Former Glamour boy takes on Cosmo brief

Cosmo: launching handbag version

Cosmopolitan has turned to the man who helped run the media strategy for Glamour, the magazine which usurped it as the top-selling women's monthly.

Simon Mathews' strategic communications agency, Rise, has been brought in to help the magazine get inside the minds of today's reader.

The National Magazine Company, publisher of Cosmopolitan, has hinted that a key part of the strategy will involve its new handbag-sized version.

This is currently being tested on news-stands alongside the bigger edition, despite some initial reluctance from within the company to go down the Glamour route.

Mathews, who described Cosmo as "a dream client", worked on Glamour from its launch until he departed as managing partner of the magazine's media agency Optimedia to set up Rise.

Cosmopolitan, which after 32 years has become an institution in the magazine world, was knocked off the top spot in the women's monthlies circulation war in 2002.

It saw the gap between itself and rival Glamour grow to more than 100,000 copies at the last set of ABCs in August - although it still claims a large lead in readership, according to NRS figures.

Rise has been briefed to "get under the skin" of the mag azine and its readers and keep it "relevant", Mathews said.

"How we get there is an open book which focuses us on the right solution, as opposed to any received wisdom in this market," he added.

"We're passionate and knowledgeable about this sector, so working with the most-read magazine [in the segment] and one of the most definitive media brands in the world is very flattering."

Cosmopolitan saw its ABC figure fall by 1.7% to 462,157 in August, while its rival's numbers continued to climb.

The magazine's management is also looking to bring in a creative agency.

Jan Adcock, group publishing director of the Cosmopolitan group, said: "A communication strategy which reinforces the magazine's values, its modernity and relevance to young women today continues to be our priority. "  The win caps a good spell for Rise which last week picked up the communications and media strategy task for Alltracel Pharmaceuticals, launching next year with projected budget of £1m in billings.

The company boasts the first product said to actively stop bleeding.

Rise's task on the Alltracel account will be to establish the new category and brand largely through a public relations and viral campaign.

The agency will work with PHD Compass on overall communications strategy for the brand across women's press and outdoor.

This article was first published on Media Week