Online Marketing Consultant.

There’s a famous saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. And isn’t OK! magazine sticking to the rule. Jordan (Katie Price) and Kerry Katona practically own the front cover of OK! magazine, with the pair appearing on the front almost most of the time.

The formula of using Katie Price and Kerry Katona to sell magazines works. It’s worked well for OK! magazine, which seems to have exclusive deals with the pair, since they appeared on ITV1’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here in 2004.

Everyone’s a winner. Katie and Kerry get the publicity and an avenue for their version of the “truth” sorrounding press rumours, OK! magazine gets the sales and advertisers grab the eyeballs of their target market.

But how vulnerable is this business model for all parties concerened?

OK! Magazine
There’s no such thing as loyalty in the business world, and certainly not in the land of celebdom. Katie and Kerry give their exclusives (weddings, new births, pregnancy announcements, post surgery pics) to OK! but they’re still free to talk to rival celeb weeklies.

If either of the pair decided to take their exclusives elsewhere it could mean a dip in sales for OK! magazine. They would then have to presumably spend four years building up another reality TV celebrity that it could exploit.

Why are they not doing this already with Michelle Heaton? Although covers with Michelle would sell less than Katie and Kerry now, the magazine could help generate interest in Michelle and build Brand Heaton up to become their next big seller.

This would leave them in a less vulnerable position, should either of the Ks decide to share their latest heartache, nightmare, hell and baby photos to another weekly mag.

Katie and Kerry
What happens when readers get bored of Katie and Kerry?

There will probably always be some sort of interest in Katie Price and Kerry Katona, but they could stop appealing to OK! magazine’s demographic. Their popularity, or noteriety, may shift from the type of popularity that sells magazines.

There is also a risk that these constant magazine “exclusives” could hurt sales of their many autobiographies. Some would say it helps promote them, but really, how much more can they possibly have to tell in a book that hasn’t been published in a weekly mag?

Advertisers
Many beauty brands will be aiming to target a demographic of women interested in celebrity culture.

They may not be looking for the kind of reader who may find someone like Kerry Katona a role model or an aspirational figure. If this is the case they may not want their brand associated with a magazine brand that is heavily associated with her.

However, it must be said that there are many brands that will want to attract Katona idolisers.

What do you think of Kerry and Jordan on OK! Magazine? Have your say below.