Drafted launched at the end of 2012 in partnership with augmented reality app Blippar. By downloading the app and scanning a page, readers can access videos of celebrity interviews, go behind the scenes at fashion shoots, and scan to buy any of the clothes or beauty products featured in its pages.
Drafted’s co-founder and managing editor Kyle Goodwin says the magazine is operating in a whole new world of media publishing, pushing traditional advertising and brand engagement formats to greater heights.
Having tried and tested the formular for two years, the magazine is about to increase its print run from 10,000 to 100,000 copies per month. It might not have a ridgid growth strategy, but that’s what Goodwin’s excited about.
BR: What’s the relationship between Drafted and Blippar?
KG: We work in a media partnership with Blipper. It’s a fascinating company - only six months older than we are. We share the same outlook on technological innovations and vision for making this technology prevalent in the media world.
What inspired the concept for Drafted?
It all stemmed from a conversation with my journalist friends, at a time when a lot of them were losing their jobs on traditional print titles, about where this industry was going. We were inspired by a saying from American poet Ezra Pound: "If something is dying, make it new." We really connected with that. Today, as we venture further into the digital age, Powell’s philosophy becomes ever more pertinant. The idea grew from there.
Would you put yourself in the same bracket as traditional media publishers?
We class ourselves as a new-age publishing house and a creative solutions company. We started this company thinking 10 years ahead and feel like a whole new sector in the world of publishing. We are just as much a digital publication as we are a print one. A single page in our magazine is an instant portal to the digital world.
Our philosophy is to look to the future and not be afraid of it. We don’t know exactly where we’re going, but we’re going to be brave enough to embrace the technology that’s evolving around us and explore how we can apply that to a traditional platform.
Is print a dying medium then?
Print has a very strong part to play in the future of media. Personally, I feel a far stronger connection to a book or magazine than to the instant gratification you get from digital content. The question is, how to you make digital media an ally of print? How can the two work in better conjunction with one another? That’s what we’re exploring.
There is a lot of catch up being played in the publishing industry at the moment. At Drafted, our history starts now. This allows us to be open and brave in the business choices we make.
We see an element of what we do as taking responsibilty to explore the future of media and try new technology platforms, which a lot of established publishing houses don’t have the breathing space or luxury to do.
How much do readers interact with the blippable content?
Our maximum level of user interaction for an issue was one in seven readers, however, on the whole, we hover around the one in ten mark. As our readers get used to the content we are seeing a steady uptake in interaction.
How are brands responding to the interactive ad options in the magazine?
The conversations we’ve been having with brands can cause confusion, because they are still used to thinking about print and digital as two seperate entities. At Drafted we’re offering both in one stream - and this thinking is still very new.
However, we've had a fantastic response to a fashion series called The Pembridge Files, which launched last year. It’s an editorial series that tells a story of espionage through the world of fashion. Each month the story gets deeper and new characters emerge, and we back up the printed content with a short film created in house. Readers can blip the page to watch the video, and instantly buy each and every product featured.
Where did the idea for the Pembridge Files come from?
The idea fits back into our company philosophy of wanting to try new things and do things differently. It’s the brainchild of our editor, Rivkie Baum, who has a history in fashion - as a stylist and running a plus-size women’s fashion magazine.
Brands have been incredibly enthusiastic about the concept, so much so that we will be launching a stand alone YouTube channel for the series in March, widening our reach online and adding to direct traffic from the print title.
Would you class the Pembridge Files as a form of native advertising?
The Pembridge Files doesn't veer too drastically from traditional fashion shoots, where the main priority is grounded in strong editorial content. What makes it unique is the ongoing story, with the plot evolving from issue to issue, very much like a television series.
We are seeing brands looking for interesting ways to promote their products and engage consumers, and The Pembridge Files offers opportunities for sponsorship and product placement within an exciting new format.
Do you find you are working a lot with certain kinds of brands - those which ‘get’ technology and new engaging ad formats?
It's heading in that direction. Fashion and retail brands in particular are increasingly beginning to see the benefit of augmented reality within print advertising, and the vast options it gives them in terms of connecting and engaging on a deeper level with potential consumers. Of course, it's still new and revolutionary - it won't be an instant transition.
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