Natmags To Extend Trial Of Compact Cosmopolitan
The National Magazine Company has announced plans to extend trials of special travel-sized editions of its flagship women’s monthly, Cosmopolitan, after success in a recent three month pilot.
Next week will see the A5 version of Cosmo extend its print run from 50,000 to 85,000 following an increase in demand for the magazine, which features the same content as its full-size counterpart.
Commenting on the initiative, Cosmopolitan‘s public relations manager, Caroline Wood, said: “The October, December and January editions of the magazine were trialed and showed the travel-sized format to be very popular. We are selling two-to-one of the compact edition and have got a huge amount of positive reader feedback.”
She added: “Demand from selected travel outlets to stock both editions of the magazine has been high, but we want to make sure we’re getting it right for our consumers and our advertisers, that’s why we’re progressing in stages.”
Conde Nast’s Glamour was the first magazine to launch in a compact handbag size back in 2001. It has since snatched the much coveted top spot in the highly competitive women’s monthly market from former sector leader, Cosmopolitan.
With Glamour going from strength to strength, the team at Cosmo are eager to catch up. However, Wood insists the magazine is not simply creating a copy-cat version Glamour. She said: “What we’re trying to do is respond to a demand from a certain group of readers who want something they can take with them while they’re travelling, but there are still lots of readers who prefer the original.”
The latest round of ABC figures for the six months to December 2003 show that Cosmopolitan saw circulation fall by 0.5% year on year to 460,655. Meanwhile, Glamour continue to tighten its grip on the women’s monthly magazine market with a solid 8.4% rise to 582,690.
National Magazine Company: 0207 439 5000 www.natmags.co.uk
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