Veronika Schaller from “DONNA” and “myself”: “We are planning a moving image push”

Vero, you are responsible for two magazines: When is a topic “myself”, when “DONNA“?

Veronika Schaller: The typical “myself” reader is around 40 on average and is in the middle of the “rush hour” of life: she often has children, her own parents are getting older and she usually takes on most of the care work. That’s why it’s all about self-care and creating a balance in everyday life.

The “DONNA” woman is on average ten years older and is just starting out again. This is precisely where the magic of this generation lies. While they were often overlooked by society and magazines in the past, today they are more visible than ever.

After six months in office, what changes have you initiated?

Vero: Both brands are so popular that they don’t need to be completely revamped. Rather, the big opportunity lies in reaching the strong community through better integration of print and online on all channels at the same time. We are currently planning a moving image push: we are starting with “myself” with the YouTube format “Glow Show”, in which we talk to experts about beauty and wellbeing – and also expose myths and fake news. Quality and reliable content are top priorities in everything we do.

How can your personal signature be recognized in the magazines?

Vero: It’s as if I’ve rearranged a room with good design classics, repainted it and put highlights in a brighter light. I’ve given more space to content that our readers love. The before-and-after shoot in “DONNA”, for example, used to be just a double-page spread, but now we dedicate a large fashion section to the topic in every other issue and will also accompany this even more with moving images in the future. We can stage and celebrate the women from our community in a big way.

Veronika Schaller: We want to provide social impulses

Ten years of “COSMOPOLITAN”, six of them as editor-in-chief: How do your new readers differ from the previous ones?

Vero: “myself” and “DONNA” are more relaxed and both have this wonderful “Je ne sais quoi” attitude: a subtle understatement, a natural charisma, a certain effortlessness. It’s less about fast trends and more about good style – in all areas of life. Both are national love brands with fan bases that can almost be described as “Ultras”.

What does this loyal following expect from you?

Vero: On the one hand, consistently high journalistic quality and familiar formats such as the myself column “100 Lines of Love” by York Pijahn. On the other hand, they want to be surprised by diverse opinions and inspiring women and receive new impulses. They want depth, attitude, but also lightness.

Your latest coup: the first “DONNA Gen D Resort” in the Allgäu. What’s behind it?

Vero: With our “Gen D” initiative, we want to get the topic of menopause out of the taboo corner and provide social impetus, including appeals to politicians. This time, ten women from our DONNA community spent three days focusing on self-care during this phase of life. There was a varied program of sports courses and inspiring talks – for example with Milka Loff Fernandes on “joie de vivre” or Natalia Avelon on “new starts”. This strengthens the connection to our community. Another goal is to establish a sustainable revenue model through strong advertising partners.

“Versatility was the best forge”

What place will such live events have in your strategy in future?

Vero: There are already ideas to further expand the “Gen D Resort”. We are also repeating last year’s successful “myself Award” with a glamorous evening event in October. During the day, there will also be a “Moments for myself” day, for which we are selling around 300 tickets. We are making the “myself” topics there from self-care to fashion and beauty. Companies have the opportunity to present themselves at brand stands, while participants can look forward to talks, masterclasses and keynotes from great women.

You are very active on Instagram: what trends are you currently noticing among your community there?

Vero: What goes down well with DONNA women is the visibility of their own age group – topics such as “I’m now 50 plus and starting again”. For our magazine section “DONNA style role model”, we also film the protagonists at home and provide insights into their very personal home aesthetics on Instagram. In addition to wellbeing topics, the myself target group is very interested in culture, for example in the form of star interviews.

What prepared you to run two titles in parallel today?

Vero: My path led me via the Burda School of Journalism and a traineeship at “InStyle” to the online editorial department of “AMICA”, followed by “JOLIE” and “COSMOPOLITAN”. For a while, I thought it was a flaw that I hadn’t focused on one subject area, but switched between the fashion, beauty and life sections. Today I know that versatility was the best forge for my current position.

The “traditional media” business model works

What is particularly important to you in leading your new editorial team?

Vero: That nobody works for my taste alone, but always for the best product. And a good error culture, a positive spirit. I’m sure that if we retain the joy of making newspapers in this fast-paced, intense world of work, readers will feel it too.

How do you divide your time to do justice to both brands?

Vero: You get used to the double cycle surprisingly quickly. But of course I also have to push the other title forward during the week in which one title is released. The most important thing is not to be a bottleneck. Instead of micromanaging, I rely on my team.

Munich is home to many traditional brands such as “DONNA“ and “myself”. Is the city reinventing itself as a media location or is it just managing its legacy?

Vero: Munich proves that traditional media is still a viable business model. We are observing a growing “AI fatigue” among readers and a trend towards well-known brands that they trust. This is precisely where the opportunity lies for us as media makers: We offer orientation and, especially as lifestyle magazines, the increasingly important escapism.