An Acquisition & An Audience
In 2017, in one of the most surprising deals in media, publishing powerhouse Meredith Corporation acquired the equally powerful Time Inc. Reaching about 110 million women monthly at that time, Meredith had long been the content mecca for “Her.” “She” embodied lifestyle. She was the American woman, the girl next door. The wife, the mom and the Chief Household Officer. She loves all things family, food, and home; she cooks, DIYs, bakes, attends little league games and significantly invests to do it all.
Meredith had built its empire around this prototype woman. But this image, so often focused on the All-American white homemaker, overlooks the diversity within “Her.” This woman is not only the homemaker; she is also the female entrepreneur, the young mom, the corporate executive, the Black creative visionary who expresses herself with a little extra sparkle—what the world has come to know as #BlackGirlMagic. Yet, historically, companies like Meredith Corporation have failed to see the full spectrum of diverse audiences, and the value of Black consumers.
This woman is not only the homemaker; she is also the female entrepreneur, the young mom, the corporate executive, the Black creative visionary who expresses herself with a little extra sparkle—what the world has come to know as #BlackGirlMagic.
During the time of the acquisition, Essence—the lifestyle bible for Black women, was part of Time Inc.’s magazine portfolio. Essence was far more than a lifestyle publication; it was a cultural cornerstone for Black women. For over fifty years, Essence has amplified Black women’s voices. It celebrates, inspires, informs, and empowers its readers with stories that reflect their interests, experiences, achievements, and ambitions. In a world where Black women are often sidelined, Essence’s commitment to authenticity and representation was a lifeline, affirming black female identity and showcasing black female beauty, brilliance and contribution.
As a former Meredith employee and a Black woman, I was thrilled by the idea of Essence folding into Meredith. I had high hopes that the Time Inc. acquisition would bring new life to Essence. I imagined the possibilities for growth Meredith could unlock by nurturing Essence as part of its family of magazine. With its deep roots in championing women, Meredith seemed primed to carry Essence forward, infusing its dedication to representing women’s lives with Essence’s legacy for serving Black women. Essence with its unique opportunity for growth, could now be invested-in and fostered by Meredith’s mighty infrastructure. Yet Meredith chose to sell Essence, missing a pivotal opportunity to expand its audience and embrace the magic of Essence and its equally magical audience.
The #BlackGirlMagic Bridge
Meredith’s choice to sell Essence reflected a fundamental ignorance of the magazine’s cultural impact and value. The decision suggested a narrow vision of the Meredith audience and a failure to recognize the importance of diversity in women’s lifestyle content. By choosing to sell, Meredith missed out on the #BlackGirlMagic movement—a cultural phenomenon and global celebration of Black women’s unspoken awe.
In selling Essence, Meredith Corporation lost the chance to champion #BlackGirlMagic, an advocacy that would have brought both richness and relevance to its portfolio, organization and business. Essence embodies the complexity of Black women’s experiences—from career and family to self-care, style and finance—all topics of women’s lifestyle that Meredith was known for. This was a unique moment to express these topics through a uniquely Black lens, highlighting that Black women’s lives, like all lives, are multifaceted. The possibilities for collaboration and connection were endless. Imagine the power of weaving Essence’s distinct insights into Meredith’s once broad portfolio: the beauty, wellness, and lifestyle brands reaching out not just to a broader audience, but with a genuine commitment to inclusion.
A forward-thinking approach would have embraced Essence as a bridge to an underrepresented audience, a community that brings value and vibrancy to any brand bold enough to serve it authentically. Meredith had an extraordinary opportunity to broaden its vision of “Her” by welcoming #BlackGirlMagic as part its audience.
Meredith revealed a myopic view of what “She” looks like, under-scoring a limited perspective–one that assumed women’s lifestyle must adhere to a singular vision of femininity and womanhood.
“She” Needed More
Had Meredith retained Essence, it could have shown that “Her” is a diverse, multifaceted community that extends far beyond the narrow confines of traditional media representation. Instead, Meredith revealed a myopic view of what “She” looks like, underscoring a limited perspective–one that assumed women’s lifestyle must adhere to a singular vision of femininity and womanhood. The publisher missed the chance to celebrate every dimension of a woman’s life, ultimately rejecting an opportunity to build a platform that celebrates the wide, vibrant spectrum of “Her.”
Bigger Than a Buzzword
In the end, Meredith Corporation’s sale of Essence was more than a business decision; it was a statement about the then company’s vision for the future. Had Meredith embraced Essence, it could have shown that the heart of its mission was to represent women from all backgrounds and walks of life. By creating space for Essence to thrive within it’s ecosystem, Meredith could have taken a step toward reshaping its own identity to truly reflect the world. This commitment would have demonstrated that diversity is more than a buzzword and that Meredith valued every woman, not as a monolithic market, but as a unique individual whose lifestyle deserves to be seen and celebrated.
Media Needs Magic
Although Meredith Corporation is a distant memory, as the publisher has been since been acquired by media company Dotdash (currently DotdashMeredith), my reflection leaves me pondering what the future holds for media in an ever-growing diverse world.
Audiences and consumers today are no longer satisfied with brands that pay lip service to diversity. Black audiences in particular want—and deserve—more than symbolic gestures. They want brands that respect, reflect, and understand their experiences.
Will corporations continue to miss opportunities to embrace the full tapestry of the human experience? Or will they finally recognize the beauty in diversity and the strength it brings to media? Only time will tell, but the lesson remains clear: media will never truly experience cultural influence until they embrace the magic that is representation.