Content Strategy

from Sugar Zine: Creative Strategy & Promotion by Mollie Maxwell

by Northumbria University

Promotion

I think it’s important for young people to make their own zines and publications so we can accurately represent ourselves and make and do what we want” – Remi Riordan, Editor-in-chief, CRYBABY. (Radin, 2016)

SUGAR Zine is a photographic, illustrated and written word project in the form of a quarterly published print and digital zine. Other outputs include a visually based Instagram feed, which will include some zine content, topic introductions, illustrations and work from other creatives that is relevant and is in line with the SUGAR brand and aesthetic. As well as a website where the print and digital version of SUGAR will be available to purchase.

SUGAR in print will consist of original content created by myself and contributors designed into an editorial print and digital format with an extra sticker sheet exclusive to the printed format. The digital version of SUGAR will be sold on ISSU.com and the SUGAR website for a discounted price of £5 and a free lock screen wall paper. When researching my target audience through an Instagram poll-based survey, there was a significant preference for physical print over digital with 75% of 109 participants voting for print. 25% of votes went to digital which is still a significant amount. Therefore, as not to lose this section of the market, the digital version will still be made available (which, regardless, will be low cost to produce versus a print version), as well as SUGAR committing to its sustainability promise of having a low print run.

SUGAR Zine is an A5 Portrait (210 x 148 mm) perfect bound publication. The size is an important aspect to keep the price low for my consumers as well as being as sustainable as possible. The paper stock will be 150gsm on silk. The cover pages will be 200gsm on silk and the sticker sheet will be printed on gloss, cut out to each design’s individual shape.

In my survey that is previously mentioned, I asked my audience what would be a better platform to follow the zines journey, a website or an Instagram feed. 91% voted for Instagram out of 108 participants. From a business perspective this made sense, as it would not be beneficial to replace the Instagram in website form and would eventually result in unnecessary costs such as, server costs. There will be a website however this will only be used for purchasing the zine and a source of contact.

The website for SUGAR will be structured as a landing page including images and illustrations from the most recent issue of the zine and links leading to 4 different pages, home, about, shop and contact.