Cape Union Mart launches custom mag

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Marketing director, Evan Torrance says the 100-page magazine will be available at no cost to customers at its 71 stores nationwide. "Featuring everything from self-drive trips into the bush and campfire recipes, to conservation work and journeys to the far-flung corners of the earth, it is an inspiring and interesting read, brought to life by spectacular photography."

He says the publication is the perfect platform to engage with customers and engender even stronger customer loyalty. "For us, it's all about delivering first class retail experiences to our customers, so it makes sense to offer them their own high-quality outdoor lifestyle magazine.

"It is a great way to speak to our customers about things that we know they care about. It means that we can reach every segment of our market in a way that adds value to their lives, whilst at the same time building brand awareness and attracting new customers."

Founding of Insight Publishing

The magazine sees Cape Union Mart teaming up with Insights Publishing and its founder Robbie Stammers, who is also the publishing editor. After five years at the helm of the multi-award winning Leadership magazine, Stammers bid farewell to the world of business and political leaders to "breathe in the fresh, challenging world of expeditions, wildlife, bush, exotic travel and the environment."

He says the company is very proud of the magazine. "While the publishing industry in South Africa is struggling to keep its head above water, the outdoor adventure and travel segment is still growing strongly, especially on the custom publishing front.

"With this magazine, we are going all out to harness the talents of the who's who in outdoor adventure and travel. Influential contributors for the first issue alone include adventurers Kingsley Holgate and Braam Malherbe, Justin Bonello on bush cuisine and best-selling author John van de Ruit with his segment 'On Safari with Spud'. It's a great read which can easily compete with its counterparts in the consumer sector."

Digital in 2013

The magazine will appear quarterly. Stammers says that from the second edition, due at the beginning of March 2013, the magazine will also be available as a digital offering.

"Consumers in the top LSM brackets are connected. They want their media on the go and they want the option of consuming it via various platforms. We are currently developing an app to allow readers to download the magazine via all Apple platforms and Android tablets. The outdoor lifestyle sector segment of course also lends itself perfectly to video and we plan to upload footage and content, which is sure to inspire readers to live a life of adventure."

He adds that the magazine has teamed up with 16 of Southern Africa's most luxurious lodges where the magazine will be available in rooms and suites. These extend from Shamwari Lodge in the Eastern Cape right through to the Zambezi Queen, Africa's most luxurious houseboat on Botswana's Chobe River.

"We're always on the look-out for ways to add value to our customers' experience of the brand or how we can encourage South Africans to explore the bounty of what this country's outdoor lifestyle has to offer. We believe it does exactly that. It's a beautiful magazine and a great read," concludes Torrance.