J.C. Penney Plans Free Magazine Geared to Teenagers

J.C. Penney Co. said Monday that it will publish a new young people’s magazine four times a year and give it away in its stores, joining Nordstrom in using a custom magazine to make a bid for teen loyalty.

Noise, as it is tentatively called, will debut in July with an 84-page edition, 3.5 million copies of which will be available at the retailer’s 1,150 stores. The company said it is also considering a mailed version of the magazine.

About 35% of the content will be advertising for the department store and its vendors, the company said. The balance will be coverage of beauty and fashion trends as well as music and sports.

The mid-level store is joining upscale competitor Nordstrom, which introduced BP Style to promote its Brass Plum juniors department. That free magazine is also in typical teen-mag format, with articles about boys and celebrities.

Retailers such as Target and Starbucks, as well as banks and insurance companies, have used the magazine format as a self-promotional tool, one they believe is more likely to appeal to consumers than do more traditional ads or brochures.