Print 2.0: Redefining the Craft | Hypebeast

Interview with Menno van Meurs
Owner of Tenue de Nîmes
www.tenuedenimes.com

In a time when print publications were and still are shutting down in droves, what was your reasoning for starting a magazine?
Actually this is quite hilarious. When we started our Tenue de Nîmes store in 2008 we thought it would be unimaginative and wouldn’t be very exciting to just send out a press-announcement in which we would present ourselves. On top of which we met with such interesting people in the process of establishing the store we really felt like sharing our experiences too. That is how we decided to send out a very short message to the press in which we introduced ourselves briefly and enclosed a link to our first Journal de Nîmes. In the Journal we shared our backgrounds, our view on the denim business, its most influential designers and we introduced the readers to other people, concepts and brands that somehow inspired us to start our store. And there it was: an online magazine. So basically it is just a press release that went a bit out of hand (just like our denim fetish did I guess).

Was it relatively easy to get started?
I guess the fact we started off online made it a lot easier. We basically used online to get to print. After our first Nº0 magazine had gone over 60,000 online readers so we decided we should go for print as well. It was a natural process. The fact that we do everything in-house made it a lot easier too. I wrote most of the articles back then, Joachim did the design and a lot of the photography and Rene was sourcing new topics that we could feature. The only thing it cost us was loads of time and of course the printing. We really started on a shoestring. Passion and enthusiasm has always been our biggest motivation to get somewhere.

Based on your relatively niche content, do you think that the Internet has to play a crucial part in the marketing and awareness of your magazine and what it represents?
Well the beauty of the internet is that you are able to get in touch with like-minded folks from all over the world in a split second. Thanks to great network with online media players, like Hypebeast, we are able to spread our thoughts and beliefs very accurately. You simply reach extremely committed audiences that especially go to blogs and websites to get this kind of specific content. This is how niche content gets a perspective. My marketing background makes me very interested in these kinds of changes in media. We came from a strict push paradigm and right now stuff has turned around dramatically. People come to you for content, not the other way around. So as long as you know where your audience hangs out they will learn about you eventually.

The iPad and other digital tablets were slated to be a saving grace for print magazine, but initial numbers have not been up to par. What really is the future of magazines?
I believe the coffee table magazine can never be totally replaced by an iPad. There are some crucial aspects to print that a tablet will not be able to replace any time soon. First of all a lot of magazine aficionados want to collect the physical publications. Next to that people appreciate the touch of a magazine. The physical look and feel adds value to the reading experience. Then, as Marc Tumson, our Production Manager, said something really nice last week about the advantage off print, ‘You will never have to worry that it runs out of battery, you can easily fold it, put in in your bag, spill some coffee while reading, put in on a shelf to just look at it. It is pure romance!’ Therefore we believe that the strong magazines will always be able to survive the digital revolution as long as they embrace its digital possibilities. They can’t ignore the web you know. The problem is that online is an art in itself that loads of printed media producers don’t fully understand yet. Furthermore: I believe that digital media will consider to do print on the side to add some romance to their digital product.

Does your environmental footprint factor into the printing and paper you choose?
First of all we print on paper which is comparable with a newspaper. So obviously this is recycled paper. Secondly we would never print too many magazines. All our magazines will eventually reach its audience. Unlike a lot of printed media we have hardly any waste. So I’d like to believe that makes Journal de Nîmes environmentally friendly.

What strengths do digital platforms possess over analog ones such as magazines?
Any digital medium is able to reach a global audience in no time. It’s like comparing Planet Earth with the entire universe. But the trick remains to know your way out there.

Do you feel there’s an air of respectability that magazines have over digital mediums?
Well there is a sense of arrogance in print towards online media. I guess that originates from the fact that online also carries around so much terrible stuff. That is why digital media in general have sometimes a bad reputation. Next to that, the traditional Journalist seems to become a rarity. Everybody can start to write online and shares their beliefs. That makes proper online content a small percentage from all that’s out there. But I believe that in general online media should earn a lot more respect than they get right now.

Why do you think marketers and still place a lot of respect and weight in print despite online numbers being potentially stronger?
That is a very interesting question. Like I said unless printed media will start to participate online they will become beautiful corpses. You can’t survive on romance only. I believe that McLuhan said it right, ‘The Medium Is The Message. If the medium does not fit the period in time the message will not be picked up. Strong or not.’ But on the other hand I believe print will get more powerful again as well because people get simply tired of looking at their screens all day. So marketers should focus on media that either is very strong online or offline – or they should embrace the ones that take the best of both worlds.