Mr. Magazine

W.C. Fields always said: “It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.” And if you answer to the name Oprah, Linda, Dr. Oz or The Pope or even Jesus himself, chances are you’re going to have a magazine with your moniker stretched across the top of it.

Joining the ranks of magazines named after public personas; the latest to arrive on the scene is American Media’s Kate Magazine. A Princess should definitely have her own print kingdom, shouldn’t she? I think so.

From Jackie and JFK in the Netherlands to the Pope in Italy, there are a host of magazines named after the illustrious people in the realms of the stars, whether they’re entertainment dazzlers or more heavenly personalities, such as the Pope.

Really though, what is in a name? Well, revenue for publishers for one thing, recognition for customers another. Celebrities have always drawn attention to themselves without an abundance of trying, but never more so than in the publishing world.

Take Oprah for example, her TV talk show has garnered ratings for years. Harpo Productions has developed some of the most entertaining and popular films out there, such as “The Great Debaters” with Denzel Washington, “Beloved” with Danny Glover and just this year “Selma” with Tim Roth.

But O, The Oprah Magazine, first published in 2000, has brought her attention and loyalty from the print world. And no doubt about it, the name Oprah Winfrey had a whole lot to do with its success and continued prosperity, making it the most famous celeb magazine around today.

And so did Linda de Mol with her Linda magazine in The Netherlands (with at least four spin-offs so far).

However, where the idea sounds so easy to do, it takes “more than a village” of editors, designers and publishers to create a good print replica of the celebrity or illustrious person. Remember Rosie? It was a road map in what not to do.

And in the world of niche, book-a-zines dedicated to celebrities, both gone and still with us, continue to reign supreme in the realm of niche publishing.

From The Pope to The Stones, from John Wayne to Michael Jackson; celebrities of all stratospheric dimensions rule the world of book-a-zines.

Apparently, what’s in a name is a very big deal…in more ways than one.

So if you’re a mother-to-be out there and you’re deciding on a name for your little one, just remember two things:

1. Someday your child may be famous – so pick wisely.

2. In the world of magazines, what’s in a name can mean a lot more than space above a tagline – and if number 1. happens for your precious addition, then number 2. will definitely matter…

Happy Magazine Reading!