Rodale's <i>Women's Health</i>, <i>Men's Health</i>, <i>Best Life</i>, and <i>Bicycling</i>, Earn <i>Ad Week</i> Awards

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Rodale's Women's Health, Men's Health, Best Life, and Bicycling, Earn Ad Week Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Robin Shallow

914-841-5572

Robin.Shallow@Rodale.com [3]

NEW YORK, March 31, 2008 -- Rodale Inc., the authoritative source for trusted content in health and wellness around the world, claimed three spots on Adweek Magazines' annual "10 Under 50" Hot List, whose honorees were announced in the March 31, 2008, issues of the trade publications Adweek, Brandweek, and Mediaweek. David Zinczenko, Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health and Editorial Director of Best Life, earned Adweek Magazines' prestigious Annual Editor of the Year Award for 2008.
In the Hot List featuring the top 10 titles with less than $50 million in annual advertising revenues (according to Publishers Information Bureau), Rodale's Women's Health ranked No. 1, while Best Life earned the No. 2 spot, and Bicycling No. 10. Women's Health and Best Life were named to Adweek Magazines' "10 Under 50" Hot List last year, and Bicycling has earned a place on the list for three years running.
"Women's Health, Best Life, and Bicycling set their sights high in 2007, and it's great to see this public acknowledgement of their efforts and ambition," said Steven Pleshette Murphy, President and CEO of Rodale. "Women's Health truly took off in 2007, with an incredible 48.3% increase in advertising pages and a 145.6% jump in advertising revenues over 2006. Last year, Best Life showed an impressive gain of 61% in revenue and 37% in ad pages, brought in 99 new advertisers and had the fastest-growing circulation of any publication in its competitive set. Respected contributors like David Mamet, Tobias Wolff, and Ricky Gervais continue to grace its pages. Bicycling had its best year ever in 2007. Two-thirds of its 78 new advertisers last year were non-endemic, as a growing number of automotive and financial services brands understood the value of the magazine and its affluent, influential readers."
Mr. Murphy continued, "Dave Zinczenko is an exemplary talent, possessing a rare combination of superlative editing and writing skills, terrific creative instincts, and strong business savvy. Moreover, his ability to execute and extend his vision across channels -- from magazines to books, television, and digital properties -- is extraordinary. This award is testament not only to his achievements and the incredible success of Men's Health and Best Life, but also to 'the Rodale way'-editorial excellence, a deep understanding of health and wellness, and an unrelenting focus on our audience."
In announcing its winners on the "10 Under 50" Hot List, Adweek said:
* "Women's Health -- Rodale's powerful Men's Health spin-off shoots to the top of the list as it picks up steam in the hot Women's Health/fitness set. Auto, beauty bolster diverse ad base. Buyers like 'strong consumer pull, winning formula' of service-packed player."
* "As a spinoff of big brother Men's Health, Best Life aimed at 40-plus guys nets gains in fashion (Gucci, Prada), auto (Mercedes). Aspirational edit sports scribes from Mamet to McInerney. 'Steady, solid' book achieved success 'the Rodale way' -- not flashy, they just plug away.''
* Bicycling - "No spinning its wheels at Rodale's enthusiast powerhouse, which keeps pace in this year's 10 Under 50 race. Racked up the greatest ad revenue in its 46-year run in '07, waving in 78 new accounts (Citbank, Jeep). Will up rate base in '08."
* Men's Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko is "the prince of all media. With lifestyle phenom Men's Health and an array of smash spin-offs -- from Best Life and Women's Health to MensHealth.com and books like the Abs Diet series and Eat This Not That! -- David Zinczenko keeps the pulse of the modern American man."
The Hot List "10 Under 50" highlights top magazines for their excellence in ad page growth, advertising revenue gains, circulation, performance within their competitive set, editorial point of difference, and innovative marketing platforms. To qualify for the Hot List "10 Under 50," a magazine must have been published for at least two years and earned annual revenue of under $50 million. Adweek Magazines assess hundreds of consumer magazines before making their selections for the lists.
Women's Health
Women's Health posted strong growth in circulation in 2007, with a 48.3% increase in advertising pages and 145.6% jump in advertising revenues over 2006. The magazine also performed extremely well on newsstands, with single copy sales in the second half of the year up 42.7% over the second half of 2006. The Women's Health brand speaks to women with a tone and look that's smart, positive, energizing, provocative, fashionable, surprising, and humorous. This approach is distinctly and uniquely Women's Health, resulting in one of the most successful magazine launches and vital brands today. Many new advertisers have recognized the value of advertising in Women's Health, with 116 new brands seen in the January through December '07 issues. Women's Health continues to expand the brand with extensions including www.WomensHealthMag.com, books, DVDs, bookazines, and branded events.
Best Life
Last year, Best Life had the fastest-growing circulation of any publication in its competitive set. Advertising revenues and pages for Best Life were up 61.1% and 37.3%, respectively, and brand revenues increased by 34.9% compared to 2006. The brand saw tremendous growth online, with a 434% jump in revenues for www.BestLifeOnline.com in 2007 and a fourfold increase in monthly traffic. Best Life's fashion business increased 42% in 2007 versus 2006. With contributors like David Mamet, Tobias Wolff, and Ricky Gervais gracing its pages, the magazine is one of the most intelligent and sophisticated titles on the stands today. With the tag line "What Matters to Men," Best Life targets the growing segment of 40+ accomplished and socially responsible men, offering them hands-on advice on finance, fatherhood, health, and relationships, as well as the latest cultural news, style trends, and product reviews.
Bicycling
Bicycling had its best year ever in 2007, with two-thirds of its 78 new advertisers last year coming from the non-endemic space, including a growing number of automotive and financial services brands who understood the value of the magazine and its affluent, influential readers. Advertising pages for Bicycling increased by 6.8% compared to 2006, while revenues were up 12.3%. While many magazines have decreased newsstand sales, Bicycling has maintained its newsstand sales and increased its subscriptions, all of which indicates readers continue to positively respond to the brand. Bicycling identified tremendous growth in female cycling enthusiasts and responded with a 26-page Special Women's Cycling Insert, with 10 pages of advertising specifically targeting women cyclists.

About Rodale Inc.
Rodale Inc. is the authoritative source for trusted content in health, fitness, and wellness around the world, reaching more than 70 million people globally. The company publishes some of the best-known health and wellness lifestyle magazines, including Men's Health, Prevention, Women's Health, Runner's World, Best Life, Bicycling, Running Times, Mountain Bike, and Organic Gardening, and is also the largest independent book publisher in America with a collection of international titles, including The South Beach Diet and The Abs Diet franchises, and Al Gore's New York Times bestseller An Inconvenient Truth. Rodale's broad range of media platforms includes magazines, books, video, and extensive Web sites. The company is also a leader in direct-response marketing and has more than 25 million active customers in its database. www.Rodale.com.