Vogue is putting out a bumper 388-page millennium special for its
December issue, on sale 15 November, with a record 288 pages of ads
representing around pounds 2.7 million of ad revenue.
This is a pounds 1 million increase on last year’s December issue which
carried 143 ad pages out of a total of 280.
Advertisers include Max Factor with a sponsored 20-page supplement, A
Century of Glamour, Procter & Gamble with 25 ad pages, LVMH with 12,
Estee Lauder with 10 and Lancome with eight.
’We have managed to maintain the quality of our advertising despite the
enormous volume and have not had to ratchet it up with supermarket
brands,’ said publishing director Stephen Quinn. However, the high
street is represented by a six-page advertorial from Marks &
Spencer.
The ad team has been working on the issue since the idea was first
mooted in June. ’We haven’t done a themed issue in the seven years I’ve
been here,’ said Quinn. ’Communicating and bringing advertisers with us
was a huge task. We had to make sure that we didn’t sell them a
pup.’
Back in the summer, he was unsure of its success: ’But I did another
mailing in September and it really took off. It was a real team
effort.’
The issue, which features a new design and fonts for the new millennium,
is to be supported with a six-figure promotional campaign using 48-sheet
posters and national newspapers.
The cover price for the special is to be held at pounds 3. ’Comag wanted
us to raise the price but we’d rather sell more copies and give readers
and advertisers more value,’ said Quinn.
The book is divided into two themes - futuristic and retro. The latter
utilises Vogue’s 83-year back catalogue in a Model Army story featuring
Twiggy, Jerry Hall, Marie Helvin, Yasmin Le Bon and other models from
yesteryear. Both halves have a reflective silver front cover with the
back half running the opposite way round to the front.
Vogue staged an early millennium party in July so that Mario Testino
could shoot a party feature for the issue starring Kate Moss, Naomi
Campbell, Bono and other celebrities.
Elle also put out a millennium edition with its November issue but Quinn
was dismissive. ’My editor was a bit concerned when she heard about it,
but it turned out to be a damp squib wrapped in a revolting bag.’
