Sandra's Baby Cover: Most Profitable PEOPLE Ever?

By Rob Shuter Posted May 4th 2010 03:25PM

It's no surprise that PEOPLE magazine's shocking Sandra Bullock baby cover was a huge seller, but it hasn't yet replaced the magazine's biggest-selling baby exclusive ever -- the August 2008 issue featuring exclusive photos of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's newborn twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne. However, Sandra's big bombshell may have been the most profitable cover in the magazine's history. Find out why after the jump!

"Sandra's cover has been on newsstands for a week and it has already sold over 2.7 million copies," a magazine insider told me, citing early sales estimates for the issue. "That's only 100,000 less than the 2.8 million copies the magazine sold when Angelina's twins graced the cover -- and a half-million more copies than the June 2006 issue with exclusive baby pictures of Brad and Angelina's first daughter, Shiloh, which moved 2.2 million newsstand copies."

It may be surprising that Jolie and Pitt's twins outsold their first child, but you know the saying: Two is better than one ... especially when it's pictures of babies. However, Sandra didn't just reveal a baby in her big splash -- she also announced she was divorcing Jesse James after his sex scandal. The double-punch made folks run to the newsstand.

What's perhaps more interesting is that Sandra did not sell these pictures to the magazine (Brad and Angelina did, but gave all of the money to charity), which could make it one of the most profitable issues of all time -- even if it's not the best-selling.

Baby news on magazine covers are a big business. While I was at OK! magazine, we had the biggest-selling issue in the publication's history: Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy. The combination of the baby and how surprising it was made it a must-buy.

Celebrity baby reveals are huge sellers because it's one of the most intimate moments of anyone's life. We feel closer to the stars we love when we're seeing their babies.

Sadly, the only thing that sells better than birth for magazines is death. The top three PEOPLE issues of all time are death related, with their 9/11 edition tragically being the best-selling issue of all time, netting 4.1 million copies sold. The second-biggest issue was coverage of Princess Diana's death, selling 3 million copies, and third is the death of John F. Kennedy Jr., where 2.8 million copies flew off the shelves. Numbers 4-6 are all babies (Jolie twins, Sandra, baby Shiloh) and the seventh biggest issue returns to the morbid -- Michael Jackson's death.

Tags: angelina jolie, sandra bullock

Comments

(105)

Tuesday 04 May

By Hollie Sunshine

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He's a jerk!

By amanda

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1. her baby is not from another country he is from louisianna and 2. she planned on adopting this beautiful little bundle WITH her cheating husband long before the affair. so to sit here and judge her for bringing a baby into a messed up world, you should learn the facts and btw... this little baby will have more care, success, love and happiness than most of us.

By Bob Reece

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What's with all these famous actresses adopting Black babies, What's wrong with White Babies? not enough attention???

By Malikah

Why do you care??? You dont have a vested interest in what RACE the child is! You dont have to feed, cloth, or love them, THANK GOD! As long as there's 1 LESS child who needs a loving home, BLACK OR WHITE, who care!

By fishvilleroad

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If Sandra Bullock hadn't won an oscar, and though it was a good movie, its unlikely her actions would have gotten more then a page in People and a mention in the paper.

By Blondie

I think Loius Bardo Bullock is her calm in the storm. Families have been through much worse. They are so blessed to have each other. She will be or is a terrific single MOM

By a west

how many white women have to show they crave blacks especially
the liberal movie stars. you are the down fall of america.

By lcceb

You Are Absolutely Correct

By scared!!

Is it me or does that baby look like a future serial killer? it gives me the creeps!

By Just saying

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Scared, your weird!

Friday 07 May

By mkoolkitti

How does a baby look like a serial killer?

By MrOddball?

Is this a joke?... Not really funny. By the way, Jesse has known the baby since his birth just as Sandra has, and Jesse was had gotten close to the little tyke, saying he would miss him.

By littlemsbig2010

Adam Lambert should have been on the cover. His page spread is out of this world !!!!

By Nickie

I couldn't care less about Sandra Bullock. My friends and I bought 3 copies each just for Adam Lambert's picture in the magazine!! You should know by now that Adam sells - just look at his Rolling Stone cover !!! Sandra Bullock - really - let's get real!!!

By UrCrazy

No, A. West, YOU are the "downfall" of America... in so many different ways that I can't begin to enumerate.

As for your question: You think "white women crave blacks"? D'UHHHHH. In this country, there are any number of people of all races, genders, etc. One hardly needs to adopt for your reason.

All you racial critics apparently can't think too well and need a course in Logic 101. The reason many white people adopt black babies is because THERE ARE A GAZILLION BLACK BABIES WITHOUT PARENTS (ORPHANS)!!!!! Hello?

So, according to your skewed reasoning, all those innocents, the black babies (and older kiddos) should NOT be adopted by white folks and SHOULD REMAIN ORPHANS IN an antiquated system in which most kids (any race) are abused for years by "foster parents," many of whom just "collect" the kids to COLLECT THE MONEY.

You might want to THINK before you speak.

By free

URCRAZY-
It's always funny when a stupid person tries to criticize other stupid people. It's sad when an ignorant racist thinks they can criticize other ignorant racists.
There are not "GAZILLIONS of black orphans"- you moron! In America, sadly, most black kids are FATHERLESS and many are raised by extended family. But there are still more WHITE kids without parents than black ( by sheer number, not percentages per population).
THERE ARE FEW HEALTHY WHITE INFANTS!!! But orphaned white kids age 2-18 years old OR with physical or mental disabilities FAR outnumber blac kids- because WHITES far outnumber blacks!
Gawd, racists like you always shock me! You love to go after people who don't share your type of racist attitudes. As if it makes you better.
Who is more racist?
1) The white person who says "Don't adopt black babies!" or
2) The white person who says "Adopt black babies! They're the only kids available....If whites don't take care of them NO ONE will!"
Shut up.

By LOLL

LOLLL Chelsea... LOLLLLL "... piercing my soul..." LOLLLLLLLLL lolllll

Wednesday 05 May

By rick lafferty

Does anyone else see the irony in that pic? A young, pretty white woman HOLDING UP a black kid?
Run Jesse, Run! You might make a clean get-away if you you're fast and if you're lucky!

By jon

Loser

By amary

it must be fun to have the internet to hid and spew out your racist views. you must one mad sob in the real world, whatever race you call yourself

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