(Sings) That’s me in the corner…
And here is the video
Trinity of Music, Brands and Tastemakers panel at @internetweek #iwny (Taken with instagram)
Source: houseofcreatives
‘Spin’ Magazine Going Bimonthly | Adweek
Several years ago, my magazine ceased printing entirely. We had “right-sized” our publishing venture previously, electing to limit frequency (and increase quality) as we responded to changing consumption habits and harsh advertising realities. The truth that every publisher faces is that there really isn’t much of a need for a monthly print magazine—much less a music one.
So, is Spin’s move a desperate sensible shift based on a changing content landscape or a budget crisis? Probably a bit of both given a 35% ad drop in the previous few years. But I’m not here to be a naysayer or parade rain-uponer. Hell, I subscribe to Spin!
Ultimately, I still believe deeply in print. It’s not going anywhere. Magazines like Spin, if they can reinvent themselves (no small challenge), and put ideas ahead of quickly aging news and reviews, may have a chance even in today’s Flipboard world. Who knows, maybe even URB’s print magazine has a second life somewhere.
Source: adweek.com
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Say Hey (I Love You) (via MichaelFrantiVEVO)
I admit, that Corona Light commercial sent me scurrying to find this video. I was already a Michael Franti fan going back to his Spearhead days, but a little surprised at this reggae pop flavor. And I wasn’t alone in the search, since a Google click found several entries asking the same thing: “What’s that song?”
Source: youtube.com
Camp magazine, produced by URB exclusively for the 2010 Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California. Camp was 60 pages and 10x12”. The paper was a mix of uncoated and some glossy pages at the center.
Our team worked closely with the festival promoters and Vans (their one sponsor) to ensure a product that had integrity, was beautiful and relevant. And, above all, kept the Coachella campers in mind.
We printed 15,000 copies and they were distributed to the campers as they arrived at the festival. Response was excellent all around and we plan on doing it again next year.
Reach us at media@urb.com for more info on what we do.
I (still) love the smell of ink in the morning
Late last night and into the early morning, as I traded REMs for cat naps on a the customer lounge sofa, I found myself suddenly back in my old job. I was on a press check—where the client observes the critical printing stages of a job—just like I used to do for URB years ago. But instead of our now 95% digital URB.COM, we were printing! The inaugural 60-page issue of Camp, a free publication my company produced for the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, lands in hands this weekend.
I was on a panel at the SXSW Interactive festival called Selling Subculture Without Selling Out. Afterwards, we all got interviewed by the lovely Sarah Austin.
Life After Print: URB 2.0 — Huffington Post
My thoughts and observations on media and my magazine brand’s next evolution. Would love to know what you think. Feel free to leave a comment or email me your thoughts. Cheers.
Rock The Bells Festival (photos) > URB Magazine Blog
Check out URB’s RTB 2009 photographic coverage from this past weekend on the tour’s Los Angeles area stop. This is hip-hop music’s reigning festival and the home to old school and newer generations heroes alike (above: Slick Rick).
I caught last year’s show in Jones Beach, NY and captured these snaps.
Source: urb.com
URB.COM’s Lollapalooza coverage. We sweat so you don’t have to.
URB and its friends at Asics traveled to Chicago to not only produce two of the best after-parties of the weekend, but a full-on yacht cruise on Lake Michigan for 100 VIPs. And on the field at Lolla were a team of photographers with their lenses aimed at sweaty faces galore. Get all the action on our blog.
Who’s winning the magazine Twitter Wars?
The UK music behemoth NME (@nmemagazine) seems to be leading with 6,859 at last count. Compare that to Rolling Stone, which at over 1 million circulation should be far ahead, is at a paltry 1,221. Does any of this matter? I’m sure RS would say no. Of course, my magazine (@urbmag) is doing damn fine at 6,712 and leading most of our competition (@xlr8r: 632, @thefader: 1,513, @spinmagazine: 3,161 and @complex: 6,331). Maybe it’s because we started playing with Twitter over a year ago.
But so far, being a contender in the latest social media craze hasn’t shown it will mean revenue or circulation growth for any magazine. But it will be interesting to see how well this new direct audience building exercise and real time communication changes the landscape overall. It can’t hurt to have real estate in the freshest conversation since Friendster. Follow us and find out.
Email me and tell me which magazines I’m missing. And why any of this matters or doesn’t.
UPDATE: My bad, I completely overlooked those rap bastards at XXL (meant that lovingly) who clock in at 10,851 followers. Add yourself to the list.
