As Oprah Winfrey fans celebrate next month's crystal anniversary of her popular magazine, it's hardly surprising that O, The Oprah Magazine continues to witness circulation success. In a climate of fail-and-fold publications, O addresses the important components that attract its strong demographic and keeps them coming back for more. There are plenty of success secrets tucked inside the magazine, but these five factors just might be at the core.
1. O celebrates our personal vision. We all have individual and interpersonal work to do. And whether it is financial, physical, psychological, environmental, or spiritual, O touches on all of these bases in every issue.
2. Today, there is no disputing the mind/body connection and the importance of acknowledging the power of the brain, stress, joy, and loss. A little ahead of some publications, O has been on board with that for 15 years. Even the blend of beauty within the issues gives a nod to health and wellness.
3. The cross-demographic appeal of O is one of the major factors behind its continued popularity. When your magazine can land on grandmother's and granddaughter's coffee tables, and cover an extremely wide socioeconomic bracket, you've struck gold.
4. Many magazine readers are searching for solutions. New recipes. New diets. New tips to become better at X, Y, or Z. But while O's content contains plenty of suggestions, there is also the underlying acknowledgement that life isn't about perfection. It's about trying to become your best and finding what works for you. There are no cookie cutter formulas. If there were, you'd only need one issue of that magazine.
5. Powerful messages and magazines are always more fun when they're wrapped in high gloss. O, The Oprah Magazine is like a beautiful gift book you can't throw away. Who wouldn't want that on their coffee table?
Nancy Berk, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author, comic and entertainment analyst. The host of the showbiz podcast Whine At 9, Nancy digs a little deeper as she chats with fascinating celebrities and industry insiders. Her book College Bound and Gagged: How to Help Your Kid Get into a Great College Without Losing Your Savings, Your Relationship, or Your Mind can be seen in the feature film Admission starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd.