When publisher Meredith announced in February that More magazine would be closed, citing advertising challenges, the company did not seem to leave the door open for a reboot down the road.
But, recently, the magazine brand was revived online. The new More.com came out of beta testing a few weeks ago, according to a company spokesperson. Lilliana Vazquez, during Meredith's first BrandFront presentation for advertisers Wednesday, announced that her new show, "Office Hours," would be airing next year on the "completely revamped More.com." A press release referenced "the reinvented More.com."
Whereas the original More magazine was targeted at older, well-heeled women, or "women of style and substance," the digital version of the brand is aimed at a much younger audience, more akin to the readership of a brand like Refinery29 or Bustle.
"MORE is a collection of voices -- from today's most influential bloggers and social media stars to the brands readers love and live by," according to the website's About page. "It's content by Millennials, for Millennials. They discover and curate the best of what's happening in the worlds of beauty, style and entertainment and deliver it all day so readers can make the most of their 'me' moments."
Recent articles on the new More.com include "What Your Zodiac Sign Says About Your Love Life," "Top 3 Moments From That Crazy 'Dancing With The Stars' Premiere," and "The Eggplant Emoji Has Inspired A New Durex Condom, But With A Catch."
While More's April issue was its last in print, apparently the decision to kill the brand didn't really hurt traffic to its website. In July, More.com received 784,000 U.S. multiplatform unique visitors, a 145% year-over-year increase, according to ComScore data.
Meredith Cares
"Social change" was a major theme of Meredith's presentation, which was held at The Prince George Ballroom in New York.
"Our goal is to use the collective power of our brands and yours to make the world a better place," said Meredith National Media Group President Jon Werther at the beginning of the presentation. At the end of the presentation, chief revenue officer Michael Brownstein said to the crowd, "We want you to join us to help us make the world a better place."
Specifically, Meredith is looking for brand partners for what are being called "Partnerships That Will Change The World" platforms, pegged to the themes of "Give," "Protect & Connect," "Strive," and "Lead."
Celebrity chef Rachael Ray, founder of Rachael Ray Every Day magazine, spoke about giving, and announced a contest that will fund five "emerging female philanthropreneuers."
"I love being part of a corporate and private culture that is all about good news and lifting people up and teaching us that in this country, everything is still possible," she said.
Ms. Ray revealed to the crowd that she was asked in an interview before the presentation about the longterm outlook for print magazines. "I was like, 'Are you kidding? You've got to be able to tear the pages out,'" she said. "I love that feeling of having something tangible in my hand. I'm still reading magazines, and I'm glad that Meredith is here as our partner to keep that out there."
Kim Martin, the company's chief brand officer, talked up Meredith's video and television production operation. While the company can fairly be classified as legacy media, she said that Meredith is now producing more than 30 Facebook Live videos every month.
"Meredith is at the forefront of video innovation," she said.
