another-man-publishing-blog

Another Man 25th Edition

As issue 25 of AnotherMan hits the shelves, Keith George, Tapestry’s publishing manager, takes a look at the world of magazine publishing and how AnotherMan has grown rapidly since it’s initial launch over 10 years ago.

“While it is true that magazine sales have declined over the last ten years and the growth of digital continues, print still remains a desirable medium. It is a physical form of media, tactile and looks a whole lot better on your bookshelf than an e-book does. The old saying that ‘content is king’ is as true today as it ever was in the past and will be in the future. Digital media is great in the way it can interact and engage a reader. However, sometimes I question: is content always designed to keep the user engaged or are they just snippets of information used to hit a 140 character count?

Print is quite expensive and the effectiveness and success rate is difficult to measure. We’re not able to get accurate metrics on impressions, reach, cost per clicks etc. Digital has a much lower production cost and is constantly connected to the consumer, with push notifications sent directly to smartphones. Print and digital should not be mutually exclusive, but rather support each other and create synergy across all platforms.

‘Content is king’ and that dictates the delivery method; content should lead subscribers from one format to the other and vice versa. One advantage (or drawback) print has over digital, is its permanence. Once ink is committed to paper, it exists in history for potentially a very long time. “A 540-year-old book, known as the first to be printed in the English language, has sold at auction for more than £1m.” if you’re going to do it – make sure you do it right.

Brand success and loyalty can be enhanced by delivering what the customer wants for a price they are prepared to pay. In today’s difficult financial environment, experts and advertisers alike are being more selective, looking for better returns on investment. Aspirational, knowledgeable and interesting content with high production values are key points when it comes to committing on spending depleted budgets.

Another Man and AnOther Mag

Another Man and sister publication AnOther Mag do just this. With visually stunning photography by some of the world’s most influential fashion photographers, intelligently crafted features and stories that are a pleasure to sit and read, wrapped into a good looking product that doesn’t look out of place on any coffee table or against any of its contemporaries. Proof of their success is shown through the magazine’s increase in page numbers, demand for advertising and ultimately circulation every year. The moral of the story? Understand your audience, do what you believe in and what you’re good at.

Tapestry have been Another Man magazine’s repro company for over ten years, from launch to their 25th issue, which is something we’re immensely proud of. The same basic rules that Another mag adopt also apply to us; doing what we are good at, so that we can provide a good return on investment for a professional and knowledgeable service, enabling our clients to focus on what they want to do. Fashion bi-annuals may be niche, but the niche market is buoyant because, like many other small business opportunities they are focused and have content that their targeted reader can identify with. So, I look forward to working and seeing as much growth with our other fledgling publishing clients.

Magazine publishing in print is not dead, it’s just different from what it was and what it will be, but no lesser an important means of spreading the word. Whether it’s a news-stand consumer title, brand loyalty and customer magazine or niche and special interest bi-annuals, pick up a magazine and marvel in the care and craft that went into its creation for your pleasure.”

– Keith George, Head of Publishing