The future of print has been a topic of passionate discussion for over twenty years. Everyone has an opinion, and some like the ones on the following page, are colorful and intriguing - just like print itself.
The state of magazines by the industry’s editors.
The best magazines live on coffee tables and are statements of identity when you come into someone’s home; they are held by fans walking down the street, the magazine or its tote bag, symbols of identity and belonging.
Print is more than just a tangible product. It is a noun, adjective, and a verb that embodies a massive industry consisting of editors, writers, photographers, advertisers, readers, designers, influencers, and more. It’s a membership with a list that seems to grow every day, much like the number of independent print magazines that continue to pop up across the globe.
Digital content is like beer, Coke and sparkling wine, which you drink on everyday occasions or at cocktails with a big crowd. You can have these parties often. But when you sit down for a formal and exclusive dinner with a select group of people, you want a glass of fine wine that you savor slowly. And that glass of fine wine is the print magazine.
I think both print and digital can be great in their own way, but if I had to compare them, it would be like comparing a real kiss with a virtual one. We all know which one is better.
I like to use a fashion analogy: digital is ready-to-wear; print is couture.
The beauty of print is also in the fact that once something is published, it cannot be edited or modified, so everything has to be perfect. Furthermore, knowledge is positioning itself as the new form of ‘cultural currency,’ allowing people to be associated with something they desire.
