Calling Wal-Mart Shoppers...You now have your own magazine

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Submitted by Dave Harkins on Wed, 08/11/2004 - 5:20am.

On Friday, August 13, Time will launch a new title, All You, which will be available only at the newsstand and initially only at Wal-Mart.

According to an article on the DM News website (www.dmnews.com), publisher Diane Oshin says, "All of our research indicated that women felt that the magazines they were currently reading said it was not OK to be who they were, just the way they were. They were made to feel [they should] be doing more and always looking better. Women want to be accepted ... a magazine that accepts them for who they are is going to be welcomed."

Oshin goes on to say, "This is definitely not a partnership," Oshin said. "This is definitely a Time Inc. initiative. Wal-Mart has no editorial involvement or financial involvement. So essentially this is not a partnership in the traditional sense. It is a Time Inc. title being distributed at a sole retailer."

"It was not that we chose Wal-Mart," she added. "It was that Wal-Mart was the largest distributor of magazines. An ongoing dialog with them suggested that this was the first time a Time Inc. magazine would address their market."

Right. But, with articles in the premier issue addressing layoffs, a debate on whether low carb foods make people fat, meal plans, and home decoration (no doubt on a budget), this is publication there's no question in my mind that the magazine content is being influenced by Wal-Mart. Is this the newest approach to building customer loyalty for Wal-Mart?

Time's argument that the launch in Wal-Mart is because Wal-Mart is the largest distributor of magazines has some credibility, yet it smacks of Time "Custom Publishing" at work. After all, wouldn't it have a greater chance of success for Time if it were also available by subscription? The fact that you can only get it at Wal-Mart, makes it smell like an attempt at a loyalty promotion to me.

It will be interesting to see when (and if) the publication makes it out of Wal-Mart stores, if it becomes available by subscription, and how many other retailer or service companies follow suit with similar publications.

What's next, a publication for Ford Windstar owners? Oh wait, I think I get that one already.