Brands Bring Back Magazines

Cultured, curated, glossy magazines are making a comeback… this time backed by brands that want to use them as an out-of-the-box way to build community.

Why It Hits: There have been endless headlines about the death of print media over the past decade (which only fueled more decline), so the resurgence of print — from publishers like Complex and Spin — means that digital marketing has reached a point of over-saturation.

Between The Pages: There may be nothing more cutting-edge than publishing an old-school magazine.

• Trendy clothing brands, like Patta and Madhappy, have launched magazines around specific capsule debuts and standalone, bi-annual drops. Others, like Air Jordan, have partnered with existing magazines for takeovers of entire editions.
• Bottega Veneta took things a step further by ditching social media entirely in 2021 in favor of an online mag, which turned into a physical edition in 2022.
• The magazines contain little real estate for actual product marketing — instead, offering features, interviews, and other writing that reflect the vibe the brands want to be associated with.
• But when they do feature advertising for items, it gets a premium placement that feels a bit more special and longer-lasting than an Instagram post.

Closing Thoughts: Turning to print feels strangely countercultural in a world that’s chronically online… and that’s exactly what gets young people to perk up from their phones and notice. Magazines may not provide the precise metrics brands are accustomed to, but they can still foster a sense of community and drive sales. If that happens, we could see marketing budgets shift back to a balance between digital and print.