MinOnline :: Min Magazine :: min magazine\'s 3rd Hottest Launch of 2007: Outside\'s GO

min magazine's 3rd Hottest Launch of 2007: Outside's GO
Jeremy Greenfield & Courtney Barnes

Comments |

Print |

Email |

Archives |

Del.icio.us |

Digg |

RSS

Publisher: Mariah Media Inc.
Frequency: Quarterly
Concept: High-end travel and lifestyle magazine for men
Target Audience: Males over 40 with an estimated yearly income of over $150,000 and a net worth of more than $1 million

Questions with publisher: Walker Mason

â‘ What do you consider the single most important achievement your magazine has accomplished in today’s marketplace?
The creators of GO recognized that there was no magazine for the active, very affluent man with a passion for travel and unique experiences. They have now tapped into this extremely elusive audience and we have created an editorial product that so perfectly serves their passion for travel and style.

â‘¡ What was the most important hurdle you were able to overcome?
Assembling the right team of dedicated and passionate professionals who totally "got it”.

â‘¢ What was the biggest pleasant surprise?
The media and advertising community also "got it" right away...the recognition that in today's world of travel, guys make more and more of the travel decisions, especially the more affluent they are, and they look to enrich their lives through unique experiences, sharing adventures and having tales to tell.

â‘£ What is the biggest challenge you are facing today?
The most successful new magazines are those that seek an untapped audience, not follow another’s path. However, there is less of a comfort zone in the media community when a magazine doesn’t fit into an established segment.

â‘¤ Imagine you have a magic wand and you can strike the magazine and make it human. Describe that human being.
When we need to describe GO's ideal reader, we use the brother-in-law of our editor as the model. Stephen is a successful entrepreneur, ranked triathlete and has a second home south of Lake Tahoe to satisfy his passion for biking and skiing. Like Stephen, the prototypical GO readers have the means to do almost anything they want, and go to any part of the globe. What none of them possess, however, is the time and patience to do something that isn't extraordinary

â‘¥ What advice would you offer someone starting a new magazine?
Be original, don’t listen to skeptics if you truly believe in your product, fully commit, then take the ball, look for your opening and keep moving forward until you’re in the clear.

â‘¦ Finish this sentence: In 2011, your magazine will be…
...The clear leader in a growing category of magazines devoted to the affluent, active male traveler who travels in style.

ART DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Questions with Outside Go art director: Marshall McKinney

âž€ What are the skills needed to be a successful art director?
I used to believe that aptitude always trumped experience. Needless to say, I was young and brash. To be a successful art director, you have to have been around the block a few times. As far as skills go, you've got to be a multi-tasker and a mentor to junior staff. You cannot take yourself too seriously. You have to be willing to work your ass off, to create a photographic philosophy, to define the taste level of your magazine, and to be flexible yet savvy enough to know when to fight that battle.

â‘¡ How important is a magazine's design in conveying the magazine's message?
It is more important than the words used to define the message. I'd contend that the aesthetic conveys the message long before a buyer takes the time to read the words. But, as always, design is merely a platform, so if the content isn't there, the best-designed magazine in the world will crumble and eventually fail.

â‘¢ What is the single biggest challenge you face?
Meeting exhaustive deadlines and keeping hardworking, creative staff on board while massaging big and small egos alike. Besides that, my only other challenge is getting out the next issue.

â‘£ What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I enjoy the creative process insomuch as getting together with my peers and hammering out brilliant solutions to various problems. I also very much enjoy working in a collaborative environment with my creative director Tom Brown whose vision and tact never ceases to amaze me.

â‘¤ What advice do you give someone starting a magazine?
I'd remind them not to get too attached to their ideas, because they're a dime a dozen. Then I'd throw a trash can over their head and beat it with a bat while screaming, "Have you lost your mind? Are you a crazy person?!" If they still felt compelled to plow forward, I'd probably offer up my services because there's not a better medium in the world.

â‘¥ What is the most important achievement your magazine has accomplished?
Surviving the first year with a shoestring staff. Keeping my sanity? Not jumping out the window?

â‘¦ What inspired you to get into the magazine industry?
I have a Master's degree in journalism, and I just thought of magazines as the most polished of all print media. There's a certain production value in magazines that you just can't find elsewhere in print (or online, for that matter). It's the perfect marriage of two wonderfully rich and seductive art forms: pictures and words.

â‘§ What knowledge have you gained from prior jobs that you use at Outside's GO?
You've got to be quick on your feet and boldly diplomatic. I guess I picked that up as a bartender all those years ago.

â‘¨ Seeing that Outside has other publications, how do you make sure your magazine stands apart from the rest while staying consistent with the brand?
The greatest thing we did was to create a photographic philosophy that's different from Outside's. We want to complement the Outside brand but be different at the same time. The best way to do that is through photography. We just want our look to be more graphic and stylish and less hardcore gonzo.

â‘© What would you consider your personal design signature?
My personal style is always to be as clean and simple as possible. Make calculated moves, use good people, and, above all, make smart font and color choices.

IN THE CURRENT ISSUE OF MIN MAGAZINE

SEARCH PREVIOUS ISSUES

Post a Comment