COSMOPOLITAN’s new editor: A Q&A with Holly Meadows

media update’s Aisling McCarthy chatted to Meadows about her appointment and what she has learned along the way.

As the new editor, what are you hoping to bring to COSMO?

I think one of the biggest challenges for all editors is in staying relevant, and that requires constant change and innovation. You have to continually think beyond the page and be multi-dimensional in your mindset and offering.

Dynamism, inspiring content, and multiple touch points for [readers] to experience the brand in all aspects of [their lives] – that’s what I hope to bring.

What did you learn in your time as the deputy editor?

I worked as deputy editor on COSMO for a year, before heading up our commercial content team at Associated Media Publishing.

My biggest learning in this time is that editors need to operate in a 360-degree manner, and that in order to make your dreams come true, you need to think with your business hat on because every innovation needs a commercial partner.

It’s a luxury nowadays to create content that lives only inside a magazine, content has to work hard and live in print, online, and at pop up events, involving collaborative partners in different forms and guises that wow and inspire.

Why do you think millennials are an important demographic for COSMO to focus on?

The millennial market is COSMO’s audience, we speak to a demographic category that’s predominantly between 18-30, but bang on 26 years old.

[They are] the future of South Africa and [they’re] an important demographic to not only speak to, but speak with. COSMO is about empowering women and giving [them] everything [they] needs to live [their] best lives – from the most budget-savvy summer swimwear to the best internship programs for out of college graduates.

You are taking the editor reins from Kerrie Simon-Lawrence. What have you learned in your time working with her?

Kerrie is a phenomenal editor and I have worked closely with her over the last year. One of the many things I have learned from Kerrie is the importance of PR.

Kerrie spearheaded three exclusive COSMO SA covers with international celebrities, Blac Chyna, Ciara, and Amber Rose. These all generated fantastic talkability overseas, with coverage from Perez Hilton and e! News.

Read more about Blac Chyna’s cover here: Cosmopolitan South Africa secures world exclusive with Blac Chyna.

What does COSMO offer that other magazines do not?

What distinguishes COSMO entirely is the tone of voice – COSMO reads like a best friend and speaks to one in an informal, warm, upbeat, and inclusive way.

COSMO is all about [the reader] and putting [them] first in a fun (never mean) and cheeky way, using a millennial dictionary that is evolving all the time.

It also stands out as the expert on men, sex, and relationships. We decode what men think, and help [our readers] understand it all, whilst equipping [them] with everything [they] need to know when it comes to dating and bedroom antics.

How did you get into the magazine industry, and what made you want to work at COSMO?

My career started out as an intern at Tatler magazine in London’s Vogue House when I was about 17. I joined COSMO in 2015 as deputy editor and what really gravitated me toward the brand is its global pulling power.

It is sharp, smart, and bold and has engaged women across the globe for over 50 years now. It exists across 79 countries, in more than 30 languages, and has a global reach of more than 100 million people.

To be able to give South Africa a voice amongst that platform excites me.

What advice would you give to young, budding editors in South Africa?

The best career advice I ever received was to present solutions to challenges.

Editors need to be able to think fast and problem solve at lightning speed, so it’s important to be surrounded by a team that sees opportunity in the face of adversity.

For more information, visit www.cosmopolitan.co.za.

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