Ok – total honesty here . I received a schoolbook last week from an assistant at Better Homes and Gardens magazine expect me for my speech because “ Stephen Orr is a bad fan of your blog ” . Which is very nice . I accepted the postulation to review the powder store , for many reasons – ( one definitely not being because ‘ said magazine ’ had just appoint this blog for an awarding – ( well , you the audience nominated it – but still ) .
It ’s not a enigma that I too love graphical intention , magazines AND horticulture , but I am well cognizant that we are talking about Better Homes and Gardens , which may cause some of you to hustle your oculus – I know this , since I ’ve receive the emails . Here ’s what I can say – I can appreciate Better Homes and Gardens efforts , and why not ? We should all be hold any exertion to ameliorate the visual innovation and mental object of our dear sport known as horticulture .
You will soon see the beautiful concealment pattern on your newsstand – a bright , cheerful effigy of various tomatoes on a white background . This surprise me because I was half wait a young mommy on a porch with a white picket fence and hydrangea , with fate of call out type in undimmed , well curated colour somehow theme to some seasonally - approprate subject matter like – “ Mellow Yellow ” or something less - than sententious , but cheerfully commonplace about … permit ’s say , “ spring ! ” .
So this new cover concept which evince an honorable , yet clearly curated studio shot , – trying to look like nothing other than a gorgeous studio apartment show , is brisk and substantial , and for this magazine publisher that has urgently require a refresh , it is rather progressive . That say , I do marvel if Meredith will ever have enough balls to someday show a guy on the covering fire ? It could n’t spite – ( um….think Brawny folk – I think even girls like a small boom boom to break through all of the mare’s nest of a busy life , and … . sometimes a small ‘ sexyness ’ sells ) . Just sayin ’ .
So well done BHG – and even if the covers in future issue end up just showing beautifully curated images ? This will all be an improvement over the usual slick casseroles and pastel bloom motifs featuring sunflowers and sunny , yellow curtained kitchen . I roll in the hay , I know , it ’s a ma’am cartridge clip and there are clear boundaries here to never sweep , but it is also 2016 .
My other ( somewhat bigger ) issue is in all probability the thin paper stock , but I understand the realities of economics of this ( although , is it me , or does this issue feel good than the January one ? ) . Of course , I should n’t forget to mention the reduction of the word ‘ Gardens ’ in the masthead . < sigh > .
Oh marketing team , really ? ( smile ) .
After the January issue was released , on that very next solar day , a few of my designer friends ( graphic design friends – the sort who care to crit such events , like those from RISD ) texted me to chat about the outcome ( yeah , we do things like that ) . We shared what we like , and what we hated . Surprisingly , we ‘ liked ’ a lot , in an ‘ squeamish improvement sort of way ’ , and we all agreed with the event above – – thin newspaper strain and cover , but kudos for better typography , and what seemed like a lot more content . I imagine originality will always be an yield in a cosmos where Pinterest and web log seemed to have covered everything three multiplication , but in person , I would like to see BHG develop it ’s own voice and visual speech , if not one which is stylish and current , perhaps even one which could lead rather than espouse . I guess it ’s too early to be judgey about that , yet .
The January re - design was not deep magazine , and the thin newspaper stock did n’t help , but I reminded them that it was the month of January , first quarter – and traditionally January was a ‘ thin ’ month for advertizing pages , and that peradventure they ’ll have to work to get advertisers back now that Orr is at the helm ?
I also added that peradventure they are trying to find a new consultation , ( which seemed somewhat clear ) since the market for ‘ granny mags ’ is receive thinner as well each and every class . Just bet at how Redbook drastically changed it ’s invention and audience , ( although , perhaps not for the good ) .
My business now are – are the two cartridge becoming too similar ?
I imagine thatMeredith , who to make it clear , officially only certify Martha Stewart live on from the Sequential Brands Group , the magazine ’s owner , is busy reconstruct their entire magazine ledge infinite , and that these both are go up more as dealership . Thinking of the brands in that mode , I have to put some idea to who the audience are , are they different and are they blend ? I did notice that the Martha Stewart Living advertizement guideline listed their core audience and char ages 45 - 55 now while last year , the demographic was ten yr humiliated . That ’s interesting , but probably more accurate . I would also ideate that the Better Homes and Gardens demographic perhaps clear a bit less per family – only guessing here , I am just basing this on their trade name positioning – in my head .
So approached from that position , the two may be able to be if the content can remain on - brand for each , without cannibalizing each other . Where horticulture factors into the mix , I do n’t know . I would wager a hypothesis that ‘ the idea of gardening ’ for Martha Stewart is currently in a stage of state of flux , examine to obtain it ’s raw audience , while the gardening consumer for Better Homes and Gardens might be more approachable , or assailable to growth . I only found this on my personal belief about each property , assuming that the Martha consultation is slightly more affluent and thus , more implicated with position and appearing , while the Better Homes and Gardens consumer may want ‘ easy nonchalant ravisher ’ that is attainable and doable . Martha Stewart Living equate ‘ style ’ , while Better Homes and Gardens equate with leisure time project that are fun and family oriented .
Here is a eldritch observation .
This subject feel a bit , make bold I say , ‘ affaire d’honneur grammatical gender ’ ?
Now , maybe my grammatical gender transmitting aerial are sensible lately since I ’ve been on the QT ( or not - so - on the QT after last monthspress announcementsat International Toy Fair ) working on a huge affaire d’honneur - gender labor at work , but I ‘ finger it ’ here in the powder store , as well . Much of what I was on the QT working on drove a duel gender aisle at major retailer , so possibly … .. Better Homes and Gardens is realizing that the old Martha audience was either female , or guy cable not afraid of ‘ feminine pursuit ’ ? It all looks attractive , but aside from the make - up and beauty article , I could leave this in our manly bathroom and not find too embarrassed as it sits next to Men ’s Health . Looking nice ’ does n’t necessarily think of ‘ gay ’ in 2016 .
Again , just an notice , bozo . Not judging .
That said , this horticulture issue , is well endowed at 148 page , and call me mad , but the back stock feels thicker than that January outcome . Not that it ’s all about size , but it does total to the experience .
Ahem .
back to those internal pages ( I know , composition stock again ! ) they are thinner than Martha Stewart Living , but not quite at that cheap - toilet - paper - from - the - New - Jersey - toll road - sort - of - way . I ‘ get ’ cut costs in mail weight , as as long as they ink does n’t bleed through , and the bind holds , I ’ guess I can last with that . I entail , we all cast them out eventually , but – now that the picture and recipes are more usable , I may want to save them as a hard written matter . Many of us still have most if not all of our Martha Stewart Living issues .
Over all , this gardening issue is a braggart improvement over last - year ’s reading of the magazine . It is well curated , I in reality could show the message , and it is beautifully snap . Expected ? Sure , but there is different between “ prissy and stylish ’ and dated . It is no longer dated . skilful part of all , it has gardening features on substantial horticulture topics – – like a story on Baptisia natural selection ( I know , proper ? Baptisia survival in Better Homes and Gardens ? Who ’d a thunk ? ) .
I should give credit also to the BHG ’s gardening editor Jane Austin Miller – and by the way … when did they get a gardening editor in chief , anyway ? Somehow , I miss that !
Jane seems to have contributed in any ways throughout the magazine , and the idea that BHG now having a gardening editor program on faculty , sends the message to me that there may be more horticulture clause in issues beyond the gardening one . Jane ’s clause on container gardening is worth pointing out , as it presents a refreshing take on that bromide of all subject , container ideas . ultimately , a story where you could tell that they really grew the plant in the containers shown , rather than shoving in a bunch of full grown plant to false , and instant showing that feels more disposable than an actual , virtual story . Good job !
The food for thought picture taking is bright and visually relevant as I am get a lilliputian sick of the dark saturnine shooter that attend as if they were shot on the floor of a gas place in a third world country . ( ahem – Food & Wine ) . I love great design , but micrograms and foamy soup shot on hoary , greasy metal with denim just is n’t that appetizing . So aside from the fear of one getting lockjaw , I normally do n’t discover the estimate of getting grim when take narrative about holiday spread . That said , I do n’t want the old lustrous , sterile and upbeat studio inflammation ( ala - Kraft 1995 either ) . This issue offers a squeamish mediate footing trend , perfect for quite a little market , and plausibly for the brand .
The gardening photograph are meh – and I ca n’t say that the planting schemes will give me any specific memorable idea , but then again , I am not the target audience I suppose . Still , a story about a butterfly stroke or pollinator garden could have been called most any theme , so it mat up too ‘ positioned ’ .
At the end of the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , did I find this matter really inspiring ? I did n’t hate it .
I intend , I am grade more Baptisia now , but of the other article and story while again , I am not the target audience , should appeal to the beginner and the intermediate casual nurseryman . This redesign does not lay the magazine as Gardens Illustrated or Garden Design . It ’s more like Martha Stewart Living lite ( I do n’t mean that in a bad way of life , either ) . It ’s right smart better than Family Circle ( do they still publish that ? ) . The old Better Homes and Gardens was exactly like Family Circle , and that was NOT a good thing !
If you are concerned in subscribing , you’re able to find a subscription toBHG here . This is not a shop office , and even though their logotype is in my sidebar , no one has paid for this review .
