branded goods. Joint promotions are also in the pipeline.

A spokeswoman for Milords International, licensee of the 38 Cosmopolitan lingerie items and Shilton, licensee for the 76 Cosmopolitan handbags, says: “Joint advertising makes sense because there is a natural synergy between some of the products, such as shoes and bags and lingerie and hosiery. All promotions benefit every licensee.” To date, Cosmopolitan has launched branded bedding, hosiery, lingerie and spectacles.