No magazine can take newsstand sales for granted these days—even if it’s People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” issue. Bradley Cooper is People's pick this year, but the magazine isn't counting on the actor's blue eyes and wholesome appeal alone to bring in the sales. To attract attention to its annual franchise, People will display the issue in special bins that play a clip of “Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO when people pass by.
The motion-activated bins will be displayed in high-traffic locations in 1,500 Kroger supermarkets when the issue goes on sale Nov. 18.
Sexiest Man has traditionally been a big seller for People. Two of the biggest, Sexiest Men JFK Jr. and Tom Cruise, sold more than 2 million each in 1988 and 1990, respectively, nearly twice the average newsstand sale for People.
Single copy sales, which make up about one-third of People’s circulation, have been soft for the celeb weekly lately, though; they were off 10.5 percent to 1.2 million in the first half of 2011, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Last year’s Sexiest Man, Ryan Reynolds, sold just over 1 million.
