CORUS ENTERTAINMENT IS bringing one of the most venerable print titles in the trend industry to the small screen on Thursday.
Launching on Valentines Day is CosmopolitanTV – or CosmoTV for short. The category two digital specialty is a joint venture with Corus and Hearst Communications and is the first English-language television channel styled from the magazine (the other two are in Spain and Latin America) that gives 18-34 year old women “sizzling sex tips” and helps them identify the hottest hunks and how to reel them in (or at least satisfy them in the bedroom).
Corus already knows how to program to women, given it has owned an operated W for years. But while W is a bit of everything to all women, CosmoTV “is a great complement to W,” Susan Ross, executive vice-president and general manager for lifestyle, drama and movies, told Cartt.ca in an interview.
Targeting 18-34 year old women is “the sweet spot” for advertisers, acknowledged Ross, who added, “it will appeal more broadly as well… It’s just such a strong brand.”
Indeed, while the “Cosmo Girl” as she’s come to be known over the years, is in that sweet spot demo, William Randolph Hearst bought the title way back in 1905, so there are a lot of Cosmo Girls out there who are well past that age – not to mention some younger, aspiring Cosmo Girls.
In fact, when preparing for the channel, the Corus team found out from the magazine’s editors just who they are speaking to when putting out the print publication – an audience of one. That reader is a compilation of may traits, but an audience of one, just the same.
After several meetings with the editorial staff as well as its marketing and sales people, “we got an understanding of what their editorial approach is,” said Ross (unsurprisingly, sex was the chief topic).
“They think a lot about a single reader,” she explained – that reader who is 24 years old, single and on her second job. And not necessarily an urban woman, either. “They don’t distinguish geographically,” said Ross (pictured).
The challenge for Ross and her team is to try and take some of the elements of print that can be done on TV and make sure they retained that Cosmo flair. “We want to take the DNA of the magazine and bring it to life on television in a way that speaks to that brand essence,” she added.
“We feel very strongly that it’s going to stand out.”
“Sex and relationships are the most popular features of the magazine,” explained Ross, who said the title’s many quizzes and tips will easily translate onto television, as will other departments like “the bedside astrologer” and “the man manual”
As for the face of the channel, Corus tapped Josie Dye, who fits the demo and the hot look CosmoTV demands – and came from inside Corus as a current 102.1 Edge personality. She (pictured) will host the flagship magazine show “Oh So Cosmo” with co-host Wilder Weir (his real name, actually)
The show will get across “what the ultimate Cosmo girl is,” said Ross. “It will have the look and feel of Cosmo”
Other anchor shows include the CosmoTV bachelor search, Saturday and Sunday morning blocks called “Hangover Weekends”, and the cheekily names Brit comedy “Dirty Cows.” And of course, you couldn’t have a channel without the ultimate Cosmo Girls from Sex and the City, which airs unedited Saturday nights and then edited Sunday evenings.
It’s all about “fun, fearless females,” added Ross, “who want to escape, to relax, to be beautiful.”
Like most other recently launched digital networks, Bell ExpressVu will carry the channel first with an extended preview and negotiations are ongoing with other BDUs, said Ross.
“That seems to be the new model – getting the broadest distribution and an extended free preview,” she explained.
As for ad response, this is an easy channel to understand for buyers and agencies. Everyone knows Cosmo. “Advertiser response has been very positive,” said Ross.
“The channel has slid nicely into the W sales team and marketing team.”
As for multiplatform content, Corus has been concentrating on its new web site to find the ultimate Canadian bachelor. “Phase two will be adding more content” on the site, said Ross, who said she is working on video on demand for its content and has no high definition plans as yet.
While this is the third channel taking the CosmoTV brand, it’s the first English language one (it’s seen by 7 million customers in Latin America and Spain) and Ross confirms that partner Hearst is watching closely to see how the new net fares here. “They consider Canada a great opportunity to test the concept out,” she said.
