You have to read: Monocle

With internet and mobile web usage now the social norm, it's an arduous task for any traditional print media companies to survive. Over the past couple of years, with the industry in flux, we've seen Rupert Murdoch's News Limited looking to charge users for online content, new business models being created like 'freemium' and a number of newspapers and magazines down-sizing and falling over. Just this year we've also seen the launch of the Newspaper killer... the iPad, which has seen global powerhouse magazines rushing to produce their content for this new platform. So is print dead?

With all of this in mind, I still believe wholeheartedly, there is a place for quality print. Traditional retail still exists in the proliferation of e-commerce, because of two key drivers - proximity (or convenience) and the shopping experience. Much like the traditional retail offering needs to provide the customer with an experience to out-do an online shopping transaction if it wants to compete, so does a magazine. One of my favourites is the truly international Monocle. 

Monocle's content is sophisticated, wordly, diverse and so credible and their design conscious aesthetic rewards you instantly for picking up a physical copy. Reading about great design, architecture or fashion is made much more of an experience if the way in which you're consuming the content reinforces the design beliefs. It's rather ironic then that I mention this in my blog, but I really wanted to draw attention to the fact we recently brought a Monocle writer out for the launch of the new Air New Zealand 777-300's.

This has in turn led to Monocle picking up on other innovative Kiwi design triumphs, which is great for NZ's profile as a place where world class design lives. As I mentioned Monocle picked up our story, but also cottoned on to my mate Scrap Wall's uber cool new boxer shorts 'Confidentials'. Nice one Scrap.

Obviously, they were fortunate enough to get to my favourite Auckland store naming the The Department Store' as one of the 25 Retail Stars. No mean feat.

So here's to magazines such as Monocle that are synonymous with quality and portray an elegant sophistication in their aesthetics, to keeping print magazines alive. Keep an eye out for Master Mouse Patrol which launches this week too. Editor Sam will swear by the same sky high quality ethos as Monocle, but will have a more street level approach to cool. And finally let's also hope Kiwi design can keep taking on the world so we can keep picking up influential international reads and feel proud.