Things are certainly getting interesting in the publishing world. American Media, Inc. (AMI) owns and operates a number of female fitness publications including Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Muscle & Fitness HERS and Natural Health. AMI has announced that they will be partnering with Windmill Health Products to develop and market health and nutrition products under AMI’s various magazine brands. In a press release issued it shared, “Plans for the partnership include Shape and Men’s Fitness multivitamins, a line of post-natal care products for Fit Pregnancy and sports nutrition products under the Flex and Muscle & Fitness brands.”
Will this move prove to be financially beneficial for the publishing giant or a case of biting the hand that feeds you? It’s no secret that magazines depend on advertisers for the bulk of their revenue. Now AMI will be in direct competition with their advertisers with a number of product SKUs.
NEW YORK, Nov. 7, 2011 — David J. Pecker, Chairman, President and CEO of American Media, Inc. (AMI), today announced that the company has entered into a partnership with Windmill Health Products, one of the largest distributors of nutritional products to all channels of distribution in North America and in 75 countries Worldwide.
AMI and Windmill Health Products will be developing and marketing an assortment of health and nutrition products under AMI’s various magazine brands. Plans for the partnership include Shape and Men’s Fitness multivitamins, a line of post-natal care products for Fit Pregnancy and sports nutrition products under the Flex and Muscle & Fitness brands. These products will be launching throughout 2012 and distribution will be both domestic and international.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Pecker said, “This partnership between AMI and Windmill Health Products is ideal. AMI’s consumers, who look to our various health and fitness titles as a go-to source for industry information, will be able to purchase products they want from the brands they depend on.”
Chris Scardino, Executive Vice President/Group Publishing Director added, “AMI’s magazine brands are very influential in the fitness community and with this deal we will be able to provide our readers with top quality health products and supplements that they deserve.”
“We are extremely excited to be partnering with AMI, the power of their brands sets the standard for recognition and credibility in our market and we believe it will drive sales and build lasting brands in the nutriceutical space, we couldn’t have a better partnership,” said Anthony Yanni, Vice President of Sales, Windmill Consumer Products.
About American Media, Inc.
American Media, Inc. owns and operates the leading print and digital celebrity and health and fitness media brands in the United States. AMI’s titles include Star, OK!, National Enquirer, Globe, Country Weekly, Soap Opera Digest, Soap Opera Weekly, Pixie, Shape, Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health. AMI also manages 18 different digital sites including RadarOnline.com, OKmagazine.com, Shape.com, MensFitness.com, MuscleandFitness.com and FitPregnancy.com. AMI’s magazines have a combined total circulation of almost 7 million and reach more than 55 million men and women each month. AMI’s digital properties reach an average of 10 million unique visitors and 80 million page views monthly.AMI also operates a Publishing Services business unit which includes Distribution Services, Inc. (DSI), the No. 1 in-store magazine sales and merchandising marketing company in the U.S. and Canada. DSI places and monitors AMI’s publications and third-party publications to ensure proper displays in major retail chains and national and regional supermarket chains. DSI also provides marketing, merchandising and information gathering services to third parties including non-magazine clients. Publishing Services also provides print and digital advertising sales and strategic management direction in the following areas: manufacturing, subscription circulation, logistics, event marketing and full back office financial functions. Playboy is one of many publishers who have taken advantage of these additional services.
We’ll see how this plays out next year but it’s a move that is making a number of people uneasy.
