While the general public perceives both Cosmopolitan and Playboy as same-type publications with different target groups, where Cosmopolitan magazine, on one hand, is seen as a female guide on how to look great and behave smart in order to find an ideal prince and, on the other hand, Playboy has a reputation of as an expensive porno guide for cool guys on how to get a girl, there are a number of much more significant differences between the two magazines. The first thing for comparison that immediately comes to mind is the cover page of both publications.Whether it is Cosmopolitan or Playboy, there is always a picture of a pretty girl on the cover. However, the difference is in the message that those attractive face and body features convey. Cosmopolitan girl is attractive, confident, very often she is a publicly known individual, and being a cover girl of Cosmopolitan she is a symbol of female success.
Playboy girl is seductive rather than attractive, in most cases the cover page is her first step to start a career, so, the public sees a pretty body but there is yet no success story behind it.About the dressed Cosmopolitan girl you want to read, whereas almost undressed Playboy girl you want to look at. The difference in the cover page portrays the difference in the general design of two magazines. One will find that photos in Cosmopolitan are far from being as open and naked as those in Playboy.
It should also be noticed that overall there are more pictures versus text in Playboy while Cosmopolitan actually has more text rather than photographs.The difference in both the cover page and design of the magazines relates to a more significant difference which is the overall context of both publications. For many females, which are the target group of Cosmopolitan, the magazine actually serves the function of an information bearing publication. Apart from being a male-hunting guide it also provides information such as cooking recipes, health care instructions and recommendations, and other.
Playboy, on the other hand, with its level of nudity, the number of photos and comments to them, etc. seems to be an entertainment reading, first of all.Even though it also has, for example, sports instructions, fashion trends and so on, the general tone of the magazine is mostly playful, whereas Cosmopolitan at times tries to be rather serious. Another difference among the two is the general attitude of both magazines towards the question of relationships. It is generally known that many women write to Cosmopolitan and actually use it as a consultant when they want to discuss a certain aspect of their personal relationships, be it a dating relationship, marriage, work or friendship.
Most men, on the other hand, see Playboy as fun, for some – secret or forbidden pleasure – but not as a serious, personal psychologist. As a conclusion, one should that while both Cosmopolitan and Playboy are entertainment magazines, Cosmopolitan with its cover page, general design and context, as well as readers’ attitude towards it may be claimed to be more informational, consulting and in general readable while Playboy fits better in a segment of pure entertainment reading.And even though both magazines are rated as the most readable and popular ones in their category, Cosmopolitan has a more serious reputation and is better accepted by business circles (for advertisement purposes, for example) than Playboy. Despite all the differences, both magazines have a great number of readers, even fans, who continue to be the building stone of the success of both Cosmopolitan and Playboy.
