Magazines in the U. S. are driven to please their advertisers, but in the international division of Conde Nast, Jonathan Newhouse is surprising and delighting readers with a new format for Glamour. Read this N Y Times article by David Carr to find out how this innovative publisher broadens his horizons.

Link: The New York Times: ‘A Little Armadillo’ Propels Conde Nast Abroad.

Conde Nast, which is known for producing large, lush magazines in the United States, found success on the other side of the Atlantic with a smaller approach. The "pocket-sized" Glamour is much smaller than a traditional magazine and was described as a "pygmy" by competitors at the British subsidiary of Hearst when it was first published. The format, which was first developed in Italy in a test of a different sizes of magazines has helped Glamour lead Cosmo in circulation in Italy, Germany, Spain and France during 2004.

"There is a lot of talk of branding, but branding only goes so far," Mr. Newhouse said. "It has to be animated by a product that delivers quality. A good brand will help you launch, but in the end, the reader only cares about what is in front of her."