It’s a simple concept: First, create the brand. Second, create the product. Third, associate the products with the brand.
But when is it taken too far? When does a product make its brand lose meaning, instead of gaining?
These are just some of the questions that came to mind when I came across this article. In essence, Condé Nast is furthering its recognizable brand by launching magazine … restaurants.
Take a second. Pause.
Where’s the print in this? In short: There’s none, at least not that they’re sharing. According to the WSJ article, “[t]he effort reflects a growing openness among magazine publishers to try and capitalize on their brands beyond print…”.
In the ever-changing world of media, I’m all for moving beyond print. That’s where the iPad digital-magazine craze has come from, and almost everyone in the print world has moved his or her work in some way to better parlay itself into online content. And with all the wannabe techies out there, this makes perfect sense.
But it’s still based off of print. Though menus have yet to be made, I’m wary of how this translates back to the core value of the print medium.
Putting your name on something means that it should reflect back to the origin of that name—in this case, an internationally recognized company that produces quality magazines. A move like this is little more than attaching a name to a baseless product.
The WSJ mentions Elle making its move to television with Project Runway. Television is still a form of communication, and the basis of the show (hello, fashion) can be traced back to Elle’s roots as a highly reputable women’s fashion magazine. Restaurants and fashion shows are like oranges and apples.
Speaking of food, the first magazine restaurants will be based off of Vogue and GQ, set to open in 2011 in international locations. (Last I checked, Vogue and GQ weren’t my go-to choices for foodie trends.)
I’m curious to see how this will turn out. Smart gamble, or desperate times call for desperate measures?
[image: myklroventine]
