www.fipp.com Q4 2008 | Magazine World | 33
member profile
rodale
A healthy business
Twain said, rumours of its demise are greatly MW How do you see Rodale developing in the
exaggerated. Print can inspire and inform, next five years?
and online can be personalised and build SM We need to stick to our knitting, keep
communities. There will always be room and doing what we do best, but evolve ahead of
a need for great print properties. The digital the marketplace. That means continuing
applications that stem from those magazine to integrate all our properties, so that the
brands only enhance the reader experience. websites support the magazines and vice-
They don’t necessarily displace print from the advertisers aren’t thinking across one platform versa, and that our books and DVDs support
media mix. any more, and neither are we. It’s a lot more fun and expand the magazines. I think it’s important
– and profitable – that way. for us to launch new titles, and I don’t mean just
MW What strategies do you employ at magazines and books, but digital properties
Rodale to maximise the revenues generated MW Although Rodale has had a good time that support our mission. And we need to
by your titles? recently winning awards and new markets, launch new international editions.
SM You have to be sure everybody is are you concerned about the global down turn
talking to everybody else at every stage of hitting advertising spend in the US? MW Do you have a company philosophy?
development and implementation. If the SM I think everyone is concerned about SM We like to say we can do well while doing
online teams come up with a great idea for the downturn. We’ve all felt like we’ve been good. The information we publish allows
a digital application, they need to be talking watching a tidal wave come at us during the people to live better lives and make the world
with the sales teams to make sure potential last year, and now it’s here we’re trying to keep a better place. That might sound corny, but
advertisers and sponsors know about it and our heads above water. it makes it a lot easier to get out of bed on a
can get onboard. They also need to make sure We saw in the last recession, around 2001- cold morning to go to work knowing that our
the people on the print side know about it and 2002, that people revert to their passions products can help people live longer, have
can support it in-book. We’re moving towards during hard times. They can’t control the happier lives and take care of their families.
a model in which everybody does everything world around them, but they can take care of And if we make some money doing that, so
– the walls between print and digital need to themselves and their families, and they can much the better.
come down. always go for a run, or a ride, or do a yoga class.
When things are more fully integrated, you That’s good for us, because people turn to us
Steve Madden is vice president and editorial
can light the rocket, because consumers and for advice in those areas.
director of Rodale International.
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