Glossy Media
Glossy Media is a New York-based vertical B2B media brand covering the beauty, fashion, and wellness industries. Founded in 2016 as a Digiday Media property, it delivers editorial content, paid Glossy+ memberships, newsletters, podcasts, proprietary research, and industry events to brand and agency executives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Glossy Media does
Glossy Media is a New York-based vertical B2B media brand covering the beauty, fashion, and wellness industries. Founded in 2016 as a brand within Digiday Media, the company produces daily editorial content on its flagship site, publishes the Glossy Daily and Glossy Pop newsletters, distributes a Weekend Briefing, and runs two branded podcasts (Glossy Beauty Podcast and Glossy Fashion Podcast). Its core audience is senior executives, brand marketers, agencies, and retailers operating in the prestige beauty, fashion, and wellness categories.
The company's product portfolio has expanded beyond advertising-supported editorial into a layered set of monetized offerings. Glossy+ is a paid individual membership providing access to proprietary research, member-only content, and event benefits. Glossy+ Research is a dedicated research unit publishing weekly proprietary research briefs, and Custom Intelligence, integrated from Digiday Media, sells bespoke research and consulting into brand and agency clients. Glossy also operates a recurring in-person events franchise, including summits, Brand Leaders Dinners, and the Glossy Awards program, which has been extended into a global awards franchise across beauty, fashion, and wellness.
The business model is a hybrid B2B media model with four revenue streams: advertising and sponsored content sold to beauty, fashion, and wellness brands and their agencies; paid Glossy+ individual and enterprise subscriptions; event and awards sponsorship and ticketing; and custom research and consulting engagements. The company maintains a 30-50 person masthead spanning editorial, research, sales, and events, and is wholly owned by Digiday Media, providing operational and capital backing from the parent.
Glossy Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Glossy Media
- Legal name
- Digiday Media
- Website
- https://glossy.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Glossy Media is a New York-based vertical B2B media brand covering the beauty, fashion, and wellness industries. Founded in 2016 as a Digiday Media property, it delivers editorial content, paid Glossy+ memberships, newsletters, podcasts, proprietary research, and industry events to brand and agency executives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Glossy Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fashion and Beauty Trade Media
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership) (MPAJAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Publishing Networks & Multi-Author Publications (MPACAIAG), Entertainment & Celebrity Magazines (MPAJAEAK)
Keywords
Where Glossy Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Glossy Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Glossy+ Subscription: Premium membership providing exclusive content, research reports, member-only emails, and early access to stories. Includes discounted rates for students and group membership options.
- Advertising and Sponsorship: Brand partnerships for advertising, sponsored content, and event sponsorships. The platform reaches beauty, fashion, and wellness brands and retailers.
- Events and Awards: Revenue from event passes, awards program entry fees, sponsorship packages, and licensing opportunities for awards program logos.
- Research and Custom Intelligence: Glossy+ Research reports and Custom Intelligence services offered through Digiday Media's specialized agency.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Glossy+ membership with student discount available |
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Glossy+ membership |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Awards program entry fees |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Glossy Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Glossy Media is a vertical digital media brand covering the beauty, fashion, and wellness industries. It sells premium editorial content, proprietary research, podcasts, and newsletters through its Glossy+ subscription membership, and monetizes its audience through advertising, sponsorships, in-person industry events, and an awards program.
Product overview
Glossy Media is a vertical media brand focused on beauty, fashion, and wellness industries, launched in 2016 as part of Digiday Media. The company's core offering is Glossy+, a premium membership that provides exclusive editorial content, member-only briefings, research reports, and event access. Supporting this are multiple newsletters (Glossy Daily, Glossy Pop Newsletter, Weekend Briefing) delivering daily and weekly industry analysis, plus podcasts (The Glossy Fashion Podcast, The Glossy Beauty Podcast) featuring executive interviews and trend coverage. The company also organizes industry events including summits, Forums, and awards programs, and publishes proprietary research on a weekly basis with quarterly and annual reports.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Glossy+: Premium membership program offering exclusive content, research, and early access to stories
- The Glossy Fashion Podcast
- The Glossy Beauty Podcast
- Glossy Pop Newsletter
- Glossy Daily
Products and services
- Glossy+ Membership Subscription membership providing exclusive editorial content including member-only briefings, proprietary research reports, early access to lead stories, and event registration for beauty, fashion, and wellness industry professionals.
- Glossy+ Research Proprietary research publication published weekly covering marketing trends, consumer behavior, and industry benchmarks, with annual reports and indexes published quarterly for Glossy+ subscribers.
- The Glossy Fashion Podcast Podcast featuring candid conversations about how trends are shaping the fashion industry, with episodes covering topics like brand collaborations, designer partnerships, and industry executive interviews.
- The Glossy Beauty Podcast
- Glossy Daily Newsletter Daily morning newsletter delivering news and analysis about fashion, beauty, and culture to industry professionals.
- Glossy Pop Newsletter Weekly Friday newsletter combining beauty, fashion, and cultural coverage with a focus on emerging trends and brand strategies.
- Weekend Briefing Newsletter Weekend newsletter providing curated analysis and highlights from the week's top stories in fashion and beauty.
- Glossy Events In-person industry gatherings including annual summits (e.g., E-Commerce Summit), one-day Forums, Brand Leaders Dinners, and networking events connecting beauty, fashion, and wellness industry professionals.
- Glossy Awards Industry awards program recognizing excellence in fashion, beauty, and retail marketing and branding, open to global entrants with per-category entry fees.
- VIP Program Complimentary pass program providing senior executives in media, marketing, and retail with access to select Glossy events and networking opportunities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Glossy Research published weekly with quarterly annual reports and indexes
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Glossy Media
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Glossy Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Glossy Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Digiday MediacoreDigiday Media is the parent company of Glossy, founded in 2008 by CEO Nick Friese and headquartered in New York City. Digiday Media is described as a next-generation vertical media company focused on the modernization of media and marketing.
- Custom Intelligence AgencyminorDigiday Media's Custom Intelligence division (thecustomagency.com) provides custom research and intelligence services, complementing Glossy's editorial and research offerings.
- Modern RetailcoreModern Retail is a sister brand under Digiday Media focused on retail and e-commerce coverage. Glossy features Modern Retail content on its platform and co-hosts events like the Glossy x Modern Retail Brand Leaders Dinner.
- WorkLifeminorWorkLife is another Digiday Media brand. Nicola Cooke serves as Global Sales Director for both WorkLife and digital operations.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Glossy Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Business of Fashion: Subscription-based B2B media outlet covering the global fashion and beauty industries with news, analysis, and research. Closely comparable to Glossy in audience (industry executives), business model (paid membership + events), and content depth in fashion/beauty/luxury.
- Vogue Business: Condé Nast's B2B fashion, beauty, and luxury industry publication featuring news, analysis, and events. Comparable to Glossy in serving fashion/beauty executives with premium editorial and digital subscription offerings.
- WWD (Women's Wear Daily): Long-established daily fashion industry trade publication covering beauty, fashion, and retail with editorial, events, and awards. Directly comparable to Glossy as a vertical B2B fashion media brand serving similar advertiser and subscriber audiences.
- Modern Retail: Sister brand under Digiday Media covering retail and e-commerce with editorial, events, and co-hosted gatherings with Glossy. Directly comparable as a vertical B2B media brand serving retailer and brand audiences with subscription and event monetization.
- Digiday: Sister brand of Glossy under Digiday Media, covering the media and marketing industries with news, research, events, and awards. Comparable in business model (B2B vertical media with subscription and events) and target audience (industry executives and brand marketers).
Broad incumbents
- Adweek: Established advertising, marketing, and media industry publication with broad coverage across verticals. Comparable to Glossy as a B2B media brand monetized through advertising, subscriptions, events, and awards, though broader in scope and not beauty/fashion-specialized.
- The Drum: Global B2B media brand covering marketing, advertising, and the digital industries with editorial, events, and awards. Comparable to Glossy's diversified revenue model and industry-executive audience, though it serves marketing broadly rather than beauty/fashion specifically.
Emerging players
- Fashionista: Digital fashion industry publication covering brands, designers, and retail with editorial and event programs. Overlaps with Glossy's fashion/beauty editorial mission though it skews more consumer/industry-news than B2B executive intelligence.
- Jing Daily: B2B media outlet covering the global luxury industry, particularly China and cross-border luxury trends. Comparable to Glossy as a vertical subscription-supported luxury/fashion media brand serving brand executives with research and analysis.
- Beauty Independent: B2B publication focused on the independent beauty industry, covering brand strategy, retail, and entrepreneurship. Comparable to Glossy in serving beauty brand executives with verticalized news, though smaller in scale and focused on the indie segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Glossy Media social profiles
Digital presenceGlossy Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Glossy Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Glossy Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Glossy Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Glossy Media
What does Glossy Media do?
Glossy Media is a vertical digital media brand covering the beauty, fashion, and wellness industries. It sells premium editorial content, proprietary research, podcasts, and newsletters through its Glossy+ subscription membership, and monetizes its audience through advertising, sponsorships, in-person industry events, and an awards program.
Is Glossy Media a public or private company?
Glossy Media is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Glossy Media founded?
Glossy Media was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Glossy Media based?
Glossy Media is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Glossy Media make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Glossy+ Subscription is the primary driver. The others are advertising and Sponsorship, events and Awards and research and Custom Intelligence.
Who are Glossy Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Business of Fashion, Vogue Business, WWD (Women's Wear Daily), Modern Retail and Digiday. Broad incumbents are Adweek and The Drum. Emerging players are Fashionista, Jing Daily and Beauty Independent.
Does Glossy Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Glossy Media.
What industry is Glossy Media in?
Glossy Media's product category is Fashion and Beauty Trade Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAMAD, Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership), with a secondary code of MPACAIAG, Publishing Networks & Multi-Author Publications. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.