The Print Experience
Among the many consistent philosophies over the 102 years that Forbes has been publishing: Success stems from reinvention during periods of strength, rather than during distress.
We’ve decided to apply that advice to ourselves. In terms of reach, Forbes sits at historic highs: More people read Forbes in print (6 million-plus) than any other time in our history, according to MRI; more read Forbes.com (70 million-plus) than ever, according to comScore; Americans trust Forbes more than any other magazine or news source focused on free online journalism, according to Simmons Research. The perfect time, in other words, to look at ourselves and the world around us, and ask what’s next.
Specifically, when you can receive an infinite amount of information on your phone or computer and then share, bookmark or link out of it, what drives a superior print magazine experience—something you would rather consume in a glossy, portable format than any other?
The reimagination you hold attempts to answer that. Step one: refocused curation—concisely bringing together a full meal of facts and ideas that contrast with the à la carte nature of digital surfing. The fun first part of the magazine, Frontrunner, puts everything through a prism of telling you what’s new and who’s next. The middle section, Contrarian, obsesses over people doing things differently, surfacing lessons galore. The feature well delivers four things every time: a big list package, a definitive profile, an unexpected trend and a newsmaking investigation—the kinds of deep dives that excel in a print magazine. And throughout, we’ve sprinkled surprises on pretty much every page.
In lockstep, we’ve modernized the design, to underscore the luxury that magazine reading presents, starting with a cover that intimately invites you inside. Kudos to the legendary Robert Priest and the talented Grace Lee, who implemented the new look, working seamlessly with Bob Mansfield, Dan Revitte and the unflappable Forbes art squad. Another 20 editorial staffers were in the mix, as well. The ultimate team effort, in support of a print experience at the top of its game.