Conde Nast Title to Expand Circulation

Conde Nast Publications said Monday that it would boost the guaranteed circulation for its shopping magazine, Lucky, to 1 million, just as rival Hearst Magazines prepares to launch its own glossy dedicated to the joys of hitting the shopping mall.

Lucky, whose pages are chock full of products such as shoes, make-up and handbags but hardly any articles, is considered one of the most successful magazine launches in recent memory, with circulation up sharply since its December 2000 launch.

The magazine’s rate base, or circulation pledged to advertisers, will be increased to 1 million in January from a current 950,000 and 500,000 when the magazine was launched.

Meanwhile, Hearst Magazines, home to titles such as Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar, on Monday began circulating advance copies of its shopping title, Shop Etc., which is set to hit newsstands Aug. 17 with a rate base of 400,000.

A Conde Nast spokeswoman said the timing of Lucky’s rate base increase had nothing to do with the debut of its new competitor.

The timing “reflects the fact that advertisers are in planning for 2005 and need to learn of rate changes,” Mistrella Murphy said. “It is customary for Conde Nast to announce increases six months in advance.”

The new Shop Etc. is full of photo spreads on clothes, beauty products and housewares. In a sign of its emphasis on products over personalities, the premiere issue features a long-legged model on the cover whose head is cropped out, but her red dress, handbag and pumps are prominently featured along with the page numbers of where to find them inside the magazine.

Other shopping-focused titles also are in the works. Conde Nast now has a men’s version called Cargo and plans a home-focused title, Domino, early next year.

Meanwhile, Conde Nast’s sister publisher, Fairchild Publications, is expected to launch men’s shopping magazine Vitals this month.