»
The American version of OK! magazine has grown more than 54.3 percent in the last year, according to the Media Industry Newsletter (via the Times Online). OK’s owner, Richard Desmond’s Northern & Shell, has been looking to expand the UK title around the world, and it launched in the U.S. two years ago to limited success.
“British OK! is such a phenomenal brand,” says editor Sarah Ivens. “And it had been launched in other countries and not changed the format at all. I think we just thought the Americans will like this, too. I didn’t realize how different the Americans are.”
But after struggling to find an audience, the magazine took on an American slant. It shrank in size, dropped its tabloid-looking red masthead and began to focus on American stars. It also began to seek out stars that are most loved by those in middle-America (more Jennifer Anniston, less Kate Moss).
Now, the publication sells 850,000 copies a week. The U.S. doesn’t have the glut of national tabloids that the U.K. has, but the U.S. edition of OK! has strong competition nonetheless. It competes with People (with a circulation of 3.4 million), US Weekly (1.8 million), Star Magazine (1.5 million), InTouch (1.1 million), and Life & Style Weekly (650,000).
Radio stations in the U.K. reacted with outrage when they learned of a report by researchers from the University of the West of England which accused them of promoting excessive drinking.
The study looked at 1,200 hours of radio output,…
General Motors posted sales of 308,817 vehicles in August. That’s a drop of 20 percent from August of last year - but 31 percent better than July.
In order to boost sales as much as possible during a time when…
A new digital out-of-home network to reach golfers is launching to 100 retail locations in the next two months. The network will be available in Dunham’s Sporting Goods, Golf Etc., Golf USA, Pro Golf, and ParMasters, among others.
Fox says that viewers’ attention to commercials is higher when fewer commercials are aired. The revelation comes as a result of testing the network has done for its freshman thriller, Fringe, which will premiere Sept. 9 with limited commercials and shorter…
Worldwide sales of mobile phones will reach 1.28 billion units in 2008 - up from 1.15 billion units in 2007 - an 11 percent increase from last year, according to Gartner, Inc - (via MarketingCharts).
While the mobile phone market is poised for…
Consumers in all income segments are cutting back spending, and doing so to a greater extent recently than at the beginning of the second quarter, according to a comScore study examining changes in consumer attitudes and perceptions about the U.S. economy…
