• Advertising Age, Monday, July 14, 2008 9:15 AM

Cooking Light magazine has formed a partnership with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants revolving around health and wellness. The deal is starting with discounted room rates for Cooking Light readers and Kimpton venues for Cooking Light "Supper Club" events, with plans for expansion.

Magazine brands are increasingly using brand extensions, outside partnerships and licensing deals, but finding the right partner and program remains a challenge. Niki Leondakis, senior exec at Kimpton, says the hotel chain has a higher percentage of female guests than the industry average and nearly 84% of Cooking Light's readers are women.

"Smaller hotel chains are more progressive, competitive and fighting for their distinctive place in their industry, just as we are," says Chris Allen, publisher at Time Inc.-owned magazine. Ad pages at Cooking Light fell 14.4% in the first half of 2008, per PIB, with circulation growing 5.2% to 1.8 million, per the ABC.

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