Cheers to Integrated Media
Cheers - to Integrated Media
Integrated Media has added a new title – Cheers – to its fledgling stable of publications.
Owner and publisher of the new magazine, Shayne Dowling, said the new liquor-themed title joined Whisky magazine which will now be published on a quarterly basis.
“We’re really excited to announce that the first issue of Cheers, a custom title for TOPS at SPAR, has been published and should be hitting the first few outlets this week,” Dowling said from Integrated Media’s new premises in Tannery Park, Rondebosch, Cape Town. He said the lifestyle publication had been in the pipeline for a number of months. Discussions with TOPS at SPAR’s group liquor executive Mark Robinson had been ongoing since November 2011.
“Cheers was something Mark Robinson wanted to get up and running almost immediately after taking up his new position late last year. However his first priority was focussing his attention on taking over responsibility for all the TOPS at SPAR business – and with TOPS being the single biggest liquor retail chain in the country with more than 500 stores nationwide, that was a not insubstantial task!
“As with any negotiation regarding a custom title, it was the final details that took some time to sort out. It will be a free magazine which TOPS are offering their customers as a value added product.”
In charge of editorial is Fiona McDonald, current editor of Whisky magazine and former WINE magazine editor. “Planning a new magazine from scratch is not something editors get to do every day so it’s been a real thrill. It’s been important to work with Mark Robinson and his team to find out what they’d like to offer their customers – and then adjusting the editorial plan to fit that framework.”
While the magazine offered an opportunity to write about more than just whisky and wine, McDonald said the challenge was to do so in a way that interested TOPS clients. “What can we tell them about beer, cider, brandy or alcoholic fruit beverages that they didn’t necessarily know? And it’s also important to get the tone of voice right as well as offer additional lifestyle content so that the publication is engaging, making people want to pick up their free copy at the tills.”
Handling the creative and production side is Megan Knox, art director of Whisky magazine and former Getaway magazine designer. “The relationship with TOPS has been really productive. They have made suggestions along the way which we’ve taken on board but essentially they have trusted us with the look and feel of the magazine which is a great vote of faith in us at Integrated Media.”
“We’re starting off small – with 30 000 copies – but Mark Robinson is quite bullish about wanting to grow this figure substantially. Obviously with 500 outlets to supply, 30 000 copies are not going to go far ...” Dowling said.
Highlights of issue one include the back story of the phenomenally successful Four Cousins range of wine, the TOPS at SPAR tale – how it got to be the country’s biggest liquor chain in just 10 years, just what differentiates lager from ale and the return of the billowing sails of the blue-topped bottle which used to exhort people to stay as they were for the rest of their lives... or change!
The first issue of Cheers, a 72-page glossy publication which will be published every two months, should hit the shelves of TOPS at SPAR outlets this week.
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