• by Michael Shields , January 14, 2005

When American Cheerleader launched in 1995, there were skeptics, and perhaps even a few smirks at the magazine's title and subject matter.

"New York media people didn't always get it," said Editorial Director Sheila Noone.

"Basically, we were laughed at," said Helen Cohen, publishing director. "If people didn't laugh, they wanted to. It was almost like Madison Avenue was above it." Ten years later, Cheerleader is not only still around, but according to some it has pulled off the rare feat of actually growing the category, rather then riding the wave of consumer interest. "Some companies think we really helped grow the industry, giving them a forum and getting kids' attention," said Noone.

Here's the evidence: In 1995, when Cheerleader launched, there were roughly 15 to 20 competitions held each year nationally. Now there are more than 50.

There were a few hundred "All-Star gyms" or "cheer gyms," as recently as 2000--and now there are 2,200, with what Noone calls "a strong core" of 2,000 thriving facilities.

Also, in this February's anniversary issue, there are a record 253 colleges offering cheerleader scholarships, some even giving a full ride.

Still, it took a while to sell the New York centric world on the movement behind the magazine. "[Cheerleading] is big where high school football is big," said Noone. "The bible belt--Texas and Florida are huge--places in the Midwest like Michigan."

"But now, more kids than ever just cheer to compete [rather than cheering other athletes.]"

Plus, ESPN has taken to televising the events in recent years, further increasing the sport's visibility (The Universal Cheerleaders Association Collegiate Championships are this weekend in Orlando).

All of which has made it easier to sell the bimonthly Cheerleader to advertisers. "We have a nice mix of consumer and endemic advertisers," she said. "Our sweet spot is 16-year-olds. It has been more competitive of late, though. When we launched, there weren't as many 'tween books,' like CosmoGirl."

But Cheerleader has been able to land many major brands, including Coke, Tampax, Thermasilk, Sketchers, and Sprint.

It seems that advertisers like the influential power of the audience. "Cheerleaders are perceived as role models in their schools," said Noone, who still gets handwritten letters from readers. "They are passionate about what they do."

For the anniversary issue, Cheerleader's content is celebratory, including a feature on "Great Dates in Cheer History." Did you know that the first organized cheer squad was founded at the University of Minnesota in 1898 (all men), and that the first pom-poms were made from crepe paper?

Premiering a New Look

When Premiere Art Director Dirk Barnett arrived at the magazine this past May, he brought with him the reputation that comes having been part of a award-winning team. Barnett had been recognized for his contributions in redesigning Popular Science, which had won its first National Magazine Award for general excellence in 2003.

While he expected to oversee some minor changes at Premiere, he was not expecting another redesign. "When I got here, I immediately overhauled the feature well," he said of changes that took effect in the November issue. "Then we started to make some small changes. We wanted to be easy on the reader initially. We didn't want to shock anyone."

As he got further into his work, he saw a chance for a more substantial overhaul. But unlike the Popular Science redesign, which involved numerous rounds of testing, "we said, let's just take a chance," he said.

"It looked like the design was stuck in the 90's," he added. "This is fun subject matter. The magazine needs to be sleek but also fun."

Barnett also decided to emphasize the title's best assets--its photography--over the text.

"[Before], there were five or six fonts; it was very busy, very cluttered," he said. "For Premiere, artwork is the best actor, and the typography is the supporting actor."

Barnett has also tried to establish a consistent look for the magazine's editorial pages. A fold in graphic on the bottom of each page will become a signature look.

"The idea is that the reader can open any page and know that this is Premiere," he said.

Also at Premiere

-Premiere Senior Editor Tim Swanson has been named the magazine's new West Coast bureau chief.

-Ann Donahue, a five-year veteran of Variety, will assume Swanson's responsibilities as news editor in Los Angeles.

-The magazine will also once again present the Premiere Lounge during the Sundance Film Festival on January 21-25 in Park City, Utah.

Tennis at 40

Tennis magazine celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2005 by ranking the 40 greatest players in the history of the sport, with four profiles scheduled to run each issue, culminating with the four greatest players ever in the November/December 2005 issue.

The magazine will also unveil a new, more upscale look in the March issue, the first redesign in five years.

A special issue in May will also highlight the most memorable tennis moments of the last 40 years, 40 classic tips that will improve any player's game, and 40 innovations in tennis gear, fitness, and fashion.

Tennis.com is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a relaunch of its own this month.