Local stars more bankable

Li Yuchun, the singer who won a nationwide televised music contest nearly a decade ago, still moves magazines. [Photo/AP]

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But then there are those only-in-China issues. Li Yuchun, the tomboyish singer who won a nationwide televised music contest nearly a decade ago, still moves magazines. When she made the Elle China cover in 2005, Xiao said: "A majority of industry insiders were doubtful about our choice, but the truth is, for three consecutive years, whenever we featured her on our cover, we were shocked by how viral it went."

In men's magazine titles the formula is similar but not identical: Hot Chinese celebrities, a few major international stars and localized content draw readership and growth. Li Baojian, editorial director of Elle Men China, says in addition to top actors and singers, athletes like Yao Ming and Kobe Bryant are popular.

Wang Feng, editor-in-chief of GQ China, says the cover is less important for sales of men's magazines than women's.

"Men are more loyal to the magazines and have a better awareness of the brands than women. Aren't women fickle?" says Wang. "Women follow different people but men comparatively recognize the magazine.

"If you ask me to name the top five people who influence men's magazine sales, it's hard to list specific names. Usually readers like Chinese people better on the cover."

Over the past decade, China's fashion and lifestyle magazines have worked in a time of continuous growth. Now, they face a new era of market saturation and competition for readers.

The New York Times

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