Cosmopolitan Magazine

Cosmopolitan

by Phyllis Fine , Friday, May 30, 2008

THE FRENULUM, THE RAPHE, the ticki-bicki -- one of these is NOT an area on a man's body that can be stimulated for extra-credit "erotic excitement," according to the June issue of Cosmopolitan. Can you guess which it is?

So, yeah, Cosmo lives up to its reputation for providing explicit, sex-manual-worthy tidbits. Some seem potentially useful. Take the tips to focus on overlooked parts of the obvious male erogenous zones, like those areas named above (OK, not the tiki-biki). But others veer toward the absurd. Though, hmm... If I was at work, and I took the suggestion to insert a small, portable vibrator activated by ringtones, I'd get MUCH less irritated when a co-worker's unanswered cell played endless repetitions of the "Twilight Zone" theme.

Still, it's only in the sexual arena that Cosmo goes off the beaten track with unfamiliar vocabulary. In its other field of expertise, relationships, advice is dumbed-down and unsophisticated. Take "The Secret Girlfriend Weapon," which aims to put to practical use a study that "focusing on each other's good qualities" is key to a long-lasting love connection. Here 's the Cosmo-speak version: "Whatever your dude does that makes you crazy, find the silver lining. He's sloppy?.. So he'll probably let you make decisions like how to decorate the apartment. Niice."

The constant "dude" and "chick" references throughout the mag make me feel as if I'm trapped simultaneously in '90s and '60s time-warps. They drag the prose down to the level of the many pieces of reader-generated content, like "Bitch It Out" and "Guy Confessions" -- anecdotes about being caught in the (sexual) act, being hit in the balls during sports, etc. "I have a friend who comes over to eat my food and then leaves behind dirty dishes...." begins another fascinating entry. It's all very high school blogish.

The professionally written pieces do provide some flashes of insight and wit, like a great cavewoman-type dance invite I wish I'd had the chutzpah to try back in my single days: "You, Me. Dance floor. Now." "How To Snoop On Your Man" offers the obvious (examine every single thing he owns), except for the innovative tip to sniff a man's gym clothes: "They should be smelly. If not, where was he?"

If you're looking for genuine journalism, though, there's little beyond "How A Date Rapist Works," a well-written piece that clearly spells out how to avoid being a victim.

I haven't read Cosmo regularly since Helen Gurley Brown was editor (she stepped down more than 10 years ago). Sure, it could be annoyingly cutesy, and men were topic No. 1 then as now. But remember that old ad campaign from the Brown days: "If you want to find me, you'll catch me reading Cosmopolitan"? (Or words to that effect -- I couldn't find examples of the real copy. If anybody has, then I'd love to hear from you.) The women in those ads seemed a helluva lot more well-rounded than today's presumed reader -- didn't they mention interests like sky-diving?

On the day that the "Sex In The City"movie premieres, I'm wondering if (the younger) Carrie Bradshaw's columns would fit inside this incarnation of Cosmo. Or would her thoughtful explorations of relationship issues be considered too, oh, intellectual for the present target reader? If so, then -- dude, how sad is that?

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Published by: Hearst
Frequency: Monthly
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Phyllis Fine is columns editor for MediaPost.

Magazine Rack for Friday, May 30, 2008:
http://blogs.mediapost.com/magazine_rack/?p=500

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Pioneering Effect Marketing Firm Promotes Social Action, Drives Results Through Brands, Music, and Special Events

MusicMatters Creates Ultimate Green Experience for Jack Johnson's 2008 World Tour; Pioneering Effect Marketing Firm Promotes Social Action, Drives Results Through Brands, Music and Special Events

Going Beyond the Green Standard for Nearly Two Decades

MINNEAPOLIS-- May 29, 2008 --From the first Concert for the Environment in the '90s to the latest Jack Johnson world tour - to significantly boosting revenues for an array of organic brands like Ben & Jerry's, Stonyfield and CLIF Bar - MusicMatters is proving that green experiences generate dramatic results. The Minneapolis-based company creates strategic partnerships, innovative, action-oriented campaigns and memorable experiential online and onsite activities to raise awareness about critical environmental issues that move millions to take action. (See Media Kit case studies). In many ways, the Johnson tour, like the company's work for recording artists that range from Gomez and the John Butler Trio to the Dave Matthews Band, The Police and others, is a culmination of everything it's done for almost two decades and a preview of what's possible in the future.

As campaign director for Billboard magazine's number one green artist, Jack Johnson, and his highly anticipated 2008 World Tour, MusicMatters has helped create the green infrastructure and experiential branding components that are making the tour an unqualified success. The tour kicked off in Australia and Japan last month and is set to rock the U.S., Canada and Europe beginning in mid-June. Johnson, whose new Brushfire release Sleep Through the Static is already a number one hit, is passionately committed to greening every aspect of this tour in order to minimize environmental impact. To get there, Johnson and his team worked with MusicMatters to create a low environmental impact tour that generates high environmental awareness and action.

"Jack Johnson's music and sustainable lifestyle inspire fans worldwide. This tour is all about music, but it's also a profoundly powerful vehicle for change. This tour is a first-of-its-kind in many ways and fans will experience on a very visceral level how much fun they can have while doing good," says Michael Martin, founder and Prez of MusicMatters.

MusicMatters has worked with Johnson to ensure that this tour is as green as possible. This includes fueling tour vehicles with biodiesel, offsetting 100% of tour carbon emissions, offering fans the chance to offset their carbon footprint from traveling to and from shows, offering eco-friendly tour merchandise, refillable water bottles and working with venues to reduce waste and recycle. MusicMatters has also helped to create the All At Once partnership with non-profits worldwide. This new interactive community empowers fans to take action toward a healthier community and planet. "Based on the concept that individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change, the tour will set the new 'green standard' in the industry and encourage established superstar acts and emerging artists to adopt similar campaigns for their tours," according to Martin.

"Michael Martin is a true green pioneer," says Johnson. "He not only understands how to merge music with message, he has brilliance for creating strategies and experiences that move audiences to action. Plus, he and his team bring an authenticity to events that fans appreciate. I consider him an integral part of my team."

MusicMatters Helps Deliver the Architecture for Jack Johnson Tour and Others

The company has been providing the campaign architecture for green tours and events for almost two decades. At the center of the Johnson tour is a first-of-its-kind platform - a worldwide community to bring about environmental change. Read more about it at this link: www.musicmatters.net/press/20080528

About MusicMatters

For nearly two decades MusicMatters has made headlines, effected policy change and delivered bottom line results to scores of values-based businesses.

Pioneering a revolutionary process called Effect MarketingT, MusicMatters, through campaigns and strategy development, reaches millions of consumers each year and inspires them to take action. In addition, MusicMatters creates street and retail events to build and drive awareness and sales. The firm is the country's leading live marketing agency for the organic and natural industry.

Clients include Annie's Inc., Jack Johnson, Organic Valley Family of Farms, The Police, Stonyfield Farm, Dave Matthews Band, Earthbound Farm, Horizon Organic, CLIF Bar, Nature's Path, Santa Cruz Organic and more.

The Minneapolis-based firm with a staff of 20 is nationally recognized for the unique, powerful and entertaining brand experiences they create. (See Company Backgrounders in the Media Kit, MUSICMATTER'S GREATEST HITS/SOCIAL CHANGE INVENTIONS on the company's website).

For more information - or to interview Michael Martin - please contact Martin Keller at Media Savant Communications Co., 612-729-8585, mkeller@mediasavantcom.com

Contacts

Media Savant Communications Co.
Martin Keller, 612-729-8585
mkeller@mediasavantcom.com

Death Note Anime Series Download Agreement Reached

VIZ MEDIA SECURES LANDMARK AGREEMENT TO MAKE DEATH NOTE ANIME SERIES AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

Innovative Agreement Will Provide Episodes On A Download To Own/Rent Basis Soon After They Air In Japan

San Francisco, CA, January 10 - VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that it has licensed from Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV) the Download to Own (DTO) and Download to Rent (DTR) rights for the United States for the smash hit DEATH NOTE anime series, currently airing in Japan.

The deal is significant because it marks the first time a well known Japanese anime property will be made legally available to domestic audiences for download to own while the title still airs on Japanese television. VIZ Media will seek to make the series available to consumers through a number of online providers in order to reach the widest audience possible.

DEATH NOTE, based on the Shueisha manga series of the same name, is currently one of the hottest anime titles in Japan. Published in North America by VIZ Media, it depicts the adventures of Light Yagami, an ace student with great prospects but who is bored out of his mind. All of that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to investigate, and he is soon hot on the trail of Light, who must now reevaluate his one noble goal.

"We are pleased to team with a leading anime and manga company like VIZ Media to bring the DEATH NOTE anime series to eager fans in the United States digitally," states NTV Spokesperson. "VIZ Media understands how the Internet can be used to distribute content.  With a built-in fan base already generated by the popularity of the DEATH NOTE manga series, we are looking forward to the success of this innovative partnership."

"With Shueisha's support and the agreement with NTV to bring DEATH NOTE to the American market, we will establish a new benchmark for bringing our audience the content they want when they want it," says Daniel Marks, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. "The success of the DEATH NOTE manga has created tremendous anticipation for its anime counterpart and we are committed to delivering the best content through a variety of platforms to our tech savvy fan base."

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America and a global licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, videos, DVDs, audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated entertainment from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all ages.

Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.viz.com.