32 | Magazine World | Q4 2008 www.fipp.com
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rodale
US publisher Rodale is making a healthy profi t out of its fi tness
titles. From advice on what not to eat, to how to maintain a fl at
belly, brands like Men’s Health and Women’s Health are keeping
their readers slim and happy. Steve Madden explains how
Rodale keeps on top of its game.
A healthy business
MAGAZINE WORLD (MW) Rodale has been ability to expand to broader applications. potential to be as big as Men’s Health.
weathering the economic storm better than The book Eat This, Not That! by Men’s Women’s Health Australia has won launch
most. Can you explain why? Health’s editor-in-chief David Zinczenko of the year from the Magazine Publishers
STEVE MADDEN (SM) Our print advertising grew out of the most popular column in Men’s of Australia, and each edition is exceeding
revenues were down just 1.7 per cent in the Health and has over one million copies in expectations. The response has been pretty
third quarter of 2008, compared to the print to date following its release in December amazing. Nobody else is talking to women the
American publishers' industry-wide decline 2007. The Flat Belly Diet! book by Prevention’s way we do in Women’s Health, and the market
of 8.9 per cent. So we are beating the market. editor-in-chief Liz Vaccariello grew out of responds to it. Women in developing countries
It all starts with the content. When you speak a Prevention article, and has expanded to especially need that supportive voice. The
to a reader’s concerns and offer a deep include an online subscription service, a world running boom has been especially
expertise in the subject matter that he or she cookbook and DVDs. Since its release in good for Runner’s World, which publishes 14
really needs, wants and can’t get anywhere January this year, Flat Belly Diet! has sold more international editions.
else, you become a trusted authority. This than 758,000 copies.
leads to a connection with all our readers MW Men’s Health's David Zinczenko is a high
of Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Runner’s MW Men’s Health and its spin-offs have profile editor. How has his ‘celebrity’ status
World, Prevention and Best Life, and allows us been hugely successful in other parts of the contributed to the success of the brand?
to buck the trend. It doesn’t come without a lot world. Is global expansion a major part of SM Celebrity without talent doesn’t
of effort, but it does allow us to fly in the face your strategy? contribute anything. Dave’s genius – and that
of the ‘norm’. SM For sure. We now publish 85 editions of of all of our editors – is that he lives the life of
our magazines around the world, on every our readers and therefore instinctively knows
MW Rodale has been extremely innovative continent but Antarctica, and if the people at what they want, and then goes into the word
in the marketing of its brands, positioning its McMurdo Station want to talk, we’ll go and see factory and delivers it. The fact that he’s on TV
titles in a range of media. Do you attribute this them! Men’s Health has 39 editions, and we and on the celebrity pages is just the icing on
to the company’s success? plan to add five editions of Women’s Health the cake. Talent and creativity first, celebrity
SM Although the magazines lie at the core of to the seven that already exist over the next second. But yes, it definitely helps.
what we do, we want to touch the consumer 12 months. We think Women’s Health has the
any way we can, be it online, via mobile, MW Where do you see future growth at
through books, DVDs or TV shows. We call it Rodale – in spin-offs or new titles/products?
the ‘360 approach’, surrounding the audience
"Although the magazines lie
SM I think growth really depends on our
and communicating across their preferred
at the core of what we do, we
ability to continue to grow in spaces where the
channels. We go to a lot of effort to create consumer wants us to be mobile applications
these brands, so it only makes sense to make
want to touch the consumer
of our franchises; more videos on our sites;
them available to our customers on a variety
any way we can, be it online,
coverage of events central to our brands like
of platforms. Our editors are ingenious in race series; and premium content on our sites.
coming up with franchises that are central to
via mobile, through books,
Our magazines continue to thrive. I keep
the mission of their magazines, and have the
DVDS or TV shows..."
hearing about the death of print, but like Mark
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