Hachette Filipacchi Media has joined forces with Alloy Inc. to build circulation and ad revenue for ELLEgirl magazine and grab a larger share of the teenage dollar.

As a result of the five-year pact, ELLEgirl will draw on Alloy's database of more than 21 million young people. And Alloy will run subscriber promotions on behalf of the magazine. It has two catalogs, Alloy and Delia's, with a combined circulation of 5.6 million.

“By having targeted access to so many teens, it'll be easy for us to find those influencers that are our rate base,” said ELLEgirl publisher Deborah Burns.

Meanwhile, ELLEgirl has increased its rate base from 400,000 to 500,000 and plans to boost its frequency from six to eight issues a year.

Alloy's target group is 13 to 18 years old, whereas Alloy's is in the 16 to 17 age range. “The 16- and 17-year-old girls are the sweet spot for us,” said Derek White, Alloy's executive vice president and general manager of the company's media marketing units.

How will it work?

Alloy will promote ELLEgirl subscriptions through pop-ups on its Delia's and Alloy Web sites. The effort also will include e-mail marketing campaigns, and blow-ins and package inserts in Delia's and Alloy's catalogs.

Alloy has run promotions “for any company that wants to reach Generation Y,” White said. But now, “the majority of our media marketing assets will only be used for ELLEgirl.”

Also part of the deal is a package for advertisers at both entities. Alloy's marketing unit, 360 Youth, operates gym boards and wall media that reportedly reach 45% of the high schools and middle schools in the United States.

Alloy also owns backlit boards, which appear in the front halls of roughly 4,000 schools. This program is said to be available to some 85% of the college students in the country.

Meanwhile, the magazine adds fashion luster to Alloy and Delia's, according to Burns. “Alloy and Delia's businesses were built around fashion merchandise sales, but there was no fashion authority like ELLEgirl to build on,” she said.

And why turn to ELLEgirl? “I would rather be the most profitable niche book than be bigger for the sake of being bigger,” Burns said.