Domino February 2009 Cover
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GROWING EMPIRE: Bill Wackermann is expanding his reach at Condé Nast. On Monday, Wackermann, who, as senior vice president and publishing director, oversees ad business for Glamour and Condé Nast Bridal Media, was given additional oversight of shelter title Domino. The magazine’s current vice president and publisher, Beth Brenner, now will report to Wackermann.
“Bill Wackermann is one of our top business brand-builders, and I look to him to leverage Domino’s strong assets and continue to grow the brand’s vitality in the marketplace,” said Charles Townsend, chief executive officer of Condé Nast, which also owns WWD.
Domino’s circulation has doubled in the nearly four years since its launch, to 850,000. But ad pages for the title have stalled, a victim of both the broader economic decline and challenges in the housing market. Meredith Corp.’s Country Home, Hearst Magazines’ O at Home and Hachette Filipacchi Media’s Home have shuttered since last fall. Last year, Domino’s ad pages shrank 5 percent, to 692.
The move displays support from the company for the title, despite speculation that Condé Nast was considering closing Domino, along with other smaller circulation magazines such as Details and Cookie. Media observers believed the titles would be sacrificed in the firm’s cost-cutting drive and would be part of that urban legend known as Condé Nast chairman S.I. Newhouse Jr.’s “January surprise” of massive reshufflings. So far, this is the only move unveiled, but are there more such reassignments of titles in the works? Keep that e-mail in-box clear in case more corporate press releases roll in. — Stephanie D. Smith
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