First Draft
Business Objectives
In-print magazine aims to celebrate and promote the work of designers and artists in a range of disciplines. Focusing on creativity and independence In-print magazine will be a quarterly publication that offers its readers the opportunity to share works, build connections and create a community connected by creativity and innovation. Edition of the magazine will focus on specialties interest subjects that have been designed. Taking inspiration from the Book, ‘In loving memory of work’ and similar self published artifacts that comment on our society and history. In-print will also celebrate literary works from script writing and short stories, each being designed in collaboration with a an illustrator or designer, the magazine will connect individuals and build a community of creative. The magazine will be supported by a digital platform that encourages the sharing od content but also the authorship of original material. Working with creative individuals the whole platform and community will come together to build a unity and supportive network of creative in business.
The short-term objectives for the business are to build an online community through social media that shares content that is informative and inspirational. Building upon the ideas of the printed magazine that will aim to follow. The magazine will share and comment on the landscape of the creative industries, providing key links to develop the connections of the magazine to its community. The sense of ownership and community is integral to the mission of the business and the first 12 months will be dedicated to building this message though digital platforms and channels. The magazine that will follow on from the digital content will consist of 10 – 12 pages, design and an emphasis of printed material will also be carried through in the brands message. In keeping with the growing revolution that Print isn’t dead, IN-Print magazine and website will continually celebrate this. A website will continually produce content with guest creative. Building the brand and business from year 1 into year 2 I will aim to increase the page content of the magazine into the 20’s while also experimenting with production outputs. Beyond year 3 I see the publication being produced more frequently published with more substantial pages hitting more industries and revisiting previous designers and artists.
Investment
Initial funding for the project would derive from crowd funding sources. Each £15 investment would secure a copy of the quarterly magazine in the first year. The goal would be to generate an initial investment of £2000 to cover the cost of printing and the purchase of a website domain. Membership to the service would be introduced after the first 12 months and at a discounted rate to the initial investors. Membership would gain access to extra material online and early copies of the printed magazine. For the £20 per year subscription, members would support the business growth and further investment into the printed outcome would benefit. This would also support the generation of new content keeping the audience engaged and willing to invest further through the crowd funding or membership.
Personal Skills
Personal skills that I am to bring to this project are that as a writer, editor and designer. Experience as a designer and Project manager provides essential skills to deliver this project. Recent studies at Falmouth University and working with industry professionals have sparked an aspiration and an admiration for writers and journalists. During this project I am to collaborate with other writers and use a support network to deliver engaging content each issue. The master’s degree in Graphic Design has enabled me to build a platform that has encouraged research methodologies and writing techniques through my blog that have given me the confidence to peruse this project further. Working in education and being a creative, communication is key. The ability to deliver a clear message to a varied audience is an essential skill that I have developed in my career. Managing budgets and client accounts also positions me with vital skills to adopt the role as an editor of In-Print magazine. I am able to collaborate and deliver each project / issue of the magazine on time and on budget. I believe that through this process I will become a better writer and journalist. I will further develop better research methodologies and I am to improve on my marketing knowledge to sell the magazine to bigger clients for advertising and to take stock of the publication. This is a key area that will ensure business growth and sustainability. Support from industry experts and short courses will enable me to build on existing knowledge and skills to ensure that I am able to deliver this project.
Target Audience
Statistics gathered from the Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2016/17 – identified that there has been an increase year on year of students graduating from arts based university degrees. In 2017 a total of 175,700 students graduated from Art and Design related degrees, taking a percentage of these students and adding this to the current work force within the £101.5 billion creative industry that has grown consistently over a four year period, employing an estimated 3 million people according to statistics from 2016. I have identified that in the first year I am to reach 600 – 800 people with 400 printed copies of the publication and up to 2000 – 5000 people via the digital aspects of the business. Year two aims to expand on this and add an additional 500 people reached via the printed publication and aims to double the audience via the digital avenues. The target customers will be 20+ and working within the creative sector or show an interest in this area. Income will range greatly from freelancers to art directors. Readers will be educated and open-minded to new ideas, they will also show an active interest in the creative arts and literature. Professionals of all stature will find engaging content ether through print or digital content. A younger democratic, students or graduates may subscribe to the digital content more favorably but not exclusively.
The publication will be distributed between individuals, businesses and universities. The university sector is a key area for business growth and reaching potential readers. Subscriptions to the article from education establishments would secure further online readers as well as promoting the printed article. In-print aims to reach its target audience nationally but areas of condensed creative businesses such as London and Manchester will be prominent distribution points.
Pricing the product to reach my target audience will consider the printed production and advertisings in print and digital. Although the revenue from advertising is essential the content of this should be considered and appropriate, it should not dominate the publication and be subtle in each platform. Each printed publication will aim to cost the consumer of £5. At the early stage I will take a minimal fee from the sale of the publication. Investments from crowd funding and platforms such as patron will help support initial set up costs and promote growth in the first year. A large proportion of the fist year will be building a community online that will then support the platform further. It is in the second half of that year that printed content will aim to be generated once the funding to print has been generated. The publication should be at a minimal cost to the consumer as I believe more people will engage with this if the cost is £5 Further research into costing’s and price point need to identify consumer habits and expectations.
Market Competition
Lecture in Progress
London
£35 subscription (per year)
Strengths: Industry recognized / well designed publication / upto date content / works with range of designers / creative / backing from large organizations / less reliant on sales
Weakness: ????
Its nice that
https://www.itsnicethat.com/publications(printed pages)
London
£10 per issue
Strengths: industry recognition / events / trusted source of news and articles / Well designed / backing or large design studio
Weakness: ???
My business:
To differentiate myself from the other businesses I believe that in-print will give an ownership to the readers and investors that enables them to have a say in the direction of the magazine. The publication aims to celebrate creativity in a range of disciplines but just graphic design and media.
Price:
Crowd funding: £15 for the first 4 issues
Subscription: £20 per year (extra content online and early release of magazine)
Magazine issue: £5
Strengths: Independence / flexibility
Weakness: Financial security /
Marketing: Webiste (information / e-commerce) / Advertising (online) / SEO / Refferals / Crowd Funding / Events / PR
Website: A website will offer content that aims to be a source of inspiration and informative articles that will keep readers coming back. The e-commerce side of the website aims to generate an income from sales of the printed publications but also membership subscriptions for readers wanting to access more content and the latest news on events. (Relevant to the creative industries )
SEO: Search engine optimization will aim to guide readers to the website thought useful and relevant links to articles. With billions of searches each day, Users of search engines such as Google are more likely to click on one of the top five searches, this is essential that the website appears at the top of peoples searches. This will be an ongoing strategy and be implemented more as the business grows through its channels of social media.
Social Media: will be an essential part of business growth and revenue. While content is shared freely, creating a community and audience for the content is essential. This community will then engage with the publication in print and through subscription services. Advertising in YouTube content will also provide additional revenue to support business growth.
Operational Plans:
A key supplier in the delivery of the publication in the initial stages will be the www.newspaperclub.com. Joining this network of independent magazines / newspapers and print enthusiast will aim to build the community and encourage collaboration through the social media channels. The cost of each printed publication is dependent on overall quantities and this avenue will provide a good service for short runs and quick turn around of digital prints. This project-based arrangement allows flexibility and no commitment in the early stages, while deadlines will be implemented and adhered to it is essential that during the first few years the platforms remains flexible and adapts to changes as they arise. Using the Newspaper club enables us to do this.
In the first few years’ distribution to key industries and establishments, along with subscription independent parcel management companies will provide users and initial investors. As the business grows and develops, postage and distribution will develop with the changes of the business.
Initially I will deliver the operation of the business, however after the first few months an additional member of staff will be needed to support with the creation and management of online content. Both member of the team will work part time but move into full time roles as the business begins to grow. After the first 24-month these roles will develop in their working capacity and evolve as the needs of the business. Roles such as editor, designer, writer, content manager will be essential in the implementation of the publication, roles that are purely responsible for advertising and content will evolve. The initial team will work independently on this projects from their respective locations, the business model aims to connect with and empower the working relationship between individuals no matter their location, as such office space will not be apriority in the first 24 months. Taking the business forward and as the team grows a physical space may be required.
Laws and regulations that govern the publication will be the use of copyright materials and seeking approval from originators. Content will largely be original however there will be instances where content is shared and linked to outside sources. Public liability insurance and a Limited Company status aims to protect the founding members of the business in financial situations. Clear terms of agreement policy will protect the material generated for the platform and further protect the authors of content. This agreement will also prevent the distribution of content beyond the agreed terms outlined.
Initial investments are made at the risk of the investor and while all eventualities aims to protect their investment and deliver a product; it is reasonable to assume that that a contingency plan is on standby. To keep the business moving the platform will continue as digital content for the majority with special interest publications being printed once or twice a year. These publications can vary and will depend on the landscape of the creative industries.
Back to the drawing board…
After a much needed talk with Susanna I soon realised what I probably knew. This isn’t interesting. But more importantly this is not interesting to me. Well no, thats not entirely true, it is interesting but this idea is not origional and I have little to offer this market that is full of big players. I needed to focus in on something that was a little more personal and interesting to me. At the start of the chat I had the oppertunity to speak with Brian Clarke. Purely by accident but still I spoke about wanting to revisit some of the projects from module 2. Through my convereation with Susanna this come up again. And I had that moment where I then realised what I needed to do. Take inspiration from the likes of Craig Oldham and his book ‘In loving memory of work’ and be more of an author and use design as a tool to convey the message. I am interested in the research and discovery stages and find that this is the part that I enjoy. The more informed i am about the sibject the easier it is to write about and then design. I had an hour to think about our conversation and the work that I have enjoyed over the past 2 moduels. and It soon dawned on me, an idea, a concept for a series of books that explore the british culture and authority. Taking insipration form the Battle of Orgreave book idea from module 2. My facination with the Mod culture and the Mod v’s Rockers and then onto the London riots. I am interested in the british culture in these examples where they have clashed. This to me is more interesting. I will aim to write a plan, a proposal or pitch for this series of books as if I were pitching to a publisher. This is the specific target audience and will infulence the tone of my work. It will be informative, descriptive and formal in tone but should also reflect the subject at hand.
- Business Summary.
Through self initiated research I am to write and produce a series of books that explore the themes in British culture and authority. Authorship of such titles that will take a deeper look at significant events that has seen a clash between the people of England and the government. The battle of Orgreave, London Riots and even the events leading up to the Mods Vs The Rockers. Each book will use archive material to explore the events and provide an un-bias narrative.
The focus of this project is to produce a series of books that give narrative to significant events that have shaped the cultural and political landscape of this country. The books will use design as a tool to portray each event in a compelling and thought-provoking manner. The Aim is to continue this series and extend each title, collaborating with other authors to produce a rounded and concise view of British social history.
Each hardbound book will require investigation and collaboration. Original material will be produced along with archive material. These higher end books will be aimed at the £20 – 40 mark and pitched as a luxury, coffee table statement piece.
With an interest in social and cultural history, the clashes of politicians and unions the social history of Great Britain has a rich and colorful story to be told. I propose a series of books that explore these ideas. Having found a passion for research and writing through my studies during an MA in Graphic Design I wish to continue this practice further and explore more book titles. The first book will take a closer look at the Battle of Orgreave, the clash between Margret Thatcher and the Miners during the 1985 strike. This clash saw men beaten and arrested against a 18thcentury law that had previously never been implemented. With struggles on both sides the title aims to explore the story from both sides. This well documented event demonstrates has had a long lasting impact on the towns and people of the North. Further titles aim to explore events similar that have had a lasting impact on the society and people of specific locations, such as the London riots in 2011.
During my studies at Falmouth University, working with designers, academics and editors I have found my love for research and writing. I have become passionate about the details and more importantly significant events that have shaped the news in our history. Writing reports and research has been a big part of my professional career thus far and I believe that I have the skills to continue to grow and develop this further. Having written reports and case studies for education and professional development I have used a multi faceted approach to research and gathered primary and secondary data to influence my writing. I have an uncontrollable need to understand a subject in great detail. I believe that this provides a basis for good writing. To further my writing I aim to undertake short courses and work with other writers and editors to improve my communication. Securing freelance work, as a designer and writer will further support this project. I am passionate about creativity and interested in social history and culture. I believe that there are many untold stories or stories being told from a bias persuasion, Mainly the media and news reports but taking a cynical view of these avenues can open up new ideas and thinking. Reading between the lines and gaining a new perspective to events is a key skill that I believe I can bring to this project.
Authorship is the service that I will bring to this project; it is through investment and commissions from publishers that aim to bring each title to life. My role is to instigate and research each title, producing the narrative and content for each, I then aim to work with a book publisher to develop the title and content into a physical book. Through design and print the product will come to life through their investment. While each title will have a different narrative, the branding of the series will be consistent and aim to provide a story that tells history and social justice through design and story telling.
The target customer is an individual or establishment that shares an interest in design and culture. They may have a connection to each title or show a general interest. The individual will be a professional with a disposable income and works in the arts and culture sector in various degrees of roles and responsibilities. The individual may be creative and show an interest in design and print, each could have connections or personal investments into the narratives of each title. The establishment whom may purchase the titles are educational and in the arts and culture industries. Books may be sold at galleries and exhibitions, workspaces and for points of reference at educational sites. The books will provide an informative narrative but through design and story telling will be an artifact that can be seen as a stand-alone designed product that shows a consideration to the theme of the title. Each book will be consistent in branding to engage with individuals who see books for their beauty and aesthetic. Customers that purchase or use the books will most likely be in their late 20’s to there 50’s and show a keen interest in culture, design and history through printed matter.
Initial market research suggest that while there are books that tell the narrative of such themes as the Battle of Orgreave or the London Riots in 2011 they are text heavy and paperback books that has a focus on describing the events. While I pitch this project to do this also I am to use design to engage the reader in more effective and creative ways. Craig Oldham uses design and research to tell the story of the 1985 Miners strike and does it with an aesthetic quality that separates his title from the rest. This is where I pitch this project, beyond the paperback eco print, I am interested in the designed book that expel a luxury and creativity, using innovation to bring the story to life and Craig Oldham does this well. Books such as a smile in the mind are design essentials and have been produced to engage a customer that appreciates that aesthetic quality. Other books such as Micheal Bierut’s ‘How to’ uses design to tell the story and is designed in a way that engages a client that I see this project pitching at. There is a sea of well-designed books but I feel that there are only small selections of well-designed books that tell stories of these significant events in the way that I believe this project can do. On a price point these books can range from £20 – £40 each. This then separates them from the paperback read while travelling, they are a sit down with a coffee and enjoy the moment and appreciate the quality kind of book.
I aim to conduct through market research on titles that would be of interest and this will inform the visual language of the design and the tone of the narrative. Informed research will be conducted and used to distinguish the pitch and space in the market of these books. I aim that this research and investigation will determine the price point and avenues for sale for this project.
6.1 Marketing strategy
The marketing of this project would include book tours, talks and readings at events such as ‘Nicer Tuesdays’ Here I hope to connect with the target audience. Additional momentum can be gained through the use of social media, developing content that aims to provide a snippet of the book and its contents. Working with a marketing team and strategist I believe that this would be the best opportunity to promote and sell the books to a maximum audience.
7.1 Self-analysis
Strengths: passion and interest are building blocks for my strengths in this project. I aim to use this to dedicate time to research and effective planning to deliver this project in engaging and innovative ways. Working collaboratively I aim to bring people into this project that can add value. This may be the marketing team or customer analysis agency.
Weakness
While I have developed my writing and approach to writing I believe that additional support from a content editor or proofreader will ensure that this project is delivered with the right tone of voice and communicates the story effectively.
Threats
While the idea of being niche can be seen as a negative I also believe that this could be seen as a positive. Just like the “in loving memory of work’ book by Craig Oldham the book has become slightly allusive and has a very niche content but what one parson has a passion for, there are always people who follow and share that passion. I believe in doing work that is important, this project aims to tell the stories of individuals and their experiences and this opens up the audience to greater depths.
Opportunities
The opportunity here is to create a series of books that collaborate with a range of creative and subject specific individuals to deliver the project. The scope for further titles is only limited by the imagination to see the interest in these ideas and events. This is about bringing history and culture alive in a way that some books fail. A big inspiration for this has been Craig Oldham and how he inspired my own investigation into the Battle of Orgreave, an opportunity would be to work with Oldham in other projects and titles and develop a brand of books that explore history and culture in interesting ways.
After changing my idea and revising the business plan I had become stuck in some areas so I reached out to Craig Oldham for a little help and advice. We spoke about his approach to each book and how the ‘In loving memory of work book come about’ He explained that this was a project that he felt he had to do and sunk alot of his own money into the project, with a limited run the book is more infamous than it is popular but this is not the point for Craig. He goes on to explain that he has had publishers approach him to publish the book but he acknowledges that they would make changes and this would take away form the essance and raw-ness of the book, he states that there are things in the book that he believes are too political and real for a publisher to take it on. He was a great help and provided a bit of a spark when it comes to approaching this idea and while his unique approach to publishing can sometimes fall outside the norm it was good to hear his insights.
Reflecting on this process of exploring the market value and deeper analysis of the spending powers of my target audience I believe that I should continue to develop the idea further and focus on developing the online elements. While the outcome of this business plan would be a designed book and I feel that this is essential to preserve the stories and truly document the accounts in a way that a website just does not do justice to. I have found my research interesting in the habits and use of online material of different generations. To ensure that this project is a success I would add other avenues to this initial idea, the use of podcasts would add further insights and 1-1 conversations with individuals who were present at a specific event. I believe that there is an interest in these stories and that I should utilise all platforms available to gain the most out of the book. As a stand-alone, the book really does need the other avenues to draw in the interest but I believe that the book could be picked up as a single item and still be enjoyed. The participation of the public would be another avenue to celebrate these stories and through the podcasts and social media, this project would bring ideas together and create a community that would add value to individuals versions of events. It is not about glorifying these events but preserving and telling the stories of the people who were involved, with the Orgreave investigation I found more than I was expecting and become passionate about the truth being told in a compelling and designed outcome. This practice has enabled me to truly reflect and refine the idea. At the start of this module I developed an idea that was not original but also that would have required a lot of input from other people that would have taken away the control and authorship from myself. There is a need for the involvement of other people within this project but there is a sense of curation and project planning that I believe I could add value to this concept.
Pixels and Serifs. 