Wouldn’t it be nice to begin each year with real information on what lies ahead?
If that were the case, a year ago we already would have known about the unprecedented rush of retail mergers and acquisitions to come in 2013. That would have been the ultimate in transparency.
At SN we’d like to start off the year by making clear our content plans for 2014, because they are exciting and based on extensive feedback from readers about their changing needs.
We’ve rethought and redesigned our brand’s content for a readership base that is increasingly multi-platform. Readers are getting real-time information online, especially from SN’s website, e-newsletters and mobile platforms, often checking back with us many times a day. They are increasingly looking to our print edition for deep information, insights and outlook from the industry’s largest and most experienced team of editors.
In 2014 we’ll present exclusive first-time data on retail leaders in price and service; new research on consumer behavior and supermarket preferences; reports on industry collaboration, and numerous opinion columns from industry personalities.
In addition, you’ll see lots of new online content, from web galleries to videos, and launches of e-newsletters geared to beverages, health and wellness and marketing categories.
On the print side, we’ve responded to changing needs with a redesigned SN magazine, which will be published twice a month, or 24X a year, double the frequency of any other media brand covering our industry. We’ve retained many of the popular magazine elements and added lots of new ones.
Here’s a quick look at new directions, all of which are evident in the recently published first magazine issue of the year:
• More Perspective: An up-front section called “Around the Industry” provides new angles on recent industry developments. In addition, many feature stories throughout the issue include a box called “SN Insight,” which offers editors’ takes on topics covered.
• Big-Picture Issues: A new feature called “Taking Sides” presents opposing views on hot topics from industry experts, such as this week’s faceoff on country of origin labeling. This will be rotated with another feature called “On Topic,” which will be an industry Q&A on high-profile issues.
• Executive Tracker: Our new “Executive Branch” section expands SN’s coverage of industry executive changes, which will now include titles from associations, suppliers, and other sectors.
• Best of Online: Our new “Web Watch” section curates the best online content from SN and other sources, including social media, reader comments and blog posts.
• Market by Market: The new “Regional Report” section spotlights retailers in different parts of the country to relay important stories that may not otherwise be told.
• Picture Perfect: The new “On View” section will close each issue with images that showcase new retail formats, store redesigns, industry gatherings and other developments. In many cases print readers will find additional related images online.
Meanwhile, SN retains popular magazine sections on fresh foods and center store, and retail coverage that includes many of our signature pieces. These include, in the current issue, our annual Marketer of the Year profile and the Top 75 roster of the biggest retailers and wholesalers.
I’ll wish you Happy New Year, and close with the request that you test drive our new offerings, and let us know what you think so we can continue to improve them.
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