In a move that is sure to turn the celebrity-weekly market on its head, Closer, a brand-new weekly, debuts Wednesday from Bauer Publications with an über-aggressive marketing plan, complete with a 25 cent cover price and a press run of 2 million copies — enough to blanket newsstands nationwide.
Into a youth-obsessed magazine world, Closer is deliberately contrarian as it aims for women in the 40+ age bracket.
Yes, Closer will be Kardashian- free.
It is the biggest launch of 2013 and Bauer is hoping that the unusual strategy of combining celebrity coverage with women’s service transforms it into an overnight hit.
“We’re aiming at the stars that the 40+ woman grew up with,” said Annabel Vered, editor-in-chief. “There will be no Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber or Kim Kardashian in Closer.”
Ian Scott, president of Bauer, said after Week 1 the single-copy price will go to $3.99. “We’re hoping consumers sample it, like it and come back to it.”
Most American magazines lose money on or, at best, break even on, circulation — using cheaply priced subscriptions for the bulk of the circulation. They make up the shortfall by setting ad prices higher based on total circulation.
Bauer titles generally eschew cheap subscription and depend on the more lucrative single copy sales for the bulk of their revenue — a model favored in Germany, where the parent company is based, and throughout Europe.
Closer only has 17 ad pages in the debut issue, which is 76 pages including front and back cover.
The debut issue features Valerie Harper on the cover. Smaller, thumbnail cover treatment goes to Jack and Jackie Kennedy, Michael Douglas and Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George, the royal baby.
Inside, it features a Q&A with Suzanne Somers, the “Three’s Company” blonde who made a fortune with late-night TV infomercials for ThighMaster exercise products.
Also in the debut issue: Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Dolly Parton, Brooke Shields and Goldie Hawn.
The back of the book will be devoted to fashion, diet and health news.
“We’re actually three magazines in one,” said Vered.
Skeptics point out that the celebrity market, closely tied to the single-copy market, has been very hard hit over the past five years.
“Between 2007 and 2012, unit sales are down 45 percent, and revenue is down nearly 40 percent, according to John Harrington, editor of The New Single Copy, which tracks newsstand sales. “The first half this year is no better.”
Professor Samir Husni, head of the Magazine Innovation Center at the journalism school of the University of Mississippi, said the positioning of Closer as a combo celeb-and service magazine aiming for older women gives it a better than average chance at success.
“There is a void in the marketplace. Look at Woman’s World [also published by Bauer]. In the past six months, it dethroned Cosmopolitan as the best-selling women’s magazine in the country on newsstands.”
Single-copy sales of Woman’s World for the past six months were 1,103,966 — down 3.9 percent — while Cosmopolitan’s single copy sales fell 23.9 percent, to 1,028,892, according to the Alliance for Audited Media.
“Bauer titles have done better than most,” said Harrington. “Its launch strategy of 25 cents for first issue and regular price after that worked for them with First magazine — but that was more than 20 years ago.”