The Big Business of Franchise Issues: Magazines have long introduced and cultivated the franchise issue—where an editorial theme takes over a standard month’s edition. And whether they exist within the normal publishing schedule or stand outside of it as an extra issue, the franchise edition can grow into a rallying point for a large segment of readers and advertisers. From these issues we’ve seen the outgrowth of standalone events and a range of digital spinoffs—multiplying a franchise issue’s reach and business opportunities. Here, we examine how two in particular have become major brands in their own right: Sport’s Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue and Inc. magazine’s Inc. 500, which has since ballooned into the Inc. 5000.
