They know where we are!
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Magazine design
[NYTimes] When the 40,000 subscribers to Reason, the monthly libertarian magazine, receive a copy of the June issue, they will see on the cover a satellite photo of a neighborhood - their own neighborhood. And their house will be graphically circled.
On one level, the project, sort of the ultimate in customized publishing, is unsurprising: of course a magazine knows where its subscribers live. But it is still a remarkable demonstration of the growing number of ways databases can be harnessed. Apart from the cover image, several advertisements are customized to reflect the recipient's particulars.
Nick Gillespie, editor in chief of Reason, said the magazine, with an editorial mission of "Free Minds, Free Markets,'' used the stunt to illustrate the cover article about the power and importance of databases.
[...] In some respects, Reason's cover stunt is less Big Brother than one more demonstration that micromarketing is here to stay. "My son gets sports catalogs where his name is imprinted on the jerseys that are on the cover," Mr. Rotenberg said. "He thinks that's very cool."
In his editor's note describing the magazine's database package, Mr. Gillispie left open three spots - commuting time, educational attainment and percentage of children living with grandparents - so he could adapt his message to individual readers. Mr. Gillespie said that the parlor trick could have profound implications as database and printing capabilities grow.
"What if you received a magazine that only had stories and ads that you were interested in and pertained to you?" he asked. "That would be a magazine that everyone would want to read."
by Paul | 06 April 2004
3 Comments added
1. On 09 April 2004, justin said:
Not only is this a really great idea for a cover (grabs attention like nothing else, I'd wager), it is a great way to raise awareness of the growing success, for better or worse, of public databases of information. It makes me want to subscribe.
2. On 16 April 2004, Nick said:
Certainly Justin, If a magazine paid enough attention to me to alter their cover, I'm really intrigued.
The advertising idea is a little weird but I could get used to it. Ferrari's, BMWs and Benze's on every page would make my magazine a work of art.
3. On 14 March 2005, Jack Yan said:
I hate to think how it could be done without resorting to digital printing. However, great idea—especially given that this is a next logical step for print—even if quality could be compromised.
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