Publication: Wired
Owner: Conde Nast
What's happened?: UK edition has relaunched
The first thing you notice about Wired when you pick it up is how it feels to the touch; the cover has a matt finish with grit varnish - very tactile. It exudes style and quality.
Wired is a magazine about "what's next - the people, trends and big ideas that will change our lives".
The cover story "Your Life in the Future" acts as a microcosm for the rest of the magazine. The scope of what it covers is immense - from artificial intelligence to lab-grown meat, cryonics to intelligent posters.
Wired is a great brand, disseminating a vast amount of information and delivering it in an accessible, entertaining manner.
Conde Nast's commercial team has done a sterling job in bringing in a wide and varied collection of advertisers; numerous fashion, fragrance, motors, beverage, mobile and brown goods brands reflect the title's premium ambition.
In its previous UK incarnation, Wired failed because neither consumers nor agencies really got it.
Advertising was limited to technology clients and readers didn't understand what it was for.
Conde Nast has eliminated the former by bringing in lifestyle brands from the off and consumers are now much more adept at understanding how ideas and technology have the capacity to transform their lives. It's a must-read for many, not least in the media industry.
The magazine industry will need vision and innovation to extricate itself from its current difficulties and new launches will be key to this.
Wired provides an encouraging template and amply demonstrates just how great magazines can be.
What's good?
It pushes the boundaries.
What could be better?
The art direction on some features is verging on the garish.
Would I book my clients in to this?
Definitely. It's a great brand to partner with.
Nik Vyas, Strategic partnerships director, Newcast, ZenithOptimedia