• by Larry Dobrow , March 28, 2004

Asked about his plans for the first 12 months of Healthy Family, publisher and founder Richard Bulman doesn't recite the usual drivel about overall economic conditions, forging marketing partnerships, and meeting readers' expectations. Rather, he quickly snaps, "I think we have a good shot at being the launch of the year."

Bulman doesn't base his thinking on anything other than an ardent belief that he has identified one of the few unoccupied niches in mass-market publishing. "There is no national consumer magazine that focuses on the health of the entire family," he explains. "We think we can be the user's manual for raising a healthy family in today's world."

Although there's no shortage of would-be publishing mavens who believe that they've stumbled upon a similarly unique opportunity, Bulman might have a point. Parenting titles tend to focus on newborns--just look at their cover images--while women's service books tend to view health as a peripheral issue. As for gender-specific health/fitness titles (Self, Shape, Men's Health), they emphasize the individual over the family unit.

Set to launch in May, Healthy Family probably won't reinvent the wheel editorially. The magazine plans to offer a range of family-oriented features, split between weighty topics (serious health issues) and lighter ones (home and pet care, travel). Where the magazine might differ from its print counterparts, as well as health-heavy local TV broadcasts, is in its relatively sober tone.

"As much health information as you see reported, the confidence Americans have in the information they're getting is really low," Bulman says. "It's so sensationalistic, and it's usually really inconsistent--is fish good for you? Is it bad? The key to our success will be defining ourselves as the most trusted source for family health information."

The mag's initial circulation has been set at 220,000, yet Bulman is optimistic about driving it to 300,000 before too long. Like every publisher of a budding title, he makes all the right noises about "wanting to grow the magazine organically" and "delivering the highest-quality readership." Still, a circulation of 220,000 might not immediately command advertisers' attention.

Bulman dismisses such concerns brusquely: "If you get traction with a new title, you can grow the circulation quickly." Judging from the list of advertisers on board for the mag's first issue, scheduled to hit newsstands in May, his optimism doesn't seem misplaced. Companies like Kraft, Ford, and Disney, as well as brands like Dove and Dannon, have already committed. "It's not uncommon for the first issue of a new magazine to have two or three major national brands," Bulman notes. "We have around 25."

Healthy Family projects a primarily female readership, with a median household income slightly more than $78,000 and a median age of 39.9 years. Research conducted by the mag suggests that 42 percent of readers will be homemakers; of the 49 percent of readers who work, 63 percent will hold managerial-level jobs. The average HF reader's household will have 2.4 children, 81 percent of whom are younger than 18.

This reader, Bulman believes, will likely prove the mag's greatest asset. "Health is a primary part of their lifestyle," he explains. "It informs the car they buy, the clothes they wear, the food they eat, the vacations they take." Thus, Bulman and his staff are targeting a wide range of advertisers--everybody from auto companies (especially those with environment-friendly models and minivans) to insurers ("our audience should be great customers--living healthy is one of their top priorities").

Food companies, though, seem most important to Bulman, especially at a time when a line of salads helped revive McDonald's flagging sales. "Virtually every major food brand in America is developing a more nutritious food line. They're all moving towards a more healthful mission, and our magazine features a branding environment that underscores their commitment to health," he says.

Beyond wordsmithing his launch-of-the-year acceptance speech, Bulman has ambitious plans for the months and years ahead. He sees brand extensions in Healthy Family's not-so-distant future (broadcast and electronic media), and has already fine-tuned his pitch to beauty and fashion marketers. "'Active moms think what they're putting on their bodies is as important as what they're putting in,'" he says. "Pretty good, right?"

Healthy Family will debut in May with a joint May/June issue, then produce five more issues in 2004. Its cover price has been set at $3.99.