TEXT A ZINE: THE INTEGRATION OF MOBILES AND MAGAZINES

It is no surprise that the age of old media has constantly been tested against the new wave of the digital world.  What began as the democratization of the cell phone, (the people’s tool!), than became our reliance on social media, and PVR. As a result, magazine publications are taking a heavy hit, and continue to face a dwindling environment.

While there is nothing new about the magazine- those who truly grow anxious by the thought of its depletion, can perform from a place that is relevant. People magazine’s Style Watch is one publication outlet that has utilized a multimedia approach beyond the effortless integration of dot coms and intern bloggers. Rather, People magazine’s Style Watch has successfully adopted text messaging as a means to create a fully integrated machine and deliver services that provide both the people and advertisers with what really matters—merchandise.

I have always had a problem with magazine content and its inability to engage the reader and turn them into the ultimate consumer. Too many ads, pointless editorials, and approximate pricing does not turn the reader into an active participant in the shopping game.  But Style Watch has provided text-messaging codes placed beside its items. Once the reader sends the text code of the item desired, a third party service, Snipp, sends the reader information (via cell phone number or email) including the date the product is expected to sell, its price, and where to purchase it. I think these efforts on Style Watch are ingenious. Not only do they support the purpose of the magazine (to sell stuff), but they also please advertisers and allow both parties to track the brand equities and success of each party’s efforts.

I think in this Google age where everything is instantaneous and the latest, magazines need to make more of a sensible effort to combine the benefits of their traditional purposes with complementing aspects of the new age. So as we greatly anticipate the coveted yet lighter September issues, I hope the masthead rulers start thinking more about the future of magazines and their relationship with the consumer and less about preserving a historic name.