Vogue uses celebs to send e-mails to subscribers

NEW YORK -- Vogue subscribers may have noticed an e-mail from Tina Fey in their inbox.

It wasn't not spam!

Well, not really.

The fashion magazine sent out a note from the actress promoting her cover shoot for its March issue.

With a subject line that reads "My Vogue cover," Fey used her self-deprecating humor to describe her experience of appearing in Vogue. She compared it to things you might expect to see only once in your lifetime -- such as Halley's Comet and the eruption of Mount St. Helens volcano.

"If you've always wondered what it would be like if the talented people of Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabanna, and Vogue gave your 40-year-old sister-in-law a makeover, then this is the issue for you," writes Fey.

The promotion includes links to renew a Vogue subscription and to give one as a gift.

At a time when the publishing industry is in a slump, magazines rely heavily on subscriptions for ad revenue. They generally give a discount to potential subscribers to boost the overall circulation they can promise advertisers.

This isn't the first time the magazine has sent out an e-mail on behalf of a celebrity cover model. A similar mailing went out from Jessica Biel to promote her February 2010 cover.

Vogue says the initiative is a hit with subscribers.

The March 2010 issue of Vogue goes on sale Tuesday.