• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, March 7, 2013

More magazines are unveiling new looks, as publishers reposition titles to keep pace with the changing interests and habits of readers. Both Redbook and Taste of Home have been revamped to make them more social and mobile-friendly.
 
Redbook’s editorial overhaul, on display with its April issue, is moving the title (traditionally a bit staid, compared to other women’s lifestyle titles) in a more “fabulous” direction, with more fashion, beauty, food and home content.

Among other things, the magazine will deliver more upscale-but-affordable clothing and décor pointers, with “high design available at accessible price points.” The magazine is also introducing “Team Red,” bringing together celebrity contributors such as Kelly Osbourne on fitness, Tori Spelling on home décor, The Chew’s Carla Hall on food, and makeup artist Mally Roncal on beauty.
 
On the design side, Redbook is getting updated graphic treatments, more vivid colors, and more prominent photography. The magazine is also including e-commerce activation with Eye Capture digital watermark technology, allowing readers to shop from its pages and share content with friends using smartphones. The Web site, Redbookmag.com, is also offering shoppable content with Kneon’s HyperPhoto a new “Shop Now” button.
 
The Reader’s Digest Association is revamping Taste of Home, giving it a new look and 20% more pages of editorial content. Now perfect-bound and printed on a heavier stock, Taste of Home will include more healthy recipes and health-related content, as well as clip-and-save recipe cards, and a new logo. According to the fall 2012 MRI index, Taste of Home reaches 11.1 million readers.
 
Condé Nast Takes Stake in Farfetch, Unveils “Catalysts”
 
High-end publisher Condé Nast is partnering with (and investing in) e-commerce platform Farfetch, according to The New York Times. Condé is the lead investor in a $20 million round of fudning for Farfetch, which connects online shoppers with 250 tony boutiques around the world, offering approximately 82,000 curated products. According to the site, it has around 150,000 customers in 140 countries, who spend an average $680 per order.
 
Also this week, Condé Nast began rolling out a new digital marketing tool, “Catalysts,” which it says can connect advertisers with its most influential readers. As reported earlier by MediaPost, the program consists of 10 audience segments for digital “catalysts,” created using data from digital interactions, direct mail programs and brand research efforts.

The “catalyst” groups include “Prestige Pioneer,” which is made up of top buyers of beauty products, and early adopters; “Big-Basket Beauty,” or high-volume buyers of mass beauty products; “Right from the Runway,” which lumps together luxury fashion followers; and “Eclectic Stylist,” or “high/low” fashion buyers.
 
The Week Increases Rate Base
 
The Week is raising its rate base for the second time in six months, owner Dennis Publishing announced this week. Beginning July 1, The Week will have a rate base of 550,000, up 2.8% from 535,000. Previously, the rate base increased from 525,000 to 535,000 over the New Year. Meanwhile, the publication also claims to have racked up about 300,000 iPad app downloads in less than a year.
 
Fast Company Launches Co.Labs for Developers, Contest for Target
 
Fast Company, always striving to be at the intersection of hipness and business, has unveiled a new technology vertical for developers called Co.Labs, which it describes as a resource and “collaborative playground.” To celebrate Co.Labs’ debut, Fast Company has partnered with Target to launch the Co.Labs + Target Retail Accelerator, an appathon where developers will compete to create new mobile experience for Target. The winner of the contest, which is scheduled to last several months, will win a $75,000 prize. Entries for the Retail Accelerator challenge may be submitted from March 8 to April 30.
 
Women’s Health Unveils Wellness Box
 
Women’s Health has partnered with Birchbox, which produces and distributes boxes of sample products, to create a special edition Women’s Health wellness box on the theme “Tiny Tweaks, Big Results.” The health and beauty products, handpicked by Women’s Health editors, come from brands including Kiehl’s, Cargo, Ojon, Simple and Supergoop. Products from the box will be featured in the upcoming April issue of Women’s Health. The magazine will also give a year’s subscription to everyone who receives the box.
 
Lauren Bronchtein Named SVP, Research and Insights, MPA
 
MPA – The Association of Magazine Media, has named Lauren Bronchtein senior vice president for research and insights. In her new role, Bronchtein will be responsible for all marketing and measurement research for the organization, including aggregating and analyzing data and trends that promote and prove the influence and effectiveness of magazine media. She will also be president of the Publisher’s Information Bureau. Bronchtein previously served as consumer insights director for the style and entertainment group at Time Inc., MPA has also named Alison Heisler as director of strategic partnerships.
 
 
Minkin To Associate Publisher, Atlantic
 
David Minkin has joined The Atlantic in the newly created position of associate publisher of sales strategy and operations. In this role Minkin will manage sales planning and ad operations and take a lead role in directing overall advertising strategy. He will also lead implementation of new advertising technology at The Atlantic and its digital platforms, TheAtlantic.com, TheAtlanticWire.com, and The AtlanticCities.com. Before joining The Atlantic, Minkin co-founded and was publisher of Breaking Media, a network of business-to-business Web sites in the law, finance, and fashion industries (AboveTheLaw.com, Dealbreaker.com, and Fashionista.com).