G&J moves upmarket with beauty magazine

Publisher Gruner & Jahr will launch an upmarket glossy women’s health and beauty title in the autumn, with a cover price of about 2.

Publisher Gruner & Jahr will launch an upmarket glossy women’s health and beauty title in the autumn, with a cover price of about 2.

The new magazine has been given the working title of ‘Project Johnny’.

Jessica Burley, the publishing director of Gruner & Jahr-owned Prima magazine group, says: “This is a market where we think there is potential for growth.

She adds: “The new magazine will be more upmarket than traditionally.”

The editor of the new title is Helena Jaworska-Lang, who was poached from IPC where she was deputy editor of Options. She will work under editor-in-chief Lindsey Nicholson, who will oversee the project.

German publisher G&J, which has a stable of mid-market women’s titles such as Prima, Best, Focus, and Your Home, will model the new magazine on an American title the company already publishes called Fitness Magazine.

Burley adds: “Project Johnny will initially be a test launch “to test the waters in this market.”

The market for fitness magazines has grown steadily for men and women. Rodale Press-owned Men’s Health, and Zest, owned by the National Magazine Company, have launched in the past three years and enjoy strong circulation.