Company Editor Feedback

I contacted Company magazine to tell them about my idea and gather feedback and the editor of Company magazine replied with this response, which quite frankly is incredible that she would even look at my work let alone like it. It's a complete honor and makes me feel really proud of my work knowing that they have thought up an idea like this before.

Company High Street Edit

 

For my promotional magazine, I will be laying it out in the same style as Company's HIgh Street Edit to maintain continuity with their brand extensions as well as the design of the app. All the pages will be white and plain, however, they will be filled with images making them seem a lot more colourful. In addition, only a few pages will have a lot of text on them, the rest will be more visually stimulating!

Magazine Advert #2

I've made a new magazine advert as I wasn't completely happy with the previous one. Although I based it around a similar advert in Company magazine it didn't look that appealing or eye catching, so I much prefer this new one. It was inspired by the adshel adverts as I think they look sleek and sophisticated plus offer a snippet of information about the app without bombarding the consumer. Now it's been placed in a magazine template it looks more realistic. This is the advert I am going to use on my final board, plus it's also one that would be used in other magazines such as Elle and Company.

Company Website

As well as creating the Stylist Edit app's own website, I also created advertising content for the Company magazine website. Firstly, I added a tab across the top bar that now features 'Stylist Edit' redirecting consumers to the Stylist Edit website should they click on it. In the first two months of promotion there will be adverts and links on the homepage that either send consumers to the Stylist Edit website or to the article on the Company website promoting and explaining the app. I drew the website out myself retaining features from the website and using my Instagram feed I had created for social media.

Magazine Adverts/Content

Magazine content is a big form of promotion regarding the advertising of the app. Here I have created the editor's letter page which currently has adverts on it promoting their Weekly Edit app, also within the editor's letter I have talked about the app. This page will go in the January issue of Company magazine so readers are aware of the app when they first start reading the magazine. I have also created an advert for the magazine based around their current Weekly Edit app advert that briefly explains the apps features. Moreover, an article page has been created that explains to readers the ins and outs of the app written in a Company style as well as persuading the consumers to go and download the app. All content has been drawn out.

Promotional Magazine Planning

After deciding to create a promotional magazine to help advertise the Stylist Edit app, I need to include relevant content. Looking through other promotional magazines and general magazines helped me come up with the following list of content going into the magazine I create.

• An article on the app, its features and how to use it.
• The use of bloggers with the app. As there will be three promotional magazines, there will be three different blogger features in each different magazine.
• A focus on the latest trends. Either two trends or four.
• One item styled 5 different ways (to show what the app can produce in terms of outfit styling)
• An editorial shoot done with Missguided clothing as they are in association with Missguided.
• A feature on outfit suggestions for different occasions, e.g. Christmas, New Year, Valentine's.
• Beauty features.

There will be three editions of the magazine with the first three months of the launch. These magazines will be provided with Company magazine as well as in Missguided orders, as the magazine works in association with the Missguided brand.

People- Uniform

Although there isn't necessarily people involved in the promotion of the Stylist Edit app, there will be an instance where uniform is needed. At events such as Graduate Fashion week and the Clothes Show Live there will Company magazine stands promoting their brand. Here, staff will have the above t-shirts on in order to promote the use of Stylist Edit. They will advertise the app by targeting consumers and showing them how the app works on an iPad to persuade them into downloading. The uniform is very plain and simple and merely lets customers understand who can help them with any Stylist Edit or Company magazine questions. Even the logo on the t-shirt will get consumers wondering what 'Stylist Edit' is, therefore getting people interested in the app.

Campaign & Media Plan

The Campaign & Media plan can be found above. The first two images are the Campaign plan listing everything that will be done in order to produce not only the app but also the entire promotional campaign behind it.

The Media plan outlines the cost for my promotion. Most of the promotional techniques are free of charge. This is because the app costs so much to make that it leaves little expenditure left for a large media promotion campaign. Luckily, most of the promotion required is free anyway. However, once the app makes a profit, Company can look into more expensive promotional methods however this isn't really what the company does already, so may not even be something done by the brand. The media costs were found on the following websites

• Emails- http://mailchimp.com/
• Flyers- http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/flyers

Celebrity Endorsements

A form of promotion I am going to use within my campaign is the use of celebrity endorsements. However, instead of using regular celebrities as such I am going to use bloggers and YouTube vloggers as Company works a lot alongside these types of people. In January 2013 they released their Bloggers issue whereby the content was focused heavily on fashion and beauty bloggers. Also, they have featured frequent articles and features on the rise of YouTube vloggers and successful bloggers, not to mention their put Zoe Sugg (a YouTube blogger) on the front of their April edition. They also have their own Style Blogger awards supporting this generation. Company understand the rise, power and influence of bloggers and vloggers, and know how to use it to their advantage (see image about), therefore it makes sense to use their connections to their advantage, getting bloggers to endorse the use of Stylist Edit. Bloggers will include the likes of Zoe Sugg, Lily Melrose, and Lucy Rance. They will feature the use of the app on their website, as well as feature in the magazine, website and Weekly Edit app. Their influence and recommendation of the app will persuade more consumers to purchase it, especially the influence of Zoe Sugg who has a broad outreach of a range of ages. She will primarily encourage the secondary consumer.

Company Magazine's Budget

The following information outlines Company magazine's rate cards and gives some form of indication as to what their overall budget is. (All this information is from Brad)

COMPANY MAGAZINE 

Display
Display Colour DPS	£20,080.00
Display Colour Page	£10,040.00
Inside Back Cover	£15,060.00
Inside Front Cover	£15,060.00
Outside Back Cover	£15,060.00

On average there are around 5/6 double page spreads but these are mainly promotional advertorials. There are around 25 single page spreads.

COMPANY HIGH STREET EDIT

Display
Display Colour Page	£5,500.00

On average there are around 7 double page spreads and 10 single pages spreads.

COMPANY WEBSITE

MPU	MPU 2 Bottom - ROS	£29.00	CPM
MPU	MPU 2 Bottom - Targeted	£36.00	CPM
MPU	Top - Targeted	£38.00	CPM
MPU	Top - ROS	£30.00	CPM
Leaderboard	ROS	£20.00	CPM
Leaderboard	Targeted	£22.00	CPM

Adverts on the website are obviously considerably cheaper but change a lot more frequently and don't have the same advertising power as prints in a magazine.

There are no adverts within the Weekly Edit App. 

Company Magazine Promotion

FACEBOOK

Company post on Facebook up to 5 times a day. Their posts don't solely focus on promoting the magazine either, they range from celebrity gossip, fashion trends, beauty tips, street style and music. Their Facebook page is almost an interactive version of the magazine posting snippets of what content goes in the publication and allowing the followers to comment and interact. All their social media content is more promoting the Company brand rather than the magazine. They post in a colloquial style, giving a really friendly vibe and always with a visual attached to make everything seem more appealing. They do promote the magazine and other extensions of the brand on the Facebook page and make sure that keep promoting the magazine throughout the month so consumers don't forget to grab a copy. The colour palettes of their visuals is also key as the retain the pastels of the magazine.

TWITTER

Company's Twitter feed is a lot more busy than their other social media platforms, this is probably because it is easier to create content on Twitter and it can be deemed less 'annoying' as it's only a tiny 140 character post. On average, Company post about 30/40 times on Twitter on a weekday, with less content being posted at the weekend. Another reason for regular posting may be to attract all audiences- obviously those who check Twitter all the time will catch most of the posts, but those who can only read Twitter at certain parts of the day still get frequent content from the brand. Again the posts aren't always promoting the magazine, however there is more promotional magazine content on their feed. They post the same content as the Facebook page although they have the luxury of being able to repeat posts a few times without it getting annoying to consumers. Most of the tweets they post have links back to the website or other social media platforms, so they are always tying together their forms of brand extension. 

YOUTUBE

The Youtube page isn't used as much as the other social media platforms, however they are beginning to utilise this platform. During the promotion of their most recent cover star (Youtube blogger Zoe Sugg), they used a Youtube video to break the news of their cover star, they also released further videos of behind the scenes, an mini interview with Zoe and other teaser clips surrounding the magazine. Other content on the Youtube channel includes beauty and fashion hauls, Q&As with their staff and more behind the scenes content from the magazine. All their content is very focused on getting interaction from their readers.

INSTAGRAM

Their Instagram feed is another platform whereby the focus a lot of attention on. There is a happy medium between the regularity of posts on Facebook and Twitter here, posting up to 10 times a day unless there is an event on e.g. the Brit Awards. Like their Twitter & Facebook, their posts are concentrated on promoting the brand. There are lot more visuals of behind the scenes, fashion, press days, and beauty, as well as posts of the magazine content and snaps from their office. In the run up to their most recent cover star, they posted snaps building a buzz around who it might be. In addition, following the release of Zoe Sugg being the face of April, they posted lots of images promoting her shoot and the magazine. They also do this regularly with other cover stars as if those who follow the brand's Instagram receive exclusive information about the magazine. As well as their magazine publication they also promote the Weekly Edit App and other brand extensions.   

MAGAZINE

There is some promotion of Company magazine within other magazines usually of the same publisher. Office magazine, Elle and Cosmopolitan often run adverts advertising the magazine. Company also do a lot of self promotion within their publication. They often publicize their bi-annual magazine within the monthly magazine, as well as do a lot of adverts based around their weekly app. Company have begun doing a lot of reader events giving their consumers advice on how to get into the fashion, blogging, beauty and music industry. They run adverts within their magazines as well as sometimes articles about the events to engage more awareness of it. This heightens the fact that Company are a very friendly brand and incredibly focused on having interaction with their readers. As well as promoting their brand extensions within their magazine, they also advertise their website showing the readers there are other platforms to access more Company content on- they aren't simply a monthly magazine and stop there. 

SPONSORSHIPS

Company magazine sponsors Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model with the winner getting the cover star space on the September issue. They are involved within the programme as well as using social media to interact with fans about it.

New Look also sponsors Company's Blogger Awards and do promotional pieces within the magazine.

EMAIL

Company do send out emails around 3 times a week. The majority of emails are laid out like their website in a newsletter format promoting things going on on their website, social media platforms and magazine. More often they are promoting their website. They also do 'postcard' emails whereby they simply promote their app, shop, and magazine. 

Layout Inspiration #2- Company Magazine

The following images are a selection from Company magazine and their bi-annual magazine Company High Street Edit. 

I much prefer the layout and themes of Company magazine, therefore that's definitely a direction I want to go in with my app design. The pastel colours work really well together and have become synonymous with the brand as well as the fonts which are definitely something I will be using within the app. What I also like about the layout is the use of little details (see picture two) e.g. the paint brush strokes behind text, the squared paper backgrounds, the squiggled astrix marks by titles all help to give the magazine a relaxed, friendly, almost scrapbook type feel. This is something I want to try and incorporate within the app as I feel these little details are what people most associate with the brand. The magazine prides itself of being like a 'fashion blog' in terms of its layout and style, therefore given that my app is all about fashion and personal styling I want to replicate that theme within the design. 

Their High Street Edit layout is similar to their Weekly Edit app in terms of fonts, style and colours, so ultimately, I think I will be drawing most of my layout inspiration from here so it's in keeping with the app design thus consumers can appreciate that the apps and bi-annual magazines are an extension of the brand. As the app is mainly image based, fonts here are crucial and I will definitely be used the block capital type within the design. 

Layout Inspiration #1- Company Website

In comparison to the magazine layout, the website is very bland and boring. Although saying this, it's very difficult to recreate the magazine colour scheme and layout theme on the website. The use of white works well to help everything stand out and look clean and crisp. The black text helps to do this also. The fonts used are very simplistic and relate back to the magazine so my app definitely needs to incorporate some of the main fonts used within their brand. There are some hints of the magazine layout and style dotted through the website in the form of the pastel colours used and the creative graphic headers (see top picture), but other than that it's very basic. In regards to my app layout, I don't think I will be taking much direction from the Company website as it's very basic, and I much prefer the style of the magazine.