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)

Thursday 06 May

By willco

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Any remark that criticizes her for this unintelligent decision will never see the light of day on this blog. Try it and see for yourself

Tuesday 04 May

By Randi

I agree, but lots of babies have that old man look at first...It will go away within the next several months.

By Kett

you guys are losers. and illiterate. The baby is beautiful who cares about his color. GET A LIFE! ALL THE IDIOTS WHO ARE SAYING NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT SANDRA B.

By Dianne

That is one of the ugliest babies I've ever seen - black or white!

Wednesday 05 May

By amary

obviously you have no children

By LIZARD KING

MICHAEL JACKSON DEAD! OH MY GOD ... PLEASE TELL ME IT ISN'T TRUE ..

By caro

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How sad to see Sandra like that. Agin its the in thing to do and pc for the so called stars. and how many black stars r out adopting white r otherwise!? DUH!

By Tothepoint

Black stars don't have to adopt, example Brittany Spears white husband has children with a black star and is helping Brittany raise their two white boys, Seal married a white model and is helping her raise her white child and I could go on, and on, and on. White people with money have integrated families, because if the black man or woman is rich enough white women and men could care less about their color. Also, there is something called love and people don't say, I love you but you probably don't want to marry me because my child is white and you are black. What world are you people living in and what year?

By lcceb

What a Stupid Woman.

By athenajustus

You know its people like you Mabisali that have such a pointless goal in life that need a reality check. I am so sure you wanna sue Nestle for making Chocolate Milk too..We all feel so sorry for you..

By Rebecca

Sandra has already been through enough, and is dealing with it really well. Jessie deceived her, pretending to be someone other than whom he really is. Sandra was an innocent victim in all of this. Some of you need to get your facts straight before writing your opinions, and stop projecting yourself onto others. I believe Sandra is going to make a great mother. She has been blessed with a wonderful, precious and beautiful child. She is full of joy, only a mother can experience. I am happy for her, and wish all the best for them both.

By mkoolkitti

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@
jill

Shame on you ! The baby is beautiful.All babys are precious gifts of heaven,even the 7 you and your cousin conceived in the trailer park courtyard .

By mimi

Congrats Ms. Sandra theirs alot of people out there who don't understand how you feel..I went through something similar it's a degrading feeling to hear through another your husband you love and trust is stepping out their marriage,but, Im glad your going on with your life the way you want your life to be and include.Not every person understands just because your a powerful woman in the entertainment business you have a life just like everyone else and you have feelings and wishes and desires just like we all do. stay strong and enjoy the baby,remember black and white cancles out when you love someone.

By hdstyle1957

Rich white people buys, I mean adopts black baby. Quite often from another country. What are they doing is this the new cool? Bling? or what.

and you be with him a cell,for ph-ucking your white mammy.

By DLE

Sometimes all we see is the life of a celebrity that may look like a mess to us. At least she is trying to do something about the estimated 240 million orphans in the world. Some of us talk as if we all have it together. So her situation may not the perfect; at least she seized the moment to give herself some happiness even when she is going through.Kev don't hate have you adopted an lately?

By Barney

So I wonder what the October, 17, 1977 issue of O. J. Simpson would sell for now. Now that he is notorious. Death, birth and notoriety.

By Paula

What a wonderful baby. Who cares what color he is. He found a home that is all that matters.
Who cares about who Adam Lambert cares to love. A person is a person reguardless of his or her sexuality.
Grow up, people.

By tothepoint

I agree and gay people need to stop caring about what color someone is. Adam Lambert was never to be on the cover, it was Julia Roberts. The issue was to be the Annual Most Beautiful People Issue, Julia on the cover and not an insert at the top of the cover. That was in a previous article on this internet site. I like Lambert and voted for him on Idol, but people get real, he still has to continue to prove himself over and over again just like all artist. Ray Charles, Elvis, M. Jackson, Sinatra did not get to the top by being on one show and releasing one Album. I voted for Lambert on Idol and wanted him to win, but, he has a ways to go to be considered great, so stop being ridiculous or inflating his popularity.

By cj

To redneck Rick L.Yes I see the irony in this,May be she thinks He'll grow up AND BE BETTER THAN jESSIE IN THE SACK.

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