Justine Stafford, Group Editor of Edgars Club Magazine |
John Brown Media SA appointed Stafford as the Group Editor of
Edgars Club Magazine - a custom publication that is distributed to over 900 000 Edgars Club members - based on her experience in print and digital media.
Lani Carstens, Managing Director of John Brown Media, says, "We are thrilled to have Justine on board to drive the Edgars brand forward. Her experience in both print and digital combined with her passion for fashion, beauty and retail will add tremendous value to Edgars Club and our associated brand extensions."
As launch editor of
seventeen magazine South Africa, Stafford won numerous awards for the title, including Best Consumer Title in 2004 and 2006 at the PICA Awards. As Editorial Director at 8 Ink Media, she oversaw all youth brands in the stable as well as launching their digital identities. Most recently, Justine launched her own business, South Africa's first network of premium lifestyle blogs called Aficionado Network (
www.aficionado.co.za) that she still retains an active role in today as its Managing Director and editor of IFOR1, the network's female-orientated fashion and beauty blog.
Stafford says: "Media today is all about a 360 degree approach. I'm looking forward to bringing my knowledge in the digital and social media spheres to the already strong Edgars Club print brand."
As a starting point, she says, she'll be revealing a completely new-look
Club magazine with the October Issue (on street 20th September). "
Edgars Club Magazine is going to take the consumer's lifestyle and mindset to heart, creating an emotional connection with the Edgars shopper by offering stylish and informative shopping solutions. This direction will influence every other element of the new
Club brand."
Steve Smith, Editor of Edgars Club MAN Magazine |
That includes
Club's related brand extensions and supplements - an area that Stafford will be overseeing in collaboration with industry-experts like Steve Smith, former editor of
Sports Illustrated magazine and current editor of
Edgars Club MAN Magazine.
To date,
MAN (which Smith describes as "a man's guide to modern living") is published twice a year however its mix of lifestyle, fashion and how-to information has proven so successful, the frequency is being upped to three issues for 2012.
Smith attributes
Edgars Club MAN's success as an example of how John Brown focuses on bridging the gap between client and consumer. "Custom publications are a tricky balance between meetingthe needs of your client and the expectations of the reader; John Brown has the unique focus, experience and track record of achieving just that for retail clients."
John Brown Media is proving it's reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the local publishing industry. Drawing from global best practices of John Brown UK, Lani Carstens, Managing Director, is ensuring they're challenging the world of custom publishing with a fresh, multi-channel approach carried out by a dynamic team of local publishing experts.
In addition to Edgars, John Brown also publishes Pick n Pay's
Fresh Living and
Cell C magazine.
 might seem like a daunting task, but to Justine Stafford it's the opportunity of a lifetime.)
