Overview
Over the years while I was working for Marie Claire magazine, as the brand marketing manager, I took the pioneering initiative to build a systematic cross-media multi-platform for this once-renowned yet somewhat outdated fashion magazine. It was the first time such a marketing strategy was developed in China’s fashion industry.
The primary goal of the cross-platform system was to bridge the gap between the magazine and its readership, especially under the rapidly growing digital media landscape. Through its implementation, we witnessed a significant enhancement in reader engagement.
The introduction of a highly interactive entertainment system also opened doors to numerous new partnerships and business opportunities within the traditional publishing and media sectors, which ultimately facilitated the magazine’s growth and adaptability in response to the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
what's The problem
Marie Claire magazine (China edition) was founded in 2002, following the vision of its original French edition, which is dedicated to celebrating the richness and diversity of women’s lives worldwide. With a wide reach, it connects with millions of women each month.
However, high-end fashion magazines often create a perception that they are disconnected from people’s real lives and the realities they face. The unattainable image presented by these magazines, coupled with the rapid rise of the new media era, has caused outdated magazines to lose more and more of their loyal readers. The misunderstanding between the magazine and its audience, plus the desychronized communication has contributed to the fast declination of traditional media depite its rich content.
My role
(2011-2016)
Brand Manager
Marketing Manager
Business Strategy
Project Management
Event Management
user research
Quantitative Reader Surveys
To gather quantitative reader data on current age ranges and interests trends, we collaborated with social media partners to launch various online events aimed at collecting feedback. Additionally, we distributed surveys with every issue, querying readers about their leisure interests and what they value most about our magazine. The initiative garnered multiple responses, and to incentivize participation, we introduced a gift reward system across all social media platforms.
The date we were purposefully tried to collect encompass reader's gender, age, education background, anual income, zipcode, entertaiment preference, and consumption habits, etc., althourgh due to business confidentiality reason I will not share the actual dataviz here, only demonstrating few key insights here:
Key Insights from Data analysis
After synthesize all the research data, I generated these insights and needs cross all-platform readers:
1. Readers with higher levels of education and higher annual income (group 2) are more inclined to subscribe and regularly purchase high-end paper magazines. Despite the total number of readers with lower education and financial status(group 1) being ten times higher than those with higher levels.
2. Both group of readers increasingly prefer to browse information on social media nowadays, and incline to watch network and television programs at their leisure time. The total number of Group 1 readers are 4 times higher than the Group 2.
3. Younger readers exhibit a greater interest in celebrity updates and trends, while older readers prioritize finding meaningful and tailored content that aligns with their tastes. Despite the total number of older readers being 2 times higher than that of younger readers, both groups share a preference for viewing elegant pictures and practical beauty and fashion tips over long written content in the magazine.
4. Despite the rapid decline in subscriptions, the most chose reason why readers keep reading and following magazine is that they still perceive high-end fashion magazines as holding an invaluable authoritative role over other influencers in the fashion and beauty domains.
Strategy
Workshop Ideas
We quickly brainstormed with our Editor-in-chief, editorial team, digital team as well as our sales team to come up with multiple solutions together. I summarized these ideas and goals to guide my team for future campaign and strategy.
Challenges and Constraints
1. Transitioning traditional content from the background to the forefront entails a heavier workload for the editorial team. They not only need to produce more content monthly but also adapt to transferring static media trends within dynamic network shows.
2. Collaborating with different cross-media platforms can be tricky, as the gap between various industry cultures and overall workflows is often underestimated. Effectively translating each team's needs in a manner that is understandable and reasonable is crucial for the success of this business model.
3. Managing constraints in sponsorship, particularly when involving additional media platforms, presents a significant challenge. We must learn to leverage the advantages of high-end fashion magazines while prioritizing our goals and the needs of sponsors to find integrated solutions that enhance overall exposure.
4. Last but not least, this new cross-media system was designed to offer a more engaging experience for our readers. As the first of its kind in China's fashion industry, attempting to bridge the gap among high fashion, show business, and multiple media platforms can be daunting for all of us. While we aim to grant the public greater access to the high fashion world, it's important to recognize that fashion rubrics and metrics can vary among individuals and outlets.
new system
T
he new cross-media system represents a new high-end fashion community, offering practical and useful inspirations through various nationwide and worldwide platforms to enhance users’ experience. In each issue of Marie Claire, the three most important sections (fashion, beauty, and feature) now have their individual expanded collaborative shows/programs, broadcasted worldwide through television and streaming media. The offline events are no longer exclusive to certain industry insiders but are now accessible to readers and users, allowing them to join and celebrate together. One of the most significant annual events in China’s fashion industry is now broadcasted through the nation’s highest-rated television station and streaming media. Additionally, worldwide exhibitions are made accessible to users worldwide through a mini-app program, enabling individuals from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds to enjoy the fashion world collectively.
Online Broadcasting - Television/ Streaming Show/ Social Media
Offline Event — Magazine/ Exhibition/Event /Concert
One of the key insights revealing that the majority of our readers are highly inclined towards celebrity content and prefer engaging with television shows has inspired me to develop new relationships with the television and show industry.
After a series of phone calls and meetings, I successfully established a connection with our first partner in this new multi-platform system: the immensely popular and top-rated reality show, The Voice of China, the Chinese version of the original US show, The Voice.
The concept behind this collaboration is to leverage the superpower of our fashion magazine editors to assist talented singers, who are everyday people similar to our readers, in presenting themselves to the public in a more professional and stylish manner.
Through this collaboration, we aim to connect with a larger audience while also engaging our existing readers, generating dynamic buzz content aligned with the most popular show of the moment. Furthermore, we have implemented a unique audience engagement strategy by allowing viewers to participate and vote for their favorite outfits through social media platforms and our special feature site, which is co-created with our main partner, Sina Weibo.
Based on individual singer’s personality and their interview with Marie Claire magazine, our editorial team tailored them each in more than 10 different show costumes, to help them present themselves at their best.
The new cross-media system for fashion feature section.
The Beauty Section’s expanding project includes extending content from each Marie Claire Beauty onto the screen through the most popular and top-rated beauty show - The Pretty Women, which is another important partnership I successfully developed. Each month, one of our senior beauty editors and a celebrity/beauty icon will team up with the show to present beauty tips and insights to hundreds of millions of audiences and readers for the first time ever.
This collaboration aims to showcase the latest beauty trends, tips, and insights from Marie Claire Beauty magazine to a wider audience, creating a dynamic and engaging platform for beauty enthusiasts. By joining forces with The Pretty Women, we can amplify the impact of our beauty content and reach new audiences, reinforcing our position as a leading authority in the beauty industry. This collaboration marks an exciting step forward in our mission to provide exceptional beauty content and experiences to our readers and viewers.
In the expanding project of the Feature Section, each month, one of our senior HR or Feature Editors will join the most popular business show, another one of our important new partnerships - The Only One You. This collaboration goes beyond simply presenting our monthly topic and feature story on the show. It also provides a unique opportunity for individuals who aspire to work in a high-end fashion magazine company, which has never happened before in China’s fashion industry.
Through this partnership, we aim to not only showcase the diverse and exciting content of Marie Claire but also offer valuable career opportunities to those who have a passion for the fashion industry and wish to be part of our team. By engaging with The Only One You, we are breaking new ground and opening doors for aspiring talents to be a part of the high-end fashion magazine industry, creating an innovative and mutually beneficial platform for both our company and potential employees.
For the annual events and special campaign activities, we decided to change the “member club only” policy and made them accessible to all readers. Taking advantage of rapid technological advancement, we tailored the access to cater to readers’ curiosity and expectations. As a result, the annual high-end fashion event - Style China is now broadcasted through one of our top-rated national television stations.
Moreover, the special exhibitions and collaboration concerts with celebrities now incorporate more technological features to provide users with a more convenient and enjoyable experience. By embracing technology, we aim to create immersive and engaging experiences for our audience, making our events and campaigns more accessible and inclusive for everyone. This approach ensures that more people can participate and be part of our high-end fashion community.
New system map
Impact creation
Our primary motivation lies in transforming the current high-end, seemingly unattainable fashion world into an inclusive and accessible community. We aim to demonstrate how fashion and beauty editors can positively impact and assist readers in their journey of self-exploration.
By utilizing the multimedia platform and spotlighting real-life stories and experiences, we illustrate how fashion and beauty serve as empowering tools for self-expression and self-discovery. Our dynamic content, both conventional and interactional, is centered around practical advice, inspiration, and relatable narratives that resonate with our readers' daily lives. We strive to break down barriers that often render the fashion world distant and exclusive, instead fostering a warm and inclusive environment where individuals feel inspired and empowered to embrace their unique style and beauty.
Through various platforms including television shows, streaming media, and social media, we have cultivated a thriving and supportive community where individuals can connect, share, and grow together. Our ultimate goal is to showcase that fashion and beauty transcend superficiality; they hold the potential to play a meaningful role in helping individuals achieve their goals and discover multifaceted aspects of themselves.
New value system
Success outcome
Final thoughts
Working at the world's largest global media company — HEARST, was an incredibly rewarding experience for me. I relished the opportunity to collaborate with teams from diverse cultural backgrounds, embracing a multitude of perspectives. This fast-paced international environment presented me with significant challenges, yet also facilitated rapid growth and transformation with in me.
While the traditional media industry continues to face with its most formidable challenges due to rapid technological advancements, it also presents unparalleled opportunities for informed decision-making and transition. The successful establishment of a new multi-platform system by Marie Claire China is commendable. However, sustaining its growth and expansion remains challenging without efficient teamwork and leadership.
Thriving and achieving sustainable growth in the media business necessitates not only external changes but also a fundamental shift at its core. As professionals in the media industry, our responsibilities should be to inspire people, provide information, and offer possibilities rather than dictate or make anyone feel inadequate. Therefore, a good media company should always prioritizes the needs of its readers and users.
This six-year journey has imparted invaluable lessons, and I am immensely proud of our achievements and genuinely grateful for the countless mentors, partners, coworkers, and friends I have encountered along the way.