I have heard a lot about the death of print these last twelve months. Also been working with various media brands to help them in their transition into digital spaces (structurally and emotionally).
I have also seen media brands struggle, like many other companies, in dealing with their customers wanting to get involved more.
I therefore chose to create a Case Study with a troubled print brand at the heart of it. The Phoenix, was a weekly magazine that aimed to provide an intelligent read that was accessible, whilst covering politics, economics, business and cultural trends. After some disastrous moves over the last ten years, circulation had plummeted. Added to that, a failed move online has hit the confidence of the magazine. A fresh start was planned for end of 2007. The challenge for the groups was to develop a 3 year communications strategy, an approach to the re-launch, and work out whether and how digital should play a role in the future fortunes of this magazine.
So a print title that cries out for a digital component? A print title that has asked for a digital strategy? How can the groups NOT focus on this element? Well, that is what many of the groups did. We heard many thoughtful ideas around the digital component, some more compelling than others. However, what did feel left out of the communications plan equation was the magazine itself. Few groups in their response to the brief, actually gave life to the magazine itself.
Why did I write the brief with such a slant towards digital? Because often clients write briefs asking for guidance in areas they don't feel comfortable with, areas that they feel they should be involved with but don't know really whether it makes sense for their business or not. Sometimes we have to read between the lines.
We have a tendency to jump on the latest fad without fully contemplating what the business/marketing/communications challenge really warrants as a solution.
Whatever the question is, the answer is a podcastor so it seems these days. (Last year replace 'podcast' with 'branded content'!).
For the magazine The Phoenix, I created a front cover. Hope you like it.