How Kickstarter helps print magazines

While many proclaim the death of printed magazines, a quick look at crowdfunding site Kickstarter will have you believe otherwise.

Couple that with the likes of Airbnb launching print magazines, as well as ongoing print launches by established companies – including Meredith launching a very successful print version on the back of its acquisition of allrecipes.com – and you might think all is well.

Truth is of course that there are shifts in the industry. Some print titles did not make it, some will not make it, others will continue to power on and new ones will come. However, to blindly accept “print is dead” is to write off a multi-billion dollar industry. 

And while the focus is often on stunning multi-platform innovations taking place in the industry, truth is there is a lot of innovation in, and excitement for, print too. FIPP’s Innovation in Magazine Media World Report 2015 includes a chapter on some of the best of these innovations in the past year.

It includes a look at activity taking place on Kickstarter. Here’s what John Wilpers, Innovation World Report editor, has to say.

“In this digital world where entire companies can be launched in minutes and at far less cost than before, it should be no surprise that print magazine start-ups is no exception. Feisty, unknown entrepreneurs have a new, uniquely 21st century source of launch capital: the fundraising site Kickstarter.

“A quick perusal of Kickstarter reveals an impressive list of print launches, ranging from publications about video gaming, football, and women’s interests to wine, skateboarding, design, office culture, food, and more…

“Take Cherry Bombe, for example. Its founders raised US$42,000 on Kickstarter in 2013 to launch a biannual indie foodie magazine, a niche that could hardly be described as under-served by magazines.

“Since the launch of Cherry Bombe, they’ve sold out 10,000 of each edition (even at a hefty US$18 cover price), launched their own food event series, and started Radio Cherry Bombe, a talk show for foodies.”

Find out how innovation – large and small – helps keep print alive and kicking in the FIPP Innovation World Report. The 2015 report launches at the Digital Innovators’ Summit in Berlin, on 23-24 March 2015.

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FIPP’s Innovation World Report consistently ranks as our best-loved annual report among members. In fact, in our surveys of the past three years, it was rated “exceptional” by our members. Why not be part of it?

Pre-order

The 2015 Innovation Report will be available in digital and print formats. FIPP members and DIS delegates get free access to digital editions. Pre-order here, or email Helen or FIPP Insight marketing executive Sylkia Cartagena for more information. 

In the meantime, here is a free chapter on print innovations – “Tangible is cool again” – from the 2014 World Report. Happy reading!

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Sign up for our monthly FIPP Innovation newsletter, visit FIPP.com and follow us on our social media channels for daily updates. Don’t forget to join us at the Digital Innovators’ Summit in March and at the the FIPP World Congress in October (which includes the FIPP Innovation Forum 2015).

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