Reward If Found Zine is a conceptual independent publication based on characterisations. The zine is a satirical comment on the voyeurism the technologies that the modern world allow us. An amalgamation of commissioned written content, fashion stories, and music, RIF Zine aims to create a new breed of lifestyle publication. This report will explore the considerations which have come with the creation of the initial issue and the potential for the publication alongside conversation about the future of print media in a digital era.
Whilst a zine may be considered a self indulgence, perhaps even an outlet of narcissism, of course research still needs to be implemented and inspirations gathered to pull together a worthwhile publication. I consider my research into the topic of zines a long haul affair as I have a very keen interest in printed magazines, this has manifested itself in a huge personal collection of publications bought on trips abroad and picked from the huge selections offered at Soho newsagents. I cannot bear coming home from a trip to London without at least four new titles to flick through. Whilst in Berlin, magazine enthusiasts dream emporium, ‘Do You Read Me?’ was a demonstration of the breadth of subject matter which independent publications and zines cover.
from the punk movement Whilst embarking on of the previous decade. creating ‘Reward If Found’ Notable titles include influence and inspiration Runt, More Than A at first came from current Feeling, First Kiss and trends, namely the Girl Germs which I have reincarnation of 1990’s taken inspiration from style, this theme is one which works well alongside when briefing contributors. Further inspiration and the medium of a zine due visual research was found to the DIY attitudinal in ‘Kurt Cobain Journals’, aesthetics they share. In a controversial hard fact the 1990’s saw a return back book which outed in popularity for zines, “A the personal journals of by-product of the riot grrrl former Nirvana front movement” (Stylesight, 2011, Online), these man and 1990’s icon, Kurt Cobain. handcrafted publications came alongside a new generation of self expressing women and borrowed aesthetically
Additional inspiration well by select consumers. for the zine spawned from my fascination with A further finding of the consumer profiling, notably primary research collected through examples such expressed the importance as Exactitudes. Primary of print publication as a research into the subject of possession to consumers. social media as a tool for While 67% of participants voyeurism was conducted would not be interested in via a questionnaire and a publication available only discovered that the through digital channels satirising attitude and such as Kindle, iPad or subtle mockery of social website, one participant media behind ‘Reward If commented that a Found’ was something magazine was “Something which would appeal to keep for years and to others. With one look back on.” (Anon participant answering the Questionnaire response, questions; ‘Do you see 2012, Online). 50% viewed social media as voyeuristic?’ printed publications as a with the all telling response ‘Valued Possession’ while “Yes definitely. I often find 83% saw them as a ‘Source myself seeing someone of Inspiration’. These that I’ve never met and finding suggest that print thinking they look cool media will always hold or interesting and then possessional importance to looking to see what they’ve people and that some are been wearing or what their irreplaceable by an online opinions are- I do this presence alone. almost unconscious. I guess it taps into quite a dark part of humanity in that way.” (Anon Questionnaire response, 2012, Online) A response which suggests a magazine all too aware of this “dark part of humanity” will be received
Secondary research has curate inspirational images been executed through to share worldwide. Recent the reading of a variety news saw accomplished of publications both on fashion photographer Nick and offline, in the form of Knight offer the Spanish blogs, brand magazines, girl behind a Tumblr page independent publications, an incredible opportunity zines and mass produced to guest curate his own publications. The future widely followed blog; of publishing has been researched thoroughly through trend forecasting “To ‘I’m Rei. I don’t exist’. resources Stylesight and I have been looking at Stylus. The future vision your Tumblr and really for print publication like it. Do you fancy guest suggests that retail brands, curating the SHOWstudio advertising agencies and Tumblr for one week. ‘outside tastemakers’ Sorry if this is weird and will become increasingly out of the blue but I don’t powerful on the magazine know a more formal way market. of contacting you. Nick Knight.” (Nick Knight, via On the other hand a The Independant, 2012, backlash to the digital Online.) era, where blogs reign supreme, is a keen interest A sensation of ‘digital in ‘long read’ and ‘slow gluttony’ is bubbling journalism’, exemplified beneath the surface of in publication Delayed consumer behaviours and Gratification, on the rise. allowing print publications ‘Last to breaking News’, to develop in new ways, the tagline of Delayed thus keeping the market Gratification, is a comment alive. on the second by second feed of news through social networks, namely Twitter. Meanwhile online, sites such as Tumblr and Pinterest allow anyone to
The downturn of the Consumer research, print market is certainly through both primary a topic of conversation and secondary channels, of late due to the rising suggests that the popularity of digital access overloaded intangible to publications, however qualities of the online there is a backlash to world cannot replace the the digital revolution, a credibility and comfort desire for so called ‘digital found in print publication. downtime’ which welcomes Print publications have a a renaissance for print. ‘possessional’ quality to the Kinfolk magazine perfectly reader and are considered encompasses the theme a companion and a way to of digital downtime with ‘buy into’ a lifestyle. it’s whimsical celebration of a “natural approach to spending time with family and friends”. (Kinfolk,Unknown, Online)
The publications at the fore front of this digital backlash are those which rely on substance rather than an air of luxury, this has seen a return for smaller independent publications with small circulations. New titles such as The Gentlewoman, Fantastic Man and The Hub have seen huge recent successes, Stylesight writes; “These publications focus on broad editorial content that is neither lifestyle nor fashion but a symbiosis of the two, within the pages of these upstarts, interviews and editorials seem to stimulate consumer passion and inform with familiar and emotive content
that engages the reader on an accessible level.” (Stylesight, 2012, Online) It is an unmistakeable truth that the increase in titles available means more independently minded publications which fill a wider selection of niche markets in-turn creating even stronger ‘relationships’ between readers and lifestyle driven publications, thus creating cult-like followings, a prime example of a publication which has seen this media triumph is ‘Love’ which launched in 2009.
A further string to this the blogosphere, modern bow, is the phenomenon media has been blown wide of ‘Magtailing’, which open, allowing anyone sees retailers starting their to contribute. Stylesight own publications as an suggest this upswing in embodiment of these popularity is due to “a rise brand aesthetic and values, in handcraft culture and notable titles include Acne the younger generation Paper, Cos and ASOS idealising nineties Magazine, which is the nostalgia.” Zines also tie in third largest titles amongst with the new expectations women after Glamour and of print media due to Cosmopolitian, boosting their focus on niche ideas a monthly circulation with a narrow appeal and of 500,000 copies. a concentration on youth Alternatively publications culture. The modern zine’s such as Monocle move ability to add an online in the opposite direction experience is pushing opening their own retail some to viral heights outlets, anchoring their and allowing others to status as a comprehensive share content without the lifestyle publication. environmental or monetary All of this of course means responsibilities of printing. zine culture is thriving; the print accompaniment to
Reward If Found’s reader is someone who is all too aware of the decadence of narcissism brought on by social media, they have a intuitive interest in anthropology and who people are in terms of, what they think about, how they dress and their musical preferences. The target market is defined by attitude rather than demographics. This zine could also benefit brands hoping to tap into new markets as it has undertones of consumer profiling and insight. The zine aims to be a new concept which discusses current affairs while indulging the readers wants for fashion and lifestyle articles, a zine with something deeper.
Parisian magazine Self Service is a publication which I feel well represents the future of publishing, created by a noteworthy foray of influential tastemakers and photographers including Marie Chaix, Venetia Scott and Paulo Roversi, and boasting Ezra Petronio as editor and creative director. Self Service is a bi-annual fashion and culture publication which verges on coffee table book due to its heavy hard backed cover and substantial length, this presence truly gives the magazine a possessional quality, something which RIF Zine’s research has suggested is considered important to the magazine consumer.
iPad edition. While the The bi-annual nature of print component of the the â‚Ź20euro magazine publication is the visual serves as a documentation counterpart of slow of seasonal trends journalism, due to its styled, photographed by key figures in the indulgently lengthy fashion stories, the digital allows a fashion industry and constant feed of creativity featuring models de jour and inspiration to adhere and interviews from to the demands of the influential designers, stylists and artists. modern day consumer. The free iPad app has received Photo shoots may be some critique, which dedicated to complete understandably suggests collections from the that the digital equivalent most renowned design does not do the original houses in fashion, Marc print version justice, Jacob and Balenciaga to name a few, capturing instilling a reassurance that print is irreplaceable. the beauty of a lookbook alongside the indulgence of a magazine. Self Service is an example of a beautifully art directed publication in which every detail has been remarkably considered, from the choice of paper, to the colouration and the placement of text. This makes its purchase experiential and considered. The online presence for Self Service is comprehensive, encompassing a website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, Tumblr and
Reward If Found is a at the cold hearted zine which encourages future we face due to deeper thought through a technological advances. social media deprecating A recent Observer article proclaimed that women’s anthropologic approach. The remedy for digital magazine are stuck in a gluttony is making itself bygone decade, there is a known through a lust for new craving for magazines digital downtime and also such as Grey and The via media comment, a Gentlewoman which fantastic example of this is encompass culture and ‘Black Mirror’, a Channel current affairs alongside 4 mini-series written by fashion and lifestyle. Charlie Brooker (also In terms of content, famed for his ‘Screenburn’ commissioned articles have editorial featured in The been written to mimic Guardian from 2000 Twitter, diary entry author to 2010), which looked Peter Marrack writes “I
believe the journal entries (subtly) shed light upon the instinct that gave birth to Twitter. As humans we naturally want people to know of our joys and pains. That makes us feel not so alone.” (Marrack, 2012, Email). While a long read article, by Fine Art student Robin Hughes, allows a more thought provoking read within the publication.
Looking forward the zine will work by changing the pivotal character for each issue, this allows coverage of new fashion outlooks and current affairs. Subject areas could include delving into the lives of the aging population, fitness enthusiasts or fans of various music genres. Each time appealing to a new consumer while maintaining a following from those with an interest in key seasonal fashion trends and the USP of the zine as a personalised comment on various subject areas, which incorporates relevant articles alongside standard fashion magazine conventions.
The zine which I have produced seeks a more conceptual promotional strategy than a purely online presence which can seem intrusive and unconsidered to those who the campaign targets. -A subtlety and secretive nature echoes the tone of voice of the publication, methods such as street art tags of the zine’s logo would help to create momentum for the launch of the issue without reliance of the internet. Graffiti tagging would have been particularly relevant to Issue 1 as tagging is very in keeping with The Teen Spirit Issue’s tone of voice and also plays on the double usage of the word, relevant in both the street art word and online where photo’s on Facebook are ‘tagged’.
“No print publication can exist as purely that anymore.” (Adam Thompson, Seminar, 2012.) Reward If Found could expand successfully through conceptual launch parties for each issue, each celebrating the theme of the issue and offering an opportunity to become emerged in the character which the issue coverts, this would give Reward If Found’s consumer a sense of being part of a secret society, a community. E-commerce is also an avenue which could be explored, with a rise in shoppable magazines such as Pret-A-Rever and even a new dawn of shoppable music videos, online and interactive commerce is fast becoming another limb of all fashion media outlets. A great example of an independent publications
use of e-commerce is Fire & Knives, who’s online shop acts as a porthole from the webpage and offers subscriptions to the publication itself alongside tshirts, branded aprons and occasional cook wear promotions. Promotion through music is also another avenue to explore, by creating playlists on Spotify for each Issue, Reward If Found would expose itself to a new consumer group and gain attention from fans of the music each different issue may portray.
The key promotion for Vol 1: The Teen Spirit Issue, is through the Nottingham Zine Fair, this celebration of zine culture will expose Reward If Found to the world of independent publication and hopefully receive initial interest from enthusiasts. Prior to the zine fair a teaser video has been released on Vimeo and also a Facebook page set up to find contributors and collect early interest. The zine fair is also a chance to interact with zine distros and new distribution channels such as Stack.
When considering a partnership for Reward If Found various sectors were considered, while stationers Smythson offered a fitting brand sponsor the tone of voice of Reward If Found Zine seemed to jar with their established luxury branding.
Instead a local level the various consumers partnership has been from each venue or festival suggested with DHP, an hosted by them. Playlists events company with and artist interviews boasts Stealth, Rescue could feature alongside Rooms, Rock City, The fashion documentation Bodega, Dot-to-Dot of the crowds from each Festival and more under event. This sponsor their umbrella. The would allow the zine to publication could be explore the subcultures of reproduced to identify with Nottingham.
A dream partnership for Reward If Found would be a high fashion brand such as House of Holland, Topshop Unique or Louis Vuitton, each of these brands envisions a ‘character’ for each collection which they produce and I feel RIF could act as a more contextualised lookbook for each season, working in the same way as highly successful brand magazines for both COS and Acne more knowledgeable read by covering not only the for their consumer which collection but the surround context and mood. hints at the origins for each Topshop Unique seems the collection. The publication could feature in LFW most fitting partnership as it is in keeping with the show bags for all attending the event, this would tone of the zine. The high also help RIF gain press street brand expansion attention and exposure has cemented itself amongst the forefront and act as new everlasting facet to the catwalk show. of high fashion brands This partnership may be which show at London considered an obvious Fashion Week bi-annually and offers a beautifully approach as it collaborates with a fashion brand considered collection for the modern woman. however I feel this is a new Demonstrated here are approach to a collaboration which benefits both the different characters which could be encapsulated to brand and the publication and is in keeping with the suit previous collections current trend for guest from Unique. Reward If curating online and also Found offers the brand a offline.
The 1970’s Californian Girl Likes: Motorbikes, Surfing, Skateboarding Looks: Customised denim, latex and swimwear Music: Led Zeppelin and The Drums Discussions: Outdoor pursuits, 1970’s Americana
The Flower Child Likes: Glastonbury, Recycling Looks: Tie Dye, Fringing, Big Hair Music: Lykke Li, Florence and the Machine Discussions: Freedom and spiritualism
The Dog Owner Likes: Her dogs, all things dog related Looks: Printed sweatshirts, animal print Music: 101 Dalmatians Theme Tune Discussions: Obsession
The Archaeologist Likes: Ancient History, Museums, Travel, Knowledge Looks: Anoraks, neutrals, layers Music: James Blake, Radiohead Discussions: Museum Funding, ancient culture.
Print is not dead, nor is ever by brands and even it’s end coming anytime advertising agencies. The soon. So long as an esoteric zine world will continue to ideology continues to survive so long as there are produce a stream of niche alternative thinkers willing publications to remedy the to share their ideas through overloaded intangibility something deeper than an of the online world there easily composed blog post will always be a consumer or social media status. looking to buy printed publications. Print media is a possession which we value, this is now being felt stronger than
Word Count 2243 (excluding quotes, press release and case study)
(Stylesight, 2011, Online), (Anon Questionnaire response, 2012, Online) (Anon Questionnaire response, 2012, Onine) (Nick Knight, via The Independant, 2012, Online.) (Kinfolk,Unknown, Online) (Stylesight, 2012, Online) (Marrack, 2012, Via Email) (Adam Thompson,2012, NTU Seminar)
Reports
ASOS. 2009. ASOS Annual Report. Available at www.asos.annualreport2009.com/Doc/pdf/Uncompromising.pdf Stylesight. 2010. The Grunge 90’s. Available at www.stylesight.com Stylesight. 2012. Catalyst – Issue 1, 2014. Available at www.stylesight. com Stylesight. 2012. Content Meets Commerce. Available at www.stylesight. com Stylesight. 2012. In The Air: Digital Downtime. Available at www. stylesight.com Stylesight. 2012. The Return Of The Magazine. Available at www. stylesight.com Stylus. 2011. Affirmation of Life. Available at www.stylus.com Stylus. 2011. Social Media: The Glue the Binds Real World and Online Commerce. Available at www.stylus.com Stylus. 2012. Advertising Agency Magazines. Available at www.stylus. com Stylus. 2012. Digital Culture. Available at www.stylus.com Stylus. 2012. Magazine Apps & Advertising. Available at www.stylus.com Stylus. 2012. Magtailing: Content Marries Commerce. Available at www. stylus.com Stylus. 2012. Tatler’s AR Advertorial Extravaganza. Available at www. stylus.com
Websites
Brooker, C. 2001-2009. Various Screen Burn articles from The Guardian Online. Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2010/oct/16/charlie-brooker-best-screen-burn Fire & Knives, date unknown. Fire & Knives E-commerce website.
Available at http://shop.fireandknives.com/ Frankel, S. 2012. Peep Show: Tumblr Inspired Fashion Individuality. Available at http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/peepshow-tumblr-inspired-fashion-individuality-7688847.html Kinfolk. Unknown. Kinfolk Magazine Website. Available at http://www. kinfolkmag.com/ Pret a Rever, date unknown. Various articles and content. Available at http://www.pret-a-rever.com/ Self Service. Unknown. Self Service Magazine Website. Available at http:// www.selfservicemagazine.com/ Self Service. Unknown. Self Service Tumblr. Available at http://selfservicemagazine.tumblr.com/ Self Service. Unknown. Self Service Twitter. Available at http://twitter. com/#!/selfservicemag Self Service. Unknown. Self Service Vimeo Channel. Available at https:// vimeo.com/user7138298 ‘Taylor-Ruth’. 2012. ‘This is Hanging Rock Comics’ blog. Available at http:// thisishangingrockcomics.tumblr.com/ Unknown. 2010. Self Service magazine #33: iPad app critique by The Magaziner. Available at http://themagaziner.com/2011/01/self-service-magazine-no-33/ Wiseman, E. 2012. How Times Stand Still In Womens Magazines. Available at http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/may/13/eva-wiseman-womens-magazines
Books
Cobain,K. 2002. Kurt Cobain Journals. New York: Viking.
Magazines, various issues of which have directly influenced project. A Magazine ASOS Magazine Love Oh Comely Pica Post Pop Self Service The Face 1990’s back issues The Journal