Natmags To Take On Closer With New Celebrity Weekly
The National Magazine Company has announced plans to launch a new celebrity-focused weekly to go head-to-head with Emap’s highly successful Closer in the rapidly expanding sector.
The company that publishes Cosmopolitan and Best confirmed today that it is currently developing a new weekly under the working title Reveal, in an attempt to cash in on the lucrative celebrity magazine market.
Duncan Edwards, managing director of NatMags, said: “I can confirm we are looking at all frequencies, including the woman’s weekly sector. One project, to which we have given the working title of Reveal, is in its infancy.”
Natmags is looking to select a core team for the launch, which is not expected until next year. However, Edwards stressed that Reveal is at an embryonic stage and that details such as price and pagination are some way off being decided.
It is thought that Reveal will compete directly with Emap’s Closer, which launched in September 2002 with a mix of celebrity gossip, real life stories and fashion tips. The title saw circulation increase by an impressive 15.1% to 385,036 in the latest round of ABC results (see Emap Promotes Closer With Give-Away).
Natmags is still working on the finer details of Reveal, but Clemmow Hornby Inge and media buyers Initiative have been appointed to work on the launch, which will reportedly be supported by a £10 million marketing campaign.
Edwards also hinted that the company is looking at launches in a number of other sectors in the near future. He said: “Like all businesses we are constantly looking at new opportunities and I would like to stress that our focus is not exclusively on the weekly market. We believe that there is currently more than one opportunity with potential and Reveal is one of a number of projects currently in development.”
A number of other publishers, including Emap and Condé Nast, have also been linked with a launch into the women’s market. However, the latest ABC results revealed a slowdown in the rapid growth of the celebrity magazine sector with volumes across the burgeoning sector failing to show the significant increases seen over the last few years (see ABC Jul-Dec 2003: Growth Begins To Slow In Celebrity Sector).
National Magazine Company: 0207 439 5000 www.natmags.co.uk
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