It should come as no surprise that the staff at Cape Cod Life Publications enjoys a certain lifestyle that matches well with the brand of the company. With our flagship title, Cape Cod LIFE, we are all fiercely committed to celebrating and protecting the fragile environment that inspires and energizes us every day. Our very popular and highly acclaimed Cape Cod HOME product showcases the history and beauty that is found at every turn across our region. And Cape Cod ART provides the perfect intersection for unique and talented interpretation of the special place we all choose to call home.
It was an easy decision to add a new magazine to our portfolio, Cape Cod DOG, an idea that was universally endorsed by everyone as soon as they learned of it. We know that dogs occupy a special place in the lives of most residents and visitors and that they are alongside for many of their owners’ Cape Cod adventures. We were certain we could identify, craft, and share stories that would appeal to dog lovers, regardless of their connection or proximity to Cape Cod.
What we didn’t know was whether our vision would resonate with advertising supporters. Our established base of advertisers were already invested in promoting their brand and services with direct alignment to our other titles. In other words, our fine dining establishments were not inclined to attract customers solely due to a love of dogs, and we didn’t have any national pet food brands investing in our products. We needed to manage the investment of introducing a new title while mitigating the risk of untested revenue projections.
To expose Cape Cod DOG to our established and loyal subscriber base, we bound a 48-page preview of it within the pages of the Cape Cod LIFE August issue. With this approach, the only additional production cost, beyond added text pages, was using a cover-weight stock for the front and back pages of the Cape Cod DOG portion. This tact limited our financial exposure but also called attention to the new title. Then, with an additional month of sales conversion resulting in more ad revenue, we felt comfortable managing the cost of printing a 76-page inaugural, standalone newsstand issue of Cape Cod DOG at a lower quantity than our standard print runs.
The unique strategy is proving successful on many fronts, and while it was prompted by a unique set of circumstances wherein we believed the risk could be mitigated and outweighed by reward, we’re now considering how the concept of binding a product—whether it’s a magazine or a client’s marketing piece—is a viable option for future opportunities.
Julie Craven Wagner, Associate Publisher
Cape Cod Life Publications
