When a wife discovers that her macho, golf-playing, 40-year-old newspaper executive husband is suddenly obsessing about women's fashion and other girlie interests, she might fret that he has veered into a mid-life crisis with a penchant for trying on her clothes.
Yet the only clothes that Mrs Stephen Miron - better known as Suzanne Grover, Emap Advertising's director of women's magazines - might fear being stolen are those of one of her magazine babies, Grazia.
For the reason for her hubby's obsession is his bold plans for the relaunch of The Mail on Sunday's You supplement, which this week will go head to head, as a standalone magazine, with Grazia and other fashion glossies on the newsstands. You's news-stand debut comes with a makeover, with boosted fashion coverage, printed on Grazia-style silky paper.
His move hasn't caused any friction in the Miron household, he insists. Although they spend much of their time together swapping media gossip, they have a strict rule not to discuss each other's business. This means that while Miron drives into the office so he can talk turkey on his car phone, Suzanne has to catch the train into London from their Oxshott home.
News-stand gamble
He denies suggestions that Grazia was the inspiration for the newsstand move. "I'd love to give credit to Grazia, but we've been planning this for a long time. The priority was to upgrade You to serve the 2.3 million purchasers of the MoS. Then we wanted to try something that has never been tried before and that is to sell a newspaper supplement on news-stands."
And it isn't Grazia that is screaming about copycatting. Miron has been amused by a letter from lawyers representing the bible of fashion, Vogue, accusing You of potentially causing reader confusion by using a "virtually indistinguishable" typeface in its masthead.
Glossy fashionistas appear to be rattled, but it is Miron's newspaper rivals that will have more cause for concern if his You gamble - he is investing £8m in the news-stand launch - pays dividends.
While Miron insists that the You retail spin-off might be a nice little earner if sufficient women shell out £1 for it, the main purpose is to promote the value of You as a free supplement. And here, Miron has his sights set on the millions of women who read "quality" Sundays or do not buy any Sunday paper. The message is that for 30p more, they can get You as part of the MoS package.
Miron is reluctant to concede that the You strategy represents the start of a MoS fightback, yet some newspaper commentators feel that both Mail titles are in need of rejuvenation. Recent innovations in format and content saw every quality Sunday, except The Sunday Telegraph, post year-on-year ABC gains for the six months to January, while the MoS's sales were down 3.8%. These innovations have ever more blurred the distinction between quality and mid-market Sunday titles, presenting both threats to and opportunities for the MoS.
The challenges are relished by a consummate media man like Miron. Media is in his blood - his father, Roger, worked in sales at Thames TV. He loves media gossip and is full of affable bonhomie with a winning way in self-deprecation. He's also renowned as a "24/7" man, a shrewd businessman and a tough negotiator. Yet, even those who have traded against him attest to his charm.
Ultimate networker
Accordingly, he has many mates in the industry. MPG managing partner Mark Craze, one of his golfing chums, describes Miron as the ultimate networker, evidenced by the quality of people, like Philip Green, who he gets to speak at Solus Club dinners in his new role as the club's president.
News Group Newspapers managing director Mike Anderson, who has known Miron since they were both young Turks on the MoS in bygone Fleet Street days, attests to his determination to succeed. "If he feels he has a weakness in any area, he'll take a course to address it and acquire expertise. He's not intimidated by anything or anybody."
His mates can also vouch for the flamboyant side of Miron's nature - like his occasional penchant for a "gay blade" style of dress and his liking for extravagant one-upmanship. "Turning up to his own wedding in a purple Oswald Boateng suit was a mistake," chides Craze. "He's the only man I know who has a golfing green, complete with bunkers, built into his garden. Footballers come round to gaze at it in awe," says Anderson.
Joking aside, his mates agree that he is destined for the top of the Associated tree. When print media is desperate to converge with new media, Miron's two years spent running Associated's new media division position him rather well. Move over Lord Rothermere
CV
2003-present: Managing director, Mail on Sunday
2002-2003: Managing director, Associated New Ventures
1998-2002: Commercial director, Independent Newspapers
1988-1998: Sales executive, rising to ad manager, Mail on Sunday
1985-1988: Sales assistant rising to sales executive, TV Times.
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