Navigating A New Era of Virality, Rage Bait, and Gen Z Content with Cosmopolitan's Editor-in-Chief

Before she was even 30 years old, Willa Bennett took over not one, but two of the most iconic magazines in media: Cosmopolitan and Seventeen.In this episode, I sit down with Willa to talk about what it actually takes to run a legacy magazine in 2026 — in a culture driven by viral discourse, instant backlash, and internet-speed opinions.In this conversation, we get into:What it felt like to take over Cosmopolitan at 29What an Editor-in-Chief actually does day-to-dayHow she decides who and what gets visibilityWhy story matters more than star powerThe Sydney Sweeney cover and how she thinks about controversyWhether editorial “rage bait” is realHow viral culture and engagement metrics shape modern mediaWhat Gen Z readers are actually curious aboutAnd why “taste” might be the most important skill in journalism right nowTimestamps01:30 Growing up with magazines & coming full circle04:30 Getting the Cosmopolitan job — the emotional moment07:30 Running a legacy brand in a digital-first industry10:30 What an Editor-in-Chief actually does in 202615:30 Instinct vs analytics — how editorial decisions are made20:00 AI, dating culture & what young readers want23:30 Story over star power & viral visibility27:30 The Sydney Sweeney cover & navigating backlash32:00 Is editorial rage bait real?35:00 Celebrity culture, controversy & documenting the moment37:30 Are we still in the Gen Z era?40:00 The future of media & why taste mattersFollow Willa on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/willahbennett/?hl=enThanks to Banana Republic for my favorite pieces from the spring collection. Shop their new arrivals at www.bananarepublic.com #BananaRepublicPartnerLet’s Get DressedYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@livvperezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsgetdressedpod/Newsletter: https://substack.com/@livvperezLiv Perez Instagram: www.instagram.com/livvperezTikTok: www.tiktok.com/livv.perezShopMy: https://shopmy.us/livvperez Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.