|
by George
Ex-prof and Fairchilder on managing its growth
By Jeff Bercovici
When Condé Nast stole Louis Cona from InStyle to be publisher of Vanity Fair back in March, speculation instantly turned to who would be found to replace him.
As the weeks went by without a successor being named, expectations mounted. One thing was clear: Time Inc. was looking for a top name to head up the celebrity/fashion hybrid, which is second only to Vogue among all monthly magazines as an ad page machine.
Who Time Inc. eventually landed might at first blush not seem such an obvious choice.
It is not, as one might have expected, a big name from the glossy consumer magazines but rather a veteran of Fairchild Publications, which specialized in trade magazines.
But that's only at first blush. Stephanie George, in her 15 years at Fairchild, has been one of the driving forces behind the company’s transition from sleepy trade house to ultra chic boutique publisher.
Among other things, George oversaw Women’s Wear Daily Media Worldwide and was in charge of launching Jane and relaunching W, two very hot titles.
George, whose first day of work as president of InStyle was Friday, says the challenge of keeping InStyle on its current trajectory can seem daunting at times.
"It is a bit intimidating, having to sustain that kind of growth," says George, alluding to the 10.5 percent circulation increase and 27.5 percent ad page gain achieved by the title in 2000.
"But if I thought this had reached the top of the pyramid and wouldn’t go up any higher, I wouldn’t have accepted it."
Where George sees ample opportunity for expansion is in InStyle’s brand extensions.
As president, she’s in charge of television programming, the InStyle.com web site and spinoff titles, including InStyle Weddings and InStyle: The Look, as well as the magazine’s U.S. and international editions.
InStyle already publishes editions in Australia, Germany and the U.K.; George says Spain and Italy will likely be next.
Other long-term plans could include the launch of more spinoffs and the creation of a book division.
Originally from Vineland, N.J., George attended college at Glassboro State College before embarking on a career teaching. After a brief stint as an eighth-grade teacher, she moved up to the college level with a job at the Art Institute of Dallas.
It was there, while teaching a course called Fashion Publications, that she made the connections that would draw her out of the academic setting and into the publishing world.
Every Friday she invited publishers and editors to give lectures to her class. Several of them offered her positions, and she accepted a part-time job with Fashion Showcase, a then-competitor to Women’s Wear Daily.
For awhile, she taught in the morning and sold ads in the afternoon and evening, then quit teaching to pursue publishing full-time. Before long she took a job in Fairchild’s Atlanta office, beginning her 15-year rise within the executive ranks of the company.
George says things changed for the better at Fairchild after Disney sold the company to Condé-Nast-owner Advance Publications two years ago.
"The corporate culture changed in a good way. They brought a real professionalism in the consumer marketing area," she says. "Fairchild didn’t always approach consumer marketing with a high level of marketing dollars or marketing skills. The Newhouses really invest in their properties."
George, together with her husband and three-year-old daughter, splits her time between two homes, one in Montclair, N.J. and one on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
When she can find time apart from work and caring for her daughter, George spends her time playing softball, basketball and tennis.
"I grew up all my life playing sports. I guess that’s where I get my competitive nature."
June 4, 2001 © 2001 Media Life
- Jeff Bercovici is a staff writer for Media Life.
Send to a
Friend| Printer-Friendly Version
Cover Page | Contact
Us
