Magazine Vs Newspaper

Are Magazines Fizzling Out?

We have all heard the argument- newspapers are a thing of the past, thanks to the plethora of technology we are handed on a silver platter. 
It takes but a  click of the finger to find your local newspaper's content online and oh so much more, that buying the daily paper-based version just doesn't quite live up to our fast paced, on-the-go marathon of a life!

Wait a second, we are here to talk about magazines!
I obviously see the link between a magazine and a newspaper, hence the introduction, however magazines seem to be cut more slack then our fore mentioned news provider. Let's find out why.


 Answer 1#- Magazines are Visual

Yes, black and white ink with a few local snap shots of car accidents, new babies, weddings and smiling citizens are visual, but magazines jam pack each page into a colour-fest of seducing, bold and quirky pictures. In fact, if you took out the images I bet you'd be left with a pathetic attempt to make sales. 




Answer 2#- Celebrities Sell...Right Away!

We have access to anything and everything immediantly, but when we see a picture of a Twilight Star or a candidate celebrity crush, chances are we will pick up that magazine and flick through it right then and there at the news-agency. And there you have it ladies and gentlemen, a quick and easy sale because of the person on the front cover. No wonder celebrities like Katy Perry endorse Proactive? Celebrity image sells and being the cover picture for a magazine is sure to pick up some stranglers along the way. If not for the content...for the image on front.



Answer #3- All In The Mind

Perception counts and is important in our society. We love the fact that creating an image for ourselves means something to other people. Picking up a magazine does that. Having a book holder full of magazines does that. Laying out a few magazines on the coffee table does that. We appear visually and tangibly up to date. You wouldn't download the latest Cleo Magazine app and then lie your phone on the kitchen bench with the app open to prove to your girlfriends that you know who's dating who and when to wear what in the fashion world? No-one seems to care if we read the newspaper because it's a given, it's generalised, but what type of magazine you read perhaps reflects more on your personality. This is why we still buy them.

Answer # 4 - Magazine Technology.. Lag...

Welcome to another Sarah theory, a bit of a chance to take a spat at something that annoys me.

The other day (inspiration to this blog) I went to purchase and download all my favourite magazine apps on my new iphone, thinking that it would be savvy of me to convert my whole life into a digital platform on my handy little phone.

Ahh.. no. I was trapped into thinking that the iTunes mags were free, as the apps clearly said 'free, I'm free, Sarah buy me now!' 

But the thing is, you have to actually pay for each magazine, or subscribe. Light bulb, of course you do. So I went to subscribe, thinking I'd find a slightly altered digital version of my beloved magazines and of course, for less of a price, seeming I'm not buying paper and miss out on any free goodies.

To my surprise however, they were all the same price. I didn't understand why something that would obviously costs the company far less money (as this is the original version of their magazine and paper being the final version) would be the same price as physical, glossy, new, free goody included, paper-based copy. 

Needless to say I bought the paper copy that day.

So I believe that the integrity and existence of magazines is here to stay, at least for a little bit longer or until technology catches up and is able to fully promote a way to solely enjoy magazines online. I still think the appeal for a paper-copy is alive, possibly for reasons far more complex than the ones I have offered, but non-the-less, these are my thoughts :)

SIC (Success In Communication) - Sarah