Mag Bag: 'Family Circle' Launches NASCAR Cooking Show

Family Circle Launches NASCAR Cooking Show

Yep, you read right. While snooty Northeastern media types might not know it, NASCAR events are actually laboratories for all kinds of inventive cooking. Some of the best race cuisine will be featured in a new series of shows created by Family Circle and NASCAR called "NASCAR: Serving It Up," which will air on Meredith Broadcasting and get cross-promotions in the magazine.

Family Circle is actually tapping into a popular phenomenon. NASCAR hosts a "Nascar Cooks!" contest, with official sponsors including Tabasco and celebrity appearances by Mario Batali, who also published a cookbook titled "Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style." Batali also contributes to Nascar.com, which posts articles including recipes and party planning for the perfect NASCAR weekend by other authors.

For Meredith, the partnership marks the latest attempt to drive awareness of its products with co-branding initiatives and events. Currently, another flagship title, Better Homes and Gardens, is touring the country with its "Living Green Tour," an exhibition of environmentally friendly home ideas, including products, design inspirations and do-it-yourself projects. The tour is the result of a partnership between BHG and GreenWorks, a line of natural cleaners made with plant-based ingredients.

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Rodale Grows Sports and Events

Rodale is pumping up its sports marketing and events group, boosting its capabilities in experiential marketing and direct engagement. As part of the expansion, Bouker Pool has been promoted to vice president, with responsibility for developing engagement strategies, and Paul Collins has been promoted to director, reporting to Pool. The expansion will allocate more resources to a division that has already created relationship-driven programs for Runner's World, Running Times, Bicycling and Mountain Bike, benefiting sponsors including Nissan, Powerbar, and Gatorade.

Food & Wine EIC Cowin Named SVP

Dana Cowin, the editor in chief of Food & Wine magazine, has been promoted to senior vice president of American Express Publishing, from her previous role as vice president, Amex Publishing President and CEO Ed Kelly announced this week. Kelly said the promotion recognized Cowin's role in the magazine's success after 13 years at the helm. Circulation has risen 21% since 1995, and in 2007 the magazine posted 1,446 ad pages--the most ever for an epicurean magazine.

Conde Nast Wants To Dwell

The media rumor mill churned out a tantalizing possibility this week, with reports that high-end publisher Conde Nast is interested in buying Dwell, an independently published title targeting younger women with design-related content that's hipper and edgier than the average shelter title. If true, the purchase would be more than a little symbolic, as Conde closed the much older (and stodgier) House & Garden toward the end of 2007.

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