• by Michael Shields , June 11, 2004

Seventeen magazine editor-in-chief Atoosa Rubenstein, in the face of a still tough magazine economy, decided to turn down roughly $115,000 in revenue. The July issue of the popular teen-girl staple, on newsstands now, carries no back-cover advertiser, the most expensive ad position in the book. In its place, Rubenstein opted to have a little fun and double its readers pleasure, and get a little PR buzz in the process, featuring two cover models on both the front and back pages. Rubenstein wouldn't tell Mag Rack how the decision was made to feature Ashley on the front cover (she is the more buttoned up looking one) and her sister Mary-Kate (little more edgy, and recently, a brunette) on the back, but the effect was an Olsen twins cover spread.

The stunt comes just in time for the NYU-bound twosome's 18th birthday, which is Sunday, according to several countdown sites. (Can you believe it?)

Rubenstein was familiar with exponential newsstand power the twins can have. She once put them on the cover of CosmoGirl several years ago. But much to the relief of Seventeen's sales department, this is not a stunt that is likely to be replicated any time soon. "We wouldn't do this for just anybody," she said. "They have really become icons of a generation. Them turning eighteen is a big deal."

But given the twins popularity with Seventeen's audience, it was an easy decision for Rubenstein to forgo a back-cover ad. "July is a softer month, and we were able to move that advertiser to another cover," she said. The opportunity was for something different was ready-made. "The great thing was we didn't have to create it."

Besides, it is not always about the money. "We really believe in putting our readers first," she said. "We are giving our readers something really unique."

Back To The Future Network

The big publishing companies in the magazine industry are easy to keep track of. There is Hearst, Conde Nast, Time Inc, and of course Future Network USA.

That is a slight exaggeration perhaps. But Future Network, a division of UK-based The Future Network Plc, which was ranked 19th out of the top 20 audited newsstand publishers in gross retail revenue for the second half of 2002, has shot up to 13th place by the second half of 2003, earning more revenue than the better known Ziff-Davis (15th). The company saw the biggest increase among the top 50 newsstand publishing companies for 2003.

"A lot of folks are going to be surprised," said Newsstand Director Mimi Hall of these figures.

According to Hall, between 2001 and 2003 a period where newsstand sales shrank by 11.8 percent industry-wide Future Network USA's retail sales grew 124 percent, with a gross retail revenue sales increase of 77 percent.

Future isn't about to takeover AOL Time Warner, but the gains the company has made over the past few years are impressive, considering where they were at the start of the downturn in the economy, when they were forced to jettison Business 2.0.

They weathered the storm quite well in fact. "We shrunk down to a size that was profitable and appropriate," Hall said.

The publication has benefited greatly from capitalizing on the explosive gaming market, launching Official Xbox Magazine in 2001, the same year that gaming surpassed the movie business in annual revenue. Official Xbox Magazine, raised its rate base to 400,000 in July 2003, a size that makes it hard for advertisers to ignore, despite the tendency to ignore such specialized pubs. Official PlayStation Magazine also delivers a solid 375,000 circulation.

"If we have a challenge," admitted Hall, "It's being viewed only as a place to advertise video games.

Planners would surely be impressed with the average cover price of Future tiles: $7.65. "Our titles are not just a 'hop on the airplane' type of purchase," Hall said.

Besides gamers, Future made a savvy business decision when they acquired Guitar World and Guitar One, giving the company nearly 90 percent market share of a surprisingly passionate reader base. "We really understand the enthusiast," Hall said of the companies group of seemingly obscure titles. "Our editors are completely passionate."

GQ Boosts Base, Cover Price, Too

Late last week, GQ magazine announced it will raise its advertising rate base from 750,000 to 775,000 beginning with the October 2004 issue. The men's title will also raise its cover price from $3.50 to $3.95, effective with the December 2004 issue.

This marks the first rate base increase and second cover price increase since Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson was hired in March of 2003 following the retirement of the late Art Cooper. GQ's last rate-base increase became effective with the June 2000 issue, when the magazine's rate base was increased from 700,000 to 750,000. The magazine last increased its cover price from $3.00 to $3.50 with the September 2003 issue, Nelson's first issue as editor.

During Nelson's tenure, GQ has been noted for putting more hot women on its covers rather than well-dressed men.

BPA Worldwide, Really Is Now Giving emphasis to its surname, circulation auditor BPA Worldwide has opened an office in Beijing to handle all audit scheduling, sales and customer service for BPA's Asia/Pacific operations, which were previously run from a Hong Kong office.

BPA now audits more than 30 Chinese business publications and consumer magazines, as well as a current total of nearly 50 additional titles published in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan. BPA is also preparing for the first newspaper audits in China.