Glossies are playing the numbers game again

Posted by Jeffrey Blyth on 14 February 2006 at 11:26
Tags: International, Magazines

They are back – glossy magazines with lots of numbers emblazoned all over them.

Remember how magazines like Cosmopolitan ran covers with blurbs that promised “Ten New Ways to Lure a Man”? But they are old hat now. After taking a survey of the magazine covers on news stands and at supermarket check-out counters, the New York Times reports that cover blurbs today are escalating by orders of magnitude.

For example the March issue of Elle Girl promises readers “375 Excuses to Shop” while Marie Claire offers “1,157 New Hot Looks”. Glamour, not to be outdone, promises “500 Spring Looks for All Shapes and Sizes”.

Men’s magazines are also getting into the numbers game. Men’s Health, on its cover this month, lures male readers with the blurb “2,143 Sexy Women Confess What they Want in Bed”. The New York Times, in its survey, came up with some interesting tidbits about the numbers game. First, the bigger the number, the better. Another is that odd numbers seem to be more believable than even numbers. The number seven is popular; 13 is unpopular.

When it comes to exercise tips, though, low numbers are better. David Zinczenko, editor of Men’s Health, says “35 Best Exercises” is too many. On the other hand Cosmo this month promises to reveal to its readers “60 New Sex Skills”.

Lesley Jane Seymour, editor of Marie Claire, admits she has sometimes thought of dropping the numbers. “But readers say they love numbers�? she claims. “Our research shows numbers sell.”

That’s confirmed by Glenda Bailey, the British editor of Harper’s Bazaar, who was curious to know if numbers really do work. She found out by printing different covers for news-stand copies and subscription copies. She discovered that when it comes to attracting new readers, numbers on the cover won.

Tags: International, Magazines