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Good Food magazine's bumper Christmas issue is on sale, in a ground-breaking gift wrapped format. The Good Food team has developed an industry-first metallised elastic band to hold together the Christmas magazine along with a free Good Food 2011 calendar and a 16-page everyday food pullout. The Christmas issue has a choice of two different covers: one featuring a gold foil masthead with a silver band; the other a red foil masthead with a gold band.

The idea for the band came from the desire to ensure the gold and red foil had maximum standout in store, enabling consumers to more fully engage with the magazine before purchase. The inspiration for the idea came from a hair band bought by production manager Koli Pickersgill for her daughter.

According to Pickersgill: "We had been brainstorming ideas for how to hold the issue together without bagging it, and I had a hair band that I’d bought from my daughter and we thought why not try something similar for the magazine? It enables consumers to engage with the magazine and the standout cover and the great thing is the band gives it the appearance of a Christmas present. There is less packaging as well, which our readers like."

Following rigorous product testing, the team went ahead with the innovation. Production suppliers have confirmed this is the first instance of such a band being used to hold together a magazine and additional content.

The December issue of Good Food magazine includes more than 120 recipes for all your Christmas cooking, helping readers to plan ahead to avoid the stress with help for every dish for the big occasion. The issue features several exclusive recipes from celebrity chefs, including Gordon Ramsay and James Martin, alongside ideas for simple homemade gifts and bakes and fresh ideas for festive veg. Good Food's Christmas issue is the biggest selling issue of the year.

Good Food was named Consumer Media Brand of the Year at the PPA Magazine Awards, with editor Gillian Carter shortlisted for 'Editor's Editor of the Year' at this year's British Society of Magazine Editors annual awards.

NOTES TO EDITORS
About Good Food magazine
Good Food is the UK's market- leading food magazine, selling 305,855 copies a month, according to the last Audit Bureau of Circulation figures. Each issue is packed with over 100 recipes for everyday meals, easy entertaining and dishes from celebrity chefs. Every recipe is tested by the Good Food cookery team.

Toby Hicks