VIBE LAUNCHES MAGAZINE REDESIGN WITH OCTOBER 2008 ISSUE
NEW YORK, September 4, 2008 — VIBE magazine will debut a stunning cover-to-cover redesign with the October 2008 issue hitting newsstands September 16th. The publication’s new look comes as the magazine celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
“We wanted to reclaim a bit of the heritage of our brand with this redesign by capturing some of the magazine’s original DNA,” says VIBE Art Director Mark Shaw. “The result is an edgier, more modern-looking publication that exemplifies an elegant toughness.”
The redesign effort, led by Luke Hayman of the New York–based design firm Pentagram, represents a complete artistic restructuring of the magazine. Features of the redesign include a cleaner, more simplified cover and sleeker-looking logo, while Hayman cleverly incorporated a five-bar staff — the foundation of all written music— into the new design as a way to brand the inside pages of the magazine.
“Vibe is an icon in the magazine world. It was an exciting opportunity to sample and remix the rich heritage of its famed design and photography,” explains Hayman of his inspiration. “The new design needed to address functional and technical issues: navigation, readability and the establishment of a consistent and strong page branding language. At the same time stories needed to exude energy and have the flexibility to contain a variety of content and style.”
VIBE will shift from its current size of 8.25 X 10.875 inches to a new size of 7.75 X 10.5 inches.
“Changing to a slightly smaller format will be more cost efficient, ultimately allowing us to offer a higher-quality publication, while maintaining our leadership position in the marketplace,” states Edgar Hernandez, Publisher, VIBE Media Group.
The front-of-book magazine pages will feature a new-and-improved editorial approach, complete with bolder page layouts and stronger font treatments. VIBE takes a bold stance by moving its popular album reviews section to VIBE.com, where it will appear exclusively (and in line with music purchase trends). To avoid disappointing its loyal reader base, artist singles will still be reviewed in-book. This historic redesign introduces several new editorial sections, including:
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- “The Word:” The number one thing on our minds in the entertainment world for the month
- “Hi, My Name Is:” Introduction of up-and-coming independent artists
- “Google Me:” Column spotlights online artists on the verge
- “The Ultimate 90:” The ultimate mixtape for some of the biggest stars in music
- “The Big Idea:” An opinionated thought-provoking essay
- “Vixen:” Profile of the sexiest stars in Hollywood and music
- “I’m A Genius:” Legendary entertainers discuss their long and brilliant careers in their own words
- “Now:” A short feature profiling artists of the moment
- “The Issue:” A front-of-book news feature discussing critical issues.
Other highlights of the redesign include:
- An updated photo section featuring tabloid imagery
- Product recommendations now featured on the editor’s page
- Addition of “And If You Don’t Know, Now You Know,” a high-end accessories column featured in the Details section of the fashion pages
ABOUT VIBE:
VIBE Media Group, an affiliate of the Wicks Media Group, LLC, is a leading music lifestyle media company that publishes VIBE magazine and produces a myriad of other VIBE branded properties, including VIBE.com, VHollywood, VIBE Yardfest and VIBE Books, which published The New York Times-bestseller, Tupac Shakur. Founded in 1993 by the multi-talented Quincy Jones, the award-winning VIBE magazine has maintained its position as the definitive voice of urban culture, influencing music, life and style for over 8 million readers around the world. VIBE Magazine is the nation’s leading publication reporting on music, fashion, politics and culture geared towards a multicultural audience.
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