From the early 20s, The New Yorker has held a place of honour in the world of serious journalism. Integrity and quality has seen it endure over the years. Classy without being classist, it has a huge market outside the isle of Manhattan because of this legacy and brand strength.
Despite its long history, The New Yorker has an ageless air about it – it remains as modern today as it was 50 years ago. It has a regional charm that embraces international appeal and a classic style that imperturbably doesn’t seem to date, despite vagaries in trends.
With a striking front cover designed by a fine artist every week, it covers everything from satirical cartoons to respected theatre and art reviews, to strong political comment – at this point very focused on the turn of events in North America since Bush took office. Of course, it also publishes short stories from prize-winning authors. In 1965, the magazine serialised Truman Capote’s book In Cold Blood and published Annie Proulx’s short story about two “gay” cowboys in 1989.
The New Yorker has proven that even in the highly competitive general magazine category, differentiating a brand works. It does this by having a very tight format, clear editorial policy, inimitable design and features. These distinctive editorial and branding elements are the heart of The New Yorker‘s success and are mostly overlooked by magazine publishers. From the sidelines they watch their titles wax and wane on the basis of advertising driven features.
Reading changes in a market. The needs and desires of consumers is a vital part of brand management. Without regular innovation and a clear concept of what a brand is, it can easily lose its way in the market.
Adherence to the core principle of brand differentiation can apply to any brand. The New Yorker demonstrates that differentiation is true about any product or service category. Differentiation has to be clear and unique – consumers are intrigued by something fresh and relevant.
A magazine is an intimately personal medium. It resonates with its audience. It is consumed very privately. It shares moments when consumers want to be quiet and escape the madness and rush of their everyday lives. It has to resonate with the personality of its readers. It is a comfort zone, offering consistency within a confusing world. Like a friend, a magazine must remain true to what it is.
A magazine is the one medium where almost everyone has his or her favourite. Unlike most brands, a decline in a magazine brand leads to a gradual fade out. Either a magazine brand works – and there are few of them that have remained consistently strong – or they don’t.
A small decline in readers often results in editors desperately trying to stem the decline, but any reversal will be short-lived if the vacuum is not filled with clear market goals and positioning.
How many editors see their magazines as brands? Not many it would seem. Most magazine editors seem to think that getting a magazine onto the shelf once a month is an achievement that will make it sell. They often have little idea of what brand positioning is about. They often rely upon the latest promotion or gimmicks to push the title.
Brand managers and editors need to make good on their brand promise with clear objectives. Only clarity of positioning will assist them to escape the weekly and monthly rush for the front cover and the latest scoop. This demands a degree of boldness and risk. Any brand that is worth its cover price needs a degree of risk to stand out from cluttered magazine shelves.
Those that take the risk go from strength to strength. Compare what a magazine like Wallpaper has achieved in less than six years. Not a style everyone is comfortable with, but crisp and clear brand positioning, with arguably one of the most profitable advertising to editorial ratios in the world. Like evergreen The New Yorker it sets a powerful example of what brand positioning in magazines is all about.
Perhaps it is time local editors developed a New Yorker state of mind?
Dr Thomas Oosthuizen is a leading marketing and communications strategist in South Africa. He has a doctorate in Marketing Communications and was awarded an Honorary Professorship in Business Management from the University of Johannesburg.