Kiss (Irish magazine)

Sugar

Roman Catholic Church had declined dramatically in the preceding decade^{[citation needed]}. Only three decades previously, such teenage-oriented magazines were much more reserved in their content and approach and even the titles, i.e. Jackie and Blue Jeans, were not as outspoken as the word "kiss" in capitalised letters. Kiss was launched by O'Doherty's publishing company as a response to the increasing popularity of similar, albeit British-based, publications such as Bliss and Sugar. It launched on 31 October 2002, at the original (much-deflated by current standards) price of €2.50 and aimed at female readers between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. The first issue featured heavily its mantra of dealing with teenage problems, including articles on school bullying and the difficulties of blushing, written in a "chatty and informative" manner so as not to "patronise" the target audience. However O'Doherty is adamant that his magazine will not encourage young children to "sleep with their boyfriends by providing How-To-Pleasure-Your-Fella features".^[2] To supplement its tone Kiss employs experts on what teenagers consider fashionable, with its so-called "agony aunt" being Sarah Scully, a child psychologist in Saint James's Hospital, Dublin. Upon its launch the magazine was edited by Susan Vasquez, who went on to be the editor of O'Doherty's Stellar.^[3] The magazine was also edited by Nathalie Màrquez Courtney and Sarah Breen.^[4]