Happy Monday, inkheads! Today I’ve got a fun update to share via the Twitterverse. The fine folks at the People of Print are running an awesome contest perfect for the CMYK crowd. They’re giving away a copy of the brand new Print Isn’t Dead Magazine as well as stickers designed by famed illustrator Kyle Platts and a typographic t-shirt from Andy Cooke of the award winning Cargo Collective. Just fill out the easy social media tasks in the Raffle copter Widget of the contest page here:
http://www.peopleofprint.com/competition/competition-win-print-isnt-dead-magazine/
I believe the contest ends on May 6th, and you increase your odds of winning with daily tweets!
The Print Isn’t Dead Magazine story
I’m super excited about this contest for a couple of reasons. First off, I consider the People of Print site a must read printing blog. They’re more on the creative as opposed to the technical side of print, so their articles are right up my alley. You’ll find tons of inspiration for lots of print design projects, including posters, stickers, CD covers, and more. They also feature fine art, such as illustration, photography, printmaking, and news about notable exhibitions. Secondly, The People of Print appeared in our commercial printer’s guide to hashtags for the ever popular #PrintSpotters tag. Inkheads across the land should use this tag whenever you see an awesome printed piece. I love the concept of tying our offline artistic adventures to the social web, so I’m happy to promote this forward thinking organization.
Aside from my personal connection to the POP, there’s a fascinating story behind the Print Isn’t Dead magazine launch. The publication represents an unlikely kickstarter success; POP raised funds to get the first issue out and hopes to release supplemental copies quarterly. POP wanted to promote print properly with a hard copy of their popular blog posts, exclusive interviews with artists/designers, and studio tours. The design community rallied behind the cause of showing the best graphic work on paper, including the prestigious Design Week. And viola, we’re ready to celebrate by holding a copy in our hands this June/July!
In case you don’t win the contest, you can pre-order for 10 pounds (or $16.80 US dollars). The website says price includes postage and packaging to the UK, although there’s no mention for those of us across the pound. International shipping is pricey, so I’d expect US readers will have to pay a little extra for this collector’s item.
A return of the zine?
The POP story gives me hope for the magazine industry, which falls victim to the same negative stereotypes as the rest of printed communications. I’ve seen several articles recently that send a similar message, that magazines and catalogs are back with a vengeance. I believe these mediums never left; their popularity may have declined due to digital alternatives, but now everyone realizes the wisdom of the integrated approach. Readers and consumers enjoy the experience of browsing at their leisure without any online distractions.
In my research on Print Isn’t Dead, I discovered a fascinating perspective on the subject in the Guardian. Columnist John O’Reilly notes the evolution of magazines and identifies a growing trend of short run interest based community publications akin to the Indie Zine scene. These works obviously appeal to niche audiences, hence why they’re unlikely to attract big advertisers. Nevertheless, these narrowly-focused groups need a voice, and the marketers targeting them must find effective ways to reach them. A strategic magazine ad ensures the right eyeballs on brand content, which is more than I can say for many display ads online. O’Reilly mentions that independent magazines are similar to novels in that the format invites true story telling. Here’s hoping brands in search of personal connections with consumers will realize that emotional bonds transcend the web.