Cosmo Gets a Little Sister

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Sept 1, 1999 by Vira Mamchur Schwartz

CosmoGirl! hopes to meet the needs of the "inner girl."

As its name suggests, the new CosmoGirl! borrows heavily from Hearst's juggernaut Cosmopolitan. Take away the sex, substitute "backpack" for "bedside" astrologer, use younger fashions and models, include Hollywood's younger hunks (and throw in some stickers of the stars), focus on giving girls confidence to be themselves, have lots of contest giveaways--and you have CosmoGirl!.

It's not just the logo that Cosmopolitan and its young sibling have in common, however. CosmoGirl! editor Atoosa Rubinstein spent six years at Cosmopolitan, and says she learned from the best: Helen Gurley Brown. "What we get from Cosmopolitan is the inspiration of Ms. Brown's message: You can be what you want to be," says Rubinstein. "And who needs to hear this more than 12- to 17-year-old girls going through a confusing time?"

With an editorial staff mostly in its twenties, and even a few teenagers on the masthead, CosmoGirl! is made up of "big sisters" who "totally remember what it's like to be that age," says Rubinstein. Which is appropriate, since the magazine's 27-year-old editor wants the title to serve collectively as a "cool big sister" to its readers.

CosmoGirl! launched in late June with an August/September cover date. Two more issues due out later this year will complete the test run. After that, the decision will be made whether to take the publication monthly. The first issue had a distribution of 850,000 and is available at newsstands, bookstores and all major outlets for $2.99.

Been there, done that?

CosmoGirl! claims its editorial focus is unique, but is the title really breaking new ground? Not according to Seventeen and Twist editors. "We saw ourselves in some of their pages," says Seventeen editor Patty Ashcroft. "I'm flattered."

"I suppose imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," says Lisa Lombardi, editor of the two-year-old Twist, "but this may be more flattery than we need. I was surprised when I saw several features that were the same. CosmoGirl! could benefit from what Helen Gurley Brown stood for: fresh ideas."

Indeed, there are several similarities: Both Twist and CosmoGirl! include lots of embarrassing-moment accounts, use flow-chart quizzes, and put humorous quotes into celebrities mouths via word balloons, for example.

Nevertheless, Ashcroft and Lombardi see room for another teen title in the market. "I think girls will buy more than one magazine," says Lombardi, "if the magazines are different enough and relate to their readers."

It's all about relationships

Donna Kalajian Lagani, who is currently serving as senior vice president/publisher of Cosmopolitan and CosmoGirl! until a full-time publisher for CosmoGirl! can be found, says she believes the potential for the new title is great. "This is a very exciting category for advertisers because so many people are targeting this audience. We have everyone: Tommy, Lancome, Clinique, L'Oreal, Calvin Klein. The feedback I've gotten is, 'Wow, you guys have hit the nail on the head with what's unique in this field.'" A full-page, four-color non-bleed ad is $32,500.

Jay Margolis, chairman and CEO of Esprit, an advertiser in CosmoGirl!, says, "It's all about building relationships with the consumer, and that's what Rubinstein has done. She's created a different niche."

Jayne Greenberg, vice president, advertising media, Gap, calls CosmoGirl! "modern and adventurous, with a great attitude and sense of style." Gap chose to advertise in CosmoGirl! because "teens are important to Gap, and we want to reach them through quality publications," she says.

CosmoGirl! simultaneously launched a Web site as an extension of the magazine and to help build a community. Kalajian Lagani says the Web site has received one million impressions since its launch.

Rubinstein adds that e-mail feedback has been tremendous, and that her staff makes every effort to answer all e-mails: "Everyone I work with has to understand that this is a mission: helping this girl through this funny time in her life."

Start-up stats

Launch: June 1999

Distribution: 850,000, newsstand

Ad rate: Full-page, four-color, non-bleed: $32,500

Paid advertisers at launch: 50+

Publisher: Hearst