Glossy Talk: Seventeen gets "real" (cover girl) with Neutrogena

Glossy Talk: Seventeen gets "real" (cover girl) with Neutrogena
 
Seventeen is going where German magazine Brigitte went last year... albeit for one month: it's putting a "real girl" on its October 2011 cover.  

The magazine, which has a readership of more than 13 million teens and tweens, has announced its "Pretty Amazing" cover contest, a search for the "ultimate real girl" sponsored by Neutrogena and in partnership with MTV's The Seven and JustJared.com.

"Our readers have been begging to be on the cover of Seventeen," said Ann Shoket, Seventeen's editor-in-chief, in a press release. "So we're psyched that Pretty Amazing will be the first reader cover contest we've done in more than 10 years and the ultimate celebration of our readers' beauty – inside and out." 

To enter, readers must share their story in an essay of no more than 1,000 characters and upload two photos taken from the waist up in a well-lit area ("avoid blurry pics, mirror shots, odd face-turned angles and weird backlighting"). They also have the option of entering a YouTube video.

In their submission, readers must address the questions, Are you passionate, creative or mega-talented? Do you see change that needs to be made in the world and know that you have the power to make that change? Have you done something awesome that you want everyone to know about?

The dedicated website gives girls posing tips from celebrity photographers, cover-worthy makeup advice and a video featuring Leighton Meester posing for her cover shot, as well as experts who answer the question, What does it take to be on the cover of Seventeen?

"My advice to anyone who wants to be on the cover of Seventeen is take good care of yourself," says hair stylist Daniel Howell. "A Seventeen cover star is energetic, full of life and effervescent," says makeup artist Rachel Goodwin. "When you get that perfect smile, the perfect style outfit and the beautiful hair and makeup, there's nothing like it," says stylist Marrit Elliot. 

The competition's Facebook page will feature a Pretty Amazing Girl of the Week, and the competition will be judged by Shoket, as well as actress/singer Miranda Cosgrove and Jared Eng of JustJared. The winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship in addition to their moment in the studio spotlight and a trip to New York City.

A great initiative; if only "pretty" weren't commensurate with "amazing".

See also:
Seventeen magazine editor Ann Shoket talks to Media Bistro 
Judging the Girlfriend Model Search 
Bobbi Brown's Pretty Powerful Campaign
Best Glossy Covers 2010


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