Publications Shift Their Focus
Bianca — May 9, 2008 — Pop Culture
References: nytimes
People love celebrity gossip magazines because it "humanizes" the stars to them. That now includes political candidates.
"But not since John F. Kennedy posed for Life magazine during the 1960 campaign — tanned and windblown in his sailboat — have the entertainment media been so infatuated with a presidential campaign," the New York Times says.
People Magazine is without a doubt one of the most popular weekly gossip magazines out there, covering celebrities, fashion and other entertainment features... but their editorial choice has undergone some major changes as of late.
When the publication first started, they decided politics was a a topic to be strictly avoided. Sticking to that rule has been great until now, seen clearly by the magazines success, but People wasn't afraid to rewrite their rules. They have been focusing on the 2008 presidential campaigns and the personal lives of the candidates, including their wardrobes, relationships, gadgets and other juicy bits of gossip.
“People are craving it,†says Larry Hackett, People's managing editor. “They are really, really interested in what's going on, and so we're covering it more than ever.â€
US Weekly, a major competitor for People, interviewed Hillary Clinton, they publish essays by Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama and recently did a three-page spread asking, "Barack Obama: Is He Really Just Like Us?"
It helps that a lot of young people think Barack is physically attractive. Just look at how he won over Obama Girl! Here's some of Trend Hunter's coverage:
"But not since John F. Kennedy posed for Life magazine during the 1960 campaign — tanned and windblown in his sailboat — have the entertainment media been so infatuated with a presidential campaign," the New York Times says.
People Magazine is without a doubt one of the most popular weekly gossip magazines out there, covering celebrities, fashion and other entertainment features... but their editorial choice has undergone some major changes as of late.
When the publication first started, they decided politics was a a topic to be strictly avoided. Sticking to that rule has been great until now, seen clearly by the magazines success, but People wasn't afraid to rewrite their rules. They have been focusing on the 2008 presidential campaigns and the personal lives of the candidates, including their wardrobes, relationships, gadgets and other juicy bits of gossip.
“People are craving it,†says Larry Hackett, People's managing editor. “They are really, really interested in what's going on, and so we're covering it more than ever.â€
US Weekly, a major competitor for People, interviewed Hillary Clinton, they publish essays by Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama and recently did a three-page spread asking, "Barack Obama: Is He Really Just Like Us?"
It helps that a lot of young people think Barack is physically attractive. Just look at how he won over Obama Girl! Here's some of Trend Hunter's coverage:
Trend Themes
1. Celebrity-inspired Politics - The trend of gossip magazines covering the personal lives of political candidates, including their wardrobes and relationships, presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in merging entertainment and politics.
2. Political Tabloidization - The shift of gossip magazines like People and US Weekly towards covering political campaigns and candidates opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in creating tabloid-style content focused on politics.
3. Political Personalization - The increasing interest of people in the personal lives of politicians, as seen in gossip magazine coverage, creates disruptive innovation opportunities to personalize political campaigns and candidates in order to engage with a wider audience.
Industry Implications
1. Media - Media industry can leverage the trend of gossip magazines covering political campaigns to innovate in developing hybrid entertainment and news platforms that appeal to a wider audience.
2. Political Campaigning - The trend of gossip magazines focusing on the personal lives of candidates provides an opportunity for political campaigning industry to explore unconventional strategies, such as leveraging celebrity endorsements and fashion trends.
3. Fashion - Fashion industry can capitalize on the interest in political candidates' wardrobes by innovating in creating political fashion lines or collaborating with candidates to enhance their public image and appeal.
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