Angelina Jolie is going to have twin babies (or already had them?) and the war for the first baby pics is already hotting up. The two main players? People magazine and the newly launched US edition of OK.
When Jolie had given birth to Shiloh in 2006, People had paid 4.1 millions for the baby photos. In March, People set a record, paying what industry executives say was $5 million or more for the first public pictures of Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and their newborn twins.
But expectations are that for the Jolie-Pitt and babies pics, the figures could go up to $15 million. Why are magazines ready to shell out such large amounts for these kinds of photos? This, despite the fact that the increased revenue from sales boosted by such baby pics rarely touches $1 or $2 million? Also it is uncertain which pics will be hits with the public. Putting Christina Aguilera and her new baby on the cover in February did not do much for People???s sales.
Then why? The reason is simple. It is a question of brand building. Says Paul Caine, the publisher of People magazine,
The consumer???s expectation is if the photos are going to be available, I???m going to see them in People. If we don???t get them, we miss that brand promise, we lose the halo that goes with that
Adds People editor, Hackett, “This is a long-term strategy for us.I don???t enjoy paying these large amounts of money, but I do enjoy our readers having these pictures.”
Whatever the economics behind this phenomenon, Brangelina have said they will give away the money to charity. Hope the OK-People war gets hotter, for charity’s sake!
