"We wanted to do something that isn't so insider-y with regards to the media, something that, theoretically, my cousin in Ohio would read," said Holmes. It remains to be seen how exactly that will be achieved — a glance at the test material for the site yields much overlap with Gawker and Defamer's celebrity and media content, with a heavy pickup of fashion-industry tidbits. But Holmes also emphasized a "frustration with media directed at women, the superficiality of it all. We just kind of wanted to create something that was an antidote to all the b------t that we felt women were being fed from all corners of the globe, in terms of media."
Gawker Media managing editor Lockhart Steele downplayed any particular marketing strategy. "There's no special trick other than going with our gut," he said, adding, "We think of things that would be entertaining to us. If the site grows a large audience, there will be advertisers….Gawker sites tend to succeed or fail on whether they're a good site." He pointed out the company has shut down three of its sites. Still, there's one strategic move that's a bit more in line with traditional media: "We're shifting to a place on all the Gawker sites to a world where we should be breaking news and getting exclusives all the time."
The site will cover beauty and fashion, celebrities and relationships — all traditional women's magazine fodder — but with a satirical tone. "When I took the job, I had to assume I would never work for a women's magazine again," said Holmes. "If I approached it with trepidation about who I was going to p--s off, I wouldn't be doing my job right." — I.C.
Gawker Media managing editor Lockhart Steele downplayed any particular marketing strategy. "There's no special trick other than going with our gut," he said, adding, "We think of things that would be entertaining to us. If the site grows a large audience, there will be advertisers….Gawker sites tend to succeed or fail on whether they're a good site." He pointed out the company has shut down three of its sites. Still, there's one strategic move that's a bit more in line with traditional media: "We're shifting to a place on all the Gawker sites to a world where we should be breaking news and getting exclusives all the time."
The site will cover beauty and fashion, celebrities and relationships — all traditional women's magazine fodder — but with a satirical tone. "When I took the job, I had to assume I would never work for a women's magazine again," said Holmes. "If I approached it with trepidation about who I was going to p--s off, I wouldn't be doing my job right." — I.C.
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