Jane Francisco, late of Chatelaine, wastes no time in putting stamp on Good Housekeeping

Jane Francisco has wasted no time in making her mark at Hearst's Good Housekeeping. According to a story in AdAge, the former editor-in-chief of Rogers flagship Chatelaine has already redesigned the look of the March issue of the magazine, the first with her name on the masthead. 

Her challenge is somehow to revitalize the 129-year-old magazine without cheesing off its 4.4 million existing subscribers and attracting newer, younger women readers who might not be expected to read a magazine with the word "Housekeeping" as part of its logo.

"I wanted someone who had an unexpected take, not someone who had potentially edited three of these magazines in the U.S. in the past," said David Carey, Hearst Magazines' president. "Jane has great instincts for transforming a legacy business and making it more modern." 

"Her mandate is not to turn the business upside down," he added. "But at the same time the role of all the women's lifestyle magazines that have a service component have to be constantly reexamined."

One example of hitting the ground running is that, in May, Good Housekeeping will  roll out its first All Star Beauty Awards, a biannual compilation of the best beauty products carrying the seal of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.

"We target women who have a busy life," [said Franciso.] "We can deliver the one-stop shop if you can't make it through your shelter magazine or if you're interested in fashion trends you can use today."