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CoverAwards’ spoke exclusively with Best Life’s Editor in Chief Stephen Perrine on his latest cover featuring Anderson Cooper plus his secrets to developing a winning cover.
Prior to joining Best Life, Perrine served as editorial creative director of Men’s Health for six years. Previously, he was co-editor of Maxim and the executive editor of Cosmopolitan.
Why do you think Anderson Cooper appeals to your audience?
Anderson Cooper seems to be the kind of guy who has what Best Life readers seek—a well-rounded, balanced, emotionally fulfilling life. He’s in tremendous physical condition, he has a compelling and demanding career, and he has a connection to the world around him that keeps him engaged and interested. We’re going through one of those moments in American history where everyone is riveted by what’s happening in the news—both with the election and the financial crisis. And Cooper is one of the modern faces of television journalism.
What was it like meeting him in person?
I personally didn’t meet him, unfortunately. I’m usually too busy in the engine room to come up on deck. But the art and photo team described him as really friendly, very gracious—and even a little bit shy. This is a guy with a big job, not a big ego.
What’s the most surprising thing you learned about Anderson?
He has a very quirky, visceral sense of humor. We asked him how he handled the stress of covering war zones. His response: “I’m a cutter.” Cooper is very aware of the dark side of life and how it can affect the average person. He uses humor to keep that at bay.
Who would you like to have on a future cover?
I’m really excited about some of the men who are lined up for early 2009. But as for my wish list? My mom always told me that if you say a wish out loud, it won’t come true.
What is your cover strategy in general?
We have had tremendous success by working our creative muscles hard and not focusing on the same 7 or 8 celebs that every other men’s magazine is obsessed with. I think once you start doing celebrity cover stories that celebrate all the previous cover stories you’ve done on the same celebrity, it might be a signal that you need to hit the refresh button. We have had huge success by giving John Hamm, Tyler Perry, John Mayer, Jason Bateman and Keith Urban their first-ever men’s magazine covers. Each of them set Best Life sales records for their respective months.
And yes, we do mix in the proven winners like Patrick Dempsey or Tom Brady from time to time. But look at how the rest of the magazine market is faring, and then consider the fact that we’re up 19.4% at newsstand year-on-year. You don’t get results like that by following what everyone else is doing.
What type of photo do you look for?
We strive for an image that’s simple, clean, and elegant. I want the man on the cover to be photographed in a way that makes him look classically handsome. When we choose a photo, I often say to my staff, “Which of these men would you NOT want to see talking to your wife at a cocktail party?” That guy is the guy I want on my cover.
How do you develop your cover lines?
We begin by brainstorming lines and then running them past a panel of readers—guest editors, we call them—looking for feedback. We know we want to hit certain themes, and anyone who takes a look at our covers over time can clearly see what those themes are: We appeal to successful men who are swimming in a sea of responsibilities and want to achieve balance in their lives. They want their finances, their bodies, their relationships and their stress levels to be healthy and under control. They want to look good and enjoy life without having to work too hard at looking good and enjoying life. We try to hit those points in a way that’s clear, accessible and to-the-point.
Which magazines do you consider to be your main competition?
There are a lot of great magazines out there that hit some of our themes: Esquire, Men’s Vogue and GQ hit fashion and culture; Men’s Journal and Outside hit travel and health; Fortune, Forbes and other finance and business books cover investing and money management. But no one else hits all three, and no one covers fatherhood, marriage and other relationship issues the way we do. In the men’s market, there are a lot of great books that hit part of the male experience. We’re the only one that covers the whole man.
What is your best selling cover? And, what is your worst selling cover?
“I’m not a great brother or uncle or son for that matter,” Bateman tells Best Life.
“I don’t have this obligatory ‘I have to call Mom once a week,’ because we were just buddies. You either become disenfranchised with the idea of family, or you get really excited to do the opposite.”
How sweet.
Jason Bateman has a 1-year-old daughter and intends to have more kids soon.
“I’d take a track team, I don’t care. I think my wife’s good for one more, and then we’ll adopt the rest of the team.”
Sounds like Brad Pitt - don’t you think?
(Best Life)
