Stella to Launch in the Spring

In March 2011, a new star will be appearing at newsstands in Norway: Stella. A brand-new magazine from Bonnier Media, Stella has been long in the planning, although the intense work started in August 2010. “The foundation of Stella will be beauty, health and self development,” says Gry Bjørhovde, publisher. “While these may be well-known elements of many magazines, Stella will mix it together in a new way. Together, these three elements will give the magazine a holistic perspective.” The advertising agency that Bonnier Publications has worked with calls it “Beauty with Brains,” Bjørhovde says, which has become “Inner Strength. Outer Style” – the slogan for the magazine.

The audience for Stella will be women aged 25-45 and a key focus on women in their 30s, urban, educated and with good incomes. A group that has plenty to choose from on the newsstand. “But there have been interesting developments in this segment recently, “says Bjørhovde. “Readers have changed, both sociologically and in terms of growing older, opening up a vacant position that we are aiming for. And we have enormous faith that we have something the market wants.” And the proof is in the printing: the first issue will be 130,000 copies.

The new magazine has been presented to both focus groups and strategic advertisers and media agencies, and has been well received so far. “The critical point when you launch something new is that customers need to see a concept that differentiates itself from what is already on the market,” says advertising director Trond Juliussen. Juliussen has gotten a very good response with advertisers already on board. 

“The biggest challenge right now is just that with getting the perfect differentiation,” says Bjørhovde. “The competition is really tough and we are continuously working on everything from the overall content on down to the level of detail with illustrations, the tone-of-voice, the right column style. But Bonnier Media has previously proven that we can market women’s magazines. Tara and Costume are great successes, and even Woman magazine has strong single-copy sales, so we are optimistic – and aggressive.”