It's no secret PlanetOut Inc's been having some trouble.
Not only did the gay media company's stock take a tumble earlier this year, but ad pages have fallen in its primary titles, The Advocate and Out, a trend no doubt perpetuated by publisher Joe Landry's departure for BlackBook.
Now, in an attempt to turn things around, PlanetOut's publishing division, LPI Media, and a new publisher are hoping to take the titles in new direction: up.
Not only has The Advocate been dabbling in more wry - dare we say entertaining? - reporting, but plans to unveil a more seamless look:
With the September anniversary issue, The Advocate will roll out a more vivid, sophisticated look under the direction of Luke Hayman, who recently redesigned Time and New York. It will feature a modern sans-serif logo and typeface, uncoated cover stock and bright, color-coded departments. “We feel now that we’ve got a design that reflects a mission to curate the news,” [editor Anne] Stockwell said.
PlanetOut's print division, LPI Media, also hopes that adverts from Cadillac, Lexus and perhaps a few booze hounds will help save the sinking ship.
Meanwhile, Out magazine plans on making a few changes of its own. Media Week explains:
[Out] will continue to increase its focus on fashion and grooming, as editor Aaron Hicklin has done throughout 2006. At the same time, he has shifted events listings and relationship advice online and eliminated horoscopes altogether. With the September issue, Hicklin will introduce “Wish List,” a photo-rich fashion service section and increase the pages devoted to grooming to six from one. The October issue will bring a new home and industrial design section.
No doubt a new group publisher will help things along.
Today, LPI announces Jay Adams' installation as LPI Media's group publisher. While he'll spend most of his time on Out, Adams will also give The Advocate a little workout. He'll also spend some time reworking The Advocate. Good news, yes, but maybe not considering Adams' professional history: he once worked as the ad director for FHM (For Him Magazine). The lad-mag's American edition folded and now exists online only. Although, to be fair, FHM didn't fold until March. Adams, meanwhile, left the magazine for Popular Science in February.
Editor
Japhy Grant Editorial Director
David Hauslaib Publisher
Jossip Initiatives
[...] aesthetic changes to hide the infrastructure [...]
[...] aesthetic changes to hide the infrastructure [...]
The Advocate has been in a death spiral for a long time. There website is never up to date and they have no idea what's going on in the gay community. Forget about in-depth reporting, humor or anything relating to being gay.
It's sister rag Out should run an issue titled, " The 100 most things to help our company," because they certainly have run out of ideas.
For all those business' out there who want to invest their ads in gay publications they have to be looking really hard at the "LGBT" stock price and wonder if anybody is buying their magazines.
The Advocate has become outdated in the Internet age as have most magazines. No investigative reporting, editorials from the same old insiders, its just "fluff"
OUT looks like Details but "for" gay men, lol, featuring clothes and vacations I can't afford.
[...] Gates just saved from certain death, is making good on those cosmetic changes it promised us. As Queerty first told us: With the September anniversary issue, The Advocate will roll out a more vivid, sophisticated [...]
[...] Gates just saved from certain death, is making good on those cosmetic changes it promised us. As Queerty first told us: With the September anniversary issue, The Advocate will roll out a more vivid, sophisticated [...]
[...] aesthetic changes to hide the infrastructure [...]
[...] Gates just saved from certain death, is making good on those cosmetic changes it promised us. As Queerty first told us: With the September anniversary issue, The Advocate will roll out a more vivid, sophisticated [...]
[...] the kids are treating themselves to a little face lift courtesy of Luke Hayman, who's credited for revamping Time and New York magazine. A new logo, more graphics and expanded editorial coverage [...]
[...] The Advocate's 40th anniversary cover's certainly colorful, but one wonders if much lauded new art director Luke Hayman's creation can be called original. Not by the looks of it… [...]
Out Magazine always sucked. What skills do Aaron Hicklin Or Gregory Wein have in fashion. The fashion layouts are so predictable. They got a bit better but they certainly are on the hot list of fashion magazines.