NatMags moots brand extension

The National Magazine Company (NatMags) is considering extending other key magazine brands into retail concepts following the launch of a Cosmopolitan-branded café chain.

The publishing house has shut down its in-house enterprises division and appointed The Licensing Company (TLC) to develop a series of “high-profile, targeted” brand extension programmes for its magazine titles, which will include Good Housekeeping, Prima and House Beautiful.

TLC has been handling the licensing programme for Cosmopolitan for the past four years. The women’s glossy-magazine brand has been extended into clothing, linen, watches and eyewear. Earlier this year the brand was extended to Cosmo Café.

TLC managing director Angela Farrugia says: “TLC will now handle the entire NatMags’ portfolio, everything from Prima to Best. TLC has retail interests for all the key brands and it will look to target the right sector for each of the big brands.”

Farrugia adds that the NatMags portfolio will also present opportunities for TLC in terms of merchandising possibilities.

NatMags has long been adept at exploiting the potential of its magazine brands. Good Housekeeping, for instance, has its own range of branded baking equipment and recipe books.

Earlier this year, the publishing company pulled out of Cosmo Yogurts, a range of dairy products launched in 1999 as a joint venture with MD Foods (MW February 22).