Grazia: Sticking to Their Cover Plot-Lines

Still going strong
I love this mag at times but at times I just feel it is obsessed with materialism and recycling the same cover stories that we in our 30's are meant to relate to. I do like their debates on issues, this week's was: Does a women earning a lot put off a potential partner? Using Madonna as an example, ahh, you have to love them for doing that. I do like Angelina on the cover, she does inspire me a lot, though when I looked into voluntary work in Africa it is so expensive.

Lad's Mags in Decline, Female Glossies Next ?

Tough Times for British Mags: ABC circulation figures just in
Ten years ago, when Loaded was at its peak, it was selling 600,000 copies a month, and this week the ABC's revealed they are just selling 120,492. FHM, MAXIM mags are in decline too, even the new boys on the blocks Nuts and Zoo seem to be in a tailspin (I always associate these titles with the 90's, you know Oasis, drinking stunts, gross injury photos and toilet reads), nothing wrong with that, but I wonder if guys have moved on from this?

Overall, it appears as though the British magazine market seems to have stagnated, even with delivery of new titles, especially in the celebrity market, there is little growth or promising news. Only Grazia seems to be going strong, validating my theory that they do get straight to the nitty-gritty of what women like to read and in a beautifully designed format (proving those five-same-cover stories seem to work). They are selling an incredible 700,000 a month. Also one my fav mag's Psychologies has grown to selling 130,101 a month.

The titles that seem the most vulnerable are the woman's monthlies. For example, New Woman, which is a brand I already find quite confusing (it goes for mostly British female, quite c-list famous women as cover stories) has dropped from 231,785 to 126,805 in sales. Apparently ELLE, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar sell the same. What about posh-mag Tatler, well looking on the ABC's it sells 90,125 a month. Empire my film mag of choice for many many years: 179,373.

What does this all mean for the future of mags? Well I think they will be having to think more about their online sites, and making it more interactive. When you got Perez and Pinkisthenewblog posting every ten mins new celeb photos and woman goss sites like dailymail.co.uk/thesunonline - why buy the mags and papers? I also read on my mobile the news every morning and headlines, so I am sure we are moving to more digital type info and photos. I am not sure how they can stay relevant and valuable reads, when their pull is meant to be about revelatory celebrity, fashion, relationships stories, online delivers it much faster, and it all seems old hat by time it goes to print. The print versions do rely on exclusives, great pics and really original features. Hmm, thinking hats on... I don't want an empty newsagent and just OK mag selling (still with Jordan and Peter) for next 20 years!

Grazia: Cameron Diaz on the Cover

Yes you're on the cover of Grazia Cameron! What is happening?!

I can't believe Grazia has actually deviated from the Angelina-is-a-bitch; Jenny-single-no baby; Madonna-too-pushy; Kate-losing- it; Posh-trying-too-hard safe-bet cover stories. This time we have Cameron on the front. I love Cammie so will read the dish if she is actually bothering with thespian reptile 'Jude Law'. Oh please say it is not so, I heard Sean Bean is single now!

It's been too long - Winona Ryder on the cover of American Vogue

Winona turns up on the August cover of American Vogue

I couldn't help but buy Vogue this month, I thought the cover was really pretty, and the English garden 'look' really emphasises the whole nature and rejuvenation theme they have going on this August. It is hard to avoid the ageing and environment debates going on in 2007, so it is cool to see them join them together. The cycle of life hey?

The best thing about this though of course, is that they get to interview the very elusive and quite low-profile 90's cinema icon; Winona Ryder. I've always adored her, from Heathers, Dracula, Mermaids through to Girl Interrupted. I know she campaigned hard to have that film made and produced, so it was shame that Angelina Jolie stole the show. After this film, Winona seemed to slip into film limbo, making dud movies with Adam Sandler and Richard Gere. Ryder's oddball-zing seem to go, and her roles were taken by the new ingenues like Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, and I think the similar looking Keira Knightley. So now she is 35, and back to form and making films. I always remember her liking JD Salinger and she was always curious about his reclusive lifestyle, which she kind of leads now. In the interview we learn about Winona's dream book collection, clothes, and experiences and photos. She talks for first time about her shoplifting incident. Winona is a funny lady, but I like her, she seems a bit tortured with her thinking, but something about her still intrigues me and hope we get to see her in more films.

Crystal encrusted Harper's Bazaar

Harper's covered with 200 Swarovski crystals
Wow, it is not often I want to touch a magazine with such child-like curiosity. Was that really diamonds glittering back from me on the magazine shelf ? Seems not quite, but the Harpers logo has been encrusted with gorgeous crystals, I checked the cover price, just £3, 70, it seemed actually available for me to buy and walk out of the shop with. Even my newsagents was impressed, and he is staring at these mags all day. So what is it in aid of ? Seems the publication has taken on the international logo of Harpers Bazaar. Can't even remember what it looked like before, it is always one of those mags I don't think about buying. But this month I will, as it seems packed with British profiles and stories. Hurry up and bag yours, apparently only 50, 000 been printed.

Grazia: Jen is single and lonely

So it wasn't Kate Moss as I predicted, but old fav cover: Jen single and wants a baby!
Okay people, I admit my cover-psychic skills were a bit off about Kate Moss being this week's cover story - but they did go to old haunt Jennifer Aniston. As I said before they go for clear and cover reoccurring stories on five women. What do you think ? Why do they do this ?

Psychologies: Refreshing new Brit Mag

A gathering of interesting minds; reflecting on the big and small stuff
Before this magazine came along, I used to buy several magazines a month, some felt like cheap fixes that made me feel guilty afterwards ( Heat, Now ) and then some were fabulous and aspirational and leaving me feeling at bit out of sorts (Vanity Fair, Elle). Psychologies suddenly appeared last year, at first I was slightly put off by the academic title, but once I opened it, it found it to be a  a totally refreshing read. In fact, the interviews they do with celebrities, normally prominent woman, are much more soul-searching, enlightening and real, than any I read in big 'exclusives' with other mags. I really like the way they always look for ways for us to enrich our lives, they come up with practical solutions and ways to cope with the maddening world around us. I ditched buying a lot of the 'aspirational' mags (Grazia still at fav still, despite all the faults I find !) after discovering this, most of my friends love this mag too, and they also want something that talks to them, is comforting and makes them think. It questions the mainstream and taken-for-granted stuff all the time, without running any fashion, or containing tons of beauty adverts, and not many mags do that. I can't recommend it enough: http://www.psychologies.co.uk/

Teen girls who want to be Jordan

Media interest in ITV doc: 'Teen Body Obsession: Too Much Too Young' 
I knew this would be picked up by the media, it's the story of 11-year old Sasha who wants to be Jordan. The ITV doc about Sasha was aired on ITV on Tuesday 24th and I reviewed it the following day. What I think most people find bizarre & saddening, is that it is Sasha's own mother who is cultivating her to be the next Jordan. It is fair to say they do find the most extreme case studies in society to make these shows; however I hope not indicative of a wider trend. Also, I am not sure if the TV & magazine interest, aren't just fanning the mother's ambitions for Sasha.

This scaned article is from this weeks (4-10 th August) Closer magazine.

Surprise, surprise Grazia: Angelina on the cover

Grazia surprise: Ange this week
I won't say told you so, but if you read my previous posts about Grazia's merry-go-round of five cover stories and stars, then this is no surprise - it's Angelina. It also features Grazia's favourite thing - being too thin, which means being selfish, as Brad wants children. Look what happened to Jen,  don't deny that good looking man a hoard of natural kids Ange! I love it when I know what angle they will take.

I guarantee you all, that next week there will be an update of Kate Moss. What has she been up to ? Pete wants her back, but she is cleaning up her act and realising her looks are fading fast ! Can she still cut with the younger women, is her fashion icon status declining ? That whole shebang.

I love it !

Tatler-Tatty August '07 Cover.

Awful cover - does it suggest Tatler is having an identity crisis?
Britain's self -named 'most stylish and indispensable society guide', looks quite the opposite this August. Now it doesn't take long looking at this cover to realise something not quite right with the photo, I am sure you can come up with a few things. I think the Exorcism of Lindsay Lohan, was not meant to be the concept,she looks ghoulish against the white back-drop and is her hair really that colour? I love Lindsay, no matter her personal issues at the moment, she can look very pretty and glowing. I feel Tatler robbed this girl, perhaps the elite mag just didn't care this month. What do you think?

Revealed: Grazia's 5 Rotating Cover Stories

Beautiful faces with their Grazia plotted dramas

Magazine juggernaut, but why does it irritate me? Hmmm. I am always uncomfortable with the eco-conscious/worthy real life stories sitting across from party profiles/cellulite cream adverts. And perhaps too much focus on cosmetic surgery and over-priced goods, not all women in their 30's are earning 100k a year.

My key issue though with Grazia is the rotation of the same five cover stories. In their end of year cover review, I counted that Angelina Jolie, Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman, Kylie, Posh, Paris and Jennifer Anniston were pretty much used in rotation, with some Madonna covers. Here is how the cover stars are cast:

1) Dark-lady-of-the night Ange who bullies Brad
2) Poor Single Jen, desperate for baby, can't get a man and wants Brad back
3) Kate Moss is looking Skanky and how does she get so lucky (they won't say it directly) and is her star fading?
4) Katie Holmes is being controlled by Aliens..
5) Posh-Fail