Genre Research
Ever since my oldest sister began to work in editorial design, I have been exposed to a vast array of magazines that are unlike anything we might see in the shelf of the checkout line at the grocery store. These are magazines that focus heavily on design or minimalism and include articles about little-known restaurants, the latest fashion, high-end cars and off-road traveling, all with a twist. Based on this, today I will explore the genre of:
Alternative/Independent Lifestyle Magazines
Genre Conventions- content:
To put it simply, these alternative lifestyle magazines embody the spirit of the ideal hipster. It's content, like it's readers, celebrates creativity and individuality. They look to give a different perspective on any subject. This is done through the following approaches:
1. Interviews. I'm not talking about the typical interview with the current spotlight actor. I'm talking about interviews with people that have achieved what many of the readers strive for, which is living life working on something you are passionate about. It is very common that the people being interviewed are young entrepreneurs that own a coffee shop or that have started a small advertising agency. They are people who check off the "ideal" hipster lifestyle as they often live in sustainable houses, work less than 40 hours a week, are in their mid-thirties and speak about what they do passionately.
When these magazines do interview famous people, they try to guide the conversation in an unusual path in order to get a raw and candid profile of the person. They could take a focus like talking about literature or other forms of art and try to deviate from the usual hot topic of their recent work in a certain movie.
2. Travel Guides. The bliss of millennials today is being able to travel. However, since they are so set on being different, going to Paris and visiting the Eiffel Tower is not their top choice. They want to travel to Vietnam and rent a bike so they can take the road less travelled. They want to meet the locals and eat authentic Pho. But... where do they even begin to plan a trip like this? That's where these magazines come in. Alas, a solution to their desperate need to find a tour guide for their unconventional journey. Travel guides vary from publication to publication, but they do maintain certain elements such as the authenticity of what is being said and a detailed description of places where you can stay and eat, all in a budget. They often times sound like a reflection of someone's trip and contain beautiful photography that leaves you wanting more. And most importantly, any recommendation given in these magazines will be obscure and hard to find anywhere else.
3. Product Reviews. Hipsters take advice from fellow hipsters. They want to buy high quality products that are worth their buck. It's hard to hear of any of the stores mentioned in the pages of these publications if you are not deeply invested in finding little-known brands that pride themselves in providing the finest products while still maintaining some sort of social responsibility. These magazines write candid reviews about anything from local food markets to high-end cars to fashion in order to cater to the luxurious lifestyle hipsters crave.
Genre Conventions- production techniques:
Since these magazines aim to deliver to an audience with very luxurious taste and acute sense of appreciation for quality design, it is no surprise that they are heavily designed focused. First off, most of these magazines are printed on thick paper (80-pound matte paper) that somehow justifies their hefty price tag and rarity, as many are published bi-annually or quarterly. As for design, the vast majority rely heavily on photography as the main focus with small fonts and monochromatic color schemes. Camera shots used in most of the photography are usually long shots for locations (as seen in travel guides) or extreme close ups for clothes and food (as seen in product reviews). Photographers aim to take "artsy" shots that capture everyday occurrences from a different perspective that aid in creating a different brand and identity from other magazines. Often times, pictures will be filled with negative space and muted tones and have the subject in the bottom thirds of the frame. There is also heavy usage of white space framing. The aesthetic tends to be minimalistic which contributes to the sense of luxury. However, there are exceptions with magazines like Monocle where pages sometimes feel saturated with design that all fits into a common theme of bold primary colors and organized boxes. These magazines are made for "creatives", so their thoughtful use of spaces and fonts can serve their readers in their own projects.
Institutional conventions- marketing:
As aforementioned, the target market for these magazines are hipsters... let's break it down.
Who do we define as a hipster?
People aged between their late 20s and late 30s seeking to work on their passion.
They have a desire to make an impact on the world and live life to the fullest.
They value artisanal products, coffee shops, design, honesty and luxury.
They are willing to spend money on quality products (such as these magazines).
They do NOT want what's popular and want to shop at obscure shops and own one-of-a-kind products, clothes and homes.
For these reasons, advertising to them is not so easy or straightforward. If they find out about a hidden gem in a popular website, they won't want it anymore. As a result, much of the marketing for these magazines comes from word of mouth or simply stumbling upon them in the coffee shops where they work or in the shelves of clothing stores they visit. Being that these publications are published less frequently, they also draw in crowds as buying them is almost a treat and privilege. They also handle a large online following where they post more frequently. Despite this, their customers still value physical copies and treasure them. Their luxurious print paper and feel makes them everything but disposable, so their customers can stack them in their homes as if they were almost books. Again, hipsters take advice from fellow hipsters, so when they see their friends or local shop owners with these magazines, they are drawn to buy them.
Sample #1: Cereal Magazine:
Cereal Magazine, started in 2012 by a young couple, is a lifestyle magazine that aims to be raw through thoughtful content and beautiful design. It is the perfect embodiment of the genre as one of the main attracting factors of it are its travel guides. The young couple is invested in maintaining a personal feel to the magazine, so they spend their time traveling and exploring in order to write about the places they visit. They interview locals and share their stories.
As for design, they have taken a minimalistic approach with low saturated color schemes. This aids in creating a zen vibe that resonates through the pages. The main focus is usually the pictures which are taken from unusual angles. The perfect example is the picture of the Golden Gate Bridge in the cover of the second picture above. It takes the audience a second look to realize what is being photographed which embodies the concept of taking "artsy" shots. The image also captures a scene of serenity and cleanness in what is otherwise an active scene, aiding in the calm vibe. Cereal magazine contains very few ads and is published bi-annually, which gives them a loyal following that treasures the almost book-like publication. It is sold in boutique stores and independent bookstores.
Sample #2: Kinfolk Magazine:
More examples:
Sources:
https://nickolsonbrand.com/blogs/journal/monocle-magazine-by-nickolson
To put it simply, these alternative lifestyle magazines embody the spirit of the ideal hipster. It's content, like it's readers, celebrates creativity and individuality. They look to give a different perspective on any subject. This is done through the following approaches:
1. Interviews. I'm not talking about the typical interview with the current spotlight actor. I'm talking about interviews with people that have achieved what many of the readers strive for, which is living life working on something you are passionate about. It is very common that the people being interviewed are young entrepreneurs that own a coffee shop or that have started a small advertising agency. They are people who check off the "ideal" hipster lifestyle as they often live in sustainable houses, work less than 40 hours a week, are in their mid-thirties and speak about what they do passionately.
When these magazines do interview famous people, they try to guide the conversation in an unusual path in order to get a raw and candid profile of the person. They could take a focus like talking about literature or other forms of art and try to deviate from the usual hot topic of their recent work in a certain movie.
The Happy Reader Dan Stevens Interview.
2. Travel Guides. The bliss of millennials today is being able to travel. However, since they are so set on being different, going to Paris and visiting the Eiffel Tower is not their top choice. They want to travel to Vietnam and rent a bike so they can take the road less travelled. They want to meet the locals and eat authentic Pho. But... where do they even begin to plan a trip like this? That's where these magazines come in. Alas, a solution to their desperate need to find a tour guide for their unconventional journey. Travel guides vary from publication to publication, but they do maintain certain elements such as the authenticity of what is being said and a detailed description of places where you can stay and eat, all in a budget. They often times sound like a reflection of someone's trip and contain beautiful photography that leaves you wanting more. And most importantly, any recommendation given in these magazines will be obscure and hard to find anywhere else.
Monocle Copenhagen Travel Guide.
3. Product Reviews. Hipsters take advice from fellow hipsters. They want to buy high quality products that are worth their buck. It's hard to hear of any of the stores mentioned in the pages of these publications if you are not deeply invested in finding little-known brands that pride themselves in providing the finest products while still maintaining some sort of social responsibility. These magazines write candid reviews about anything from local food markets to high-end cars to fashion in order to cater to the luxurious lifestyle hipsters crave.
Monocle Clothing Recommendations.
Genre Conventions- production techniques:
Since these magazines aim to deliver to an audience with very luxurious taste and acute sense of appreciation for quality design, it is no surprise that they are heavily designed focused. First off, most of these magazines are printed on thick paper (80-pound matte paper) that somehow justifies their hefty price tag and rarity, as many are published bi-annually or quarterly. As for design, the vast majority rely heavily on photography as the main focus with small fonts and monochromatic color schemes. Camera shots used in most of the photography are usually long shots for locations (as seen in travel guides) or extreme close ups for clothes and food (as seen in product reviews). Photographers aim to take "artsy" shots that capture everyday occurrences from a different perspective that aid in creating a different brand and identity from other magazines. Often times, pictures will be filled with negative space and muted tones and have the subject in the bottom thirds of the frame. There is also heavy usage of white space framing. The aesthetic tends to be minimalistic which contributes to the sense of luxury. However, there are exceptions with magazines like Monocle where pages sometimes feel saturated with design that all fits into a common theme of bold primary colors and organized boxes. These magazines are made for "creatives", so their thoughtful use of spaces and fonts can serve their readers in their own projects.
Another Escape uses negative space in photography, bottom thirds and simple, small font.
Photography for Kinfolk Magazine. Subject in bottom third.
Institutional conventions- marketing:
As aforementioned, the target market for these magazines are hipsters... let's break it down.
Who do we define as a hipster?
People aged between their late 20s and late 30s seeking to work on their passion.
They have a desire to make an impact on the world and live life to the fullest.
They value artisanal products, coffee shops, design, honesty and luxury.
They are willing to spend money on quality products (such as these magazines).
They do NOT want what's popular and want to shop at obscure shops and own one-of-a-kind products, clothes and homes.
For these reasons, advertising to them is not so easy or straightforward. If they find out about a hidden gem in a popular website, they won't want it anymore. As a result, much of the marketing for these magazines comes from word of mouth or simply stumbling upon them in the coffee shops where they work or in the shelves of clothing stores they visit. Being that these publications are published less frequently, they also draw in crowds as buying them is almost a treat and privilege. They also handle a large online following where they post more frequently. Despite this, their customers still value physical copies and treasure them. Their luxurious print paper and feel makes them everything but disposable, so their customers can stack them in their homes as if they were almost books. Again, hipsters take advice from fellow hipsters, so when they see their friends or local shop owners with these magazines, they are drawn to buy them.
Magazines displayed in an independent bookstore alongside other high-end publications.
Sample #1: Cereal Magazine:
As for design, they have taken a minimalistic approach with low saturated color schemes. This aids in creating a zen vibe that resonates through the pages. The main focus is usually the pictures which are taken from unusual angles. The perfect example is the picture of the Golden Gate Bridge in the cover of the second picture above. It takes the audience a second look to realize what is being photographed which embodies the concept of taking "artsy" shots. The image also captures a scene of serenity and cleanness in what is otherwise an active scene, aiding in the calm vibe. Cereal magazine contains very few ads and is published bi-annually, which gives them a loyal following that treasures the almost book-like publication. It is sold in boutique stores and independent bookstores.
Sample #2: Kinfolk Magazine:
Kinfolk, like Cereal, aims to be authentic. Their thoughtful design provides its readers and insight into a hipster utopia through a visual and tactile experience. Its light color palette is easy on the eyes and its thick, luxurious paper makes its target audience feel like they too are living in this perfect world. The magazine focuses on writing articles about a slow lifestyle where time spent with family and friends is crowned. This is all better explained by the following video:
Here we perfectly see what the "ideal" lifestyle encapsulated in the magazine is. They aim to appeal to millennials looking to ease out of a lifestyle of clubbing and bars and looking to spend quality time with their friends. Unlike Cereal, the magazine is published quarterly. However, it is sold in the same places and also has a large following.
More examples:
1. Lagom
2. Monocle
3. Another Escape
4. Oh Comely
5. Remarkable
https://nickolsonbrand.com/blogs/journal/monocle-magazine-by-nickolson
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10253866.2017.1334282?src=recsys&journalCode=gcmc20
https://www.anglepoise.com/news/in-conversation-with-cereal-magazine
https://www.yeonheelee.com/design-analysis/
https://tkbr.publishing.sfu.ca/pub800/2016/01/kinfolk-an-aesthetic-%E2%80%A8a-lifestyle-a-brand/
https://www.creativeboom.com/features/20-independent-magazines-that-every-creative-should-have-on-their-coffee-table/
https://tkbr.publishing.sfu.ca/pub800/2016/01/kinfolk-an-aesthetic-%E2%80%A8a-lifestyle-a-brand/
https://www.creativeboom.com/features/20-independent-magazines-that-every-creative-should-have-on-their-coffee-table/
