Mr. Magazine

As long as we have new magazines, hope springs eternal for the magazine media industry. There is no better indicator about the industry than the continued faith in the medium through the launch of new magazines.

As 2017 winds down and a new year is upon us, it is once again time to honor and celebrate those new titles that were born this past year. This time “The Launch of the Year” is being selected from all of the new magazines that were started from October 2016 (the cutoff date for the previous magazine of the year event that was hosted by Mr. Magazine™ and min) through December 2017. Beginning in 2018, we will be following the calendar year, with magazines launched between January 2018 and December 2018.

To honor and celebrate those new magazines, Mr. Magazine™ and MPA: The Association of Magazine Media will come together to pay tribute to “The Launch of the Year” during the American Magazine Media Conference in New York City on February 6.

So far, we have 201 new magazine titles that arrived on the scene with the intent to publish on a regular frequency, and you can add to that another 600+ bookazines and specials that are not included in this selection. You can view all the new titles at the Mr. Magazine™ Launch Monitor here.

The criteria for the selection process is as follows:

• We must have actual physical copies of them.

• The number one criteria point is the audience’s reaction to that magazine. How did the overall marketplace react and how did its intended audience respond to it? And just as important; how did the industry behave toward it? These questions are the first thing I ask upon selection of “The Launch of the Year.”

• Major industry leaders’ launching new print magazines certainly is something that must be recognized because it speaks of the power of the medium. These people aren’t in the business of wasting dollars on something that has no value. In the past there have been new offerings from publishing giants such as Hearst, Condé Nast, Meredith and the southern-born Hoffman Media. For companies as distinguished and successful as these to create and bring new titles into this digital world signifies the good health and power of print.

• And then there are the entrepreneurs, with their vision and determination to launch their magazine no matter the cost to their wallets and their emotions; they are no less amazing. Some of the best titles we’ve seen in a long time have been from relatively unknown publishers who are not without experience, just without the stolid names that audiences know so well.

• The criteria for selection is based on factors that include creativity and audience reaction first and foremost, and then industry trends and as always, those rogue wildcards out there that just won’t be denied and seem to make some of the best magazines around.

• Also, something has to grab our attention to be selected as “The Launch of the Year,” based on the comparative analysis.

Based on that criteria we were able to bring the nominations down from 201 to 20 titles for “The Launch of the Year.” By the third week of January 2018, we’re going to tighten the nominations and bring the 20 down to 10. During the American Magazine Media Conference we will select “The Launch of the Year” from those remaining 10.

This is an exciting time in the world of magazines and magazine media; and with the New Year upon us, the possibilities are endless! And so, without further ado, Mr. Magazine™ gives you the 20 nominees:

Airbnb Magazine

Airbnbmag is an example of a travel-destination website taking a leap into print to further humanize their digital brand. With tantalizing art and content of exotic, domestic and international escapes to complement, this magazine makes taking a vacation more of a unique experience than your budget or schedule might allow.

Alta

This William Hearst III magazine (and not a Hearst magazine as he likes to remind everyone) details the different facets of life in California for — you guessed it — Californians. Whether it’s the current political discourse, musicians in the Valley, or a yarn spun of Californians past, this magazine will keep you up-to-date in West Coast trials and tribulations.

American Affairs

American Affairs is a quarterly journal that expresses public policy and political thought in a strained era of political tension. What started as a blog by a business analyst has grown into a much-requested magazine full of intellectual political thought from the tech, finance and investment industries.

Girls’ World Bake it Up!

What little girl doesn’t remember piping dough, mixing flour and topping freshly-baked cookies with sprinkles while listening to Brittney Spears’ “Baby One More Time” in their childhood home? Fast forward 20 years and Girls’ World Bake it Up! is a direct representation of that. This celebrity, food mashup, combines recipes, art projects and other fun activities preteen girls will drop their cell phones for.

Broccoli

What once used to be a taboo subject — marijuana — is now a mega million dollar-business endeavor with a cult-like following. It’s only natural that weed magazines should arise from this cultural and social phenomenon, but where’s the specific go-to for women who like to smoke and toke? Or wake and bake? It’s all right here in Broccoli, ladies. Always follow your mom’s advice and eat your vegetables, but treat yourself to your own particular helping of Broccoli.

Carnivore

Hunt. Kill. Clean Eat. is Carnivore’s mantra. This magazine satiates the prehistoric parts of our brain and gives field-to-table a completely different meaning with its survivalist content. From gun and knife preparation to wild game wine pairings, Carnivore has everything you need to know for your off-the-grid excursions.

Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street

You may have seen Chris Kimball on late-night TV testing recipes to perfection on America’s Test Kitchen. Since leaving America’s Test Kitchen, he started his own magazine. Milk Street is a cultural cooking oddity that presents the reader with a take on food not yet previously explored. It’s the blending of cultures, ingredients, art and content in a perfect concoction of a magazine.

Cuba Trade

This interesting concept proves magazines are direct reflectors of our societies. Without the loosening of restrictions for trade and travel between the U.S. and Cuba, this magazine would’ve never been possible. Cuba Trade explores the inner workings of Cuba, both sociocultural and political, to show what news channels have been denied access to for years.

Goop

Goop is another example of a digital entity discovering print and securing a major partnership between celebrity and publisher. Gwyneth Paltrow serves as editor (and go-to model) for Goop. This chic lifestyle magazine expresses the need for six much-needed distinctions in life: wellness, travel, food, beauty, style and work.

Nail

Nail’s sharp wit scratches the surface of a day-in-the-life of a creative in mainstream America. Nail acknowledges that in the midst of your creative juju, there are external forces at play trying to bring you down, like the current political climate. Part comic book and part magazine, Nail gives the reader a visceral experience into the lives of creatives today.

National Geographic Science

National Geographic has its geography and history covered, now it’s time for its brand new Science to blow your mind. This sub brand follows in its grand magazine’s footsteps with stunning photography and a walk on the scientific wild side. They’re also taking on a new trend in magazine media with high cover prices and limited advertising.

Okra

Okra is a southern culture magazine documenting the lives of real, backroads, backwoods, southerners through the lens of a photographer. This Mississippi-based magazine outlines the handmade goods, food and liquor that keep the South running in more ways than one. For the real, all-encompassing southern experience, take a bite of Okra.

Ranger Rick Cub

To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, there are two loves in life: babies and animals. Ranger Rick Cub readers are subscribing to the magazine before they even learn to read, but that doesn’t stop the unique storytelling experience in the magazine. Beaming with colorful photos of real and cartoon animals and large, bold typography, Ranger Rick Cub will soon be your newborn’s favorite magazine.

ROVA

Digital nomads look no further. ROVA is your go-to magazine for tricks and travel tips while burning the blacktop in your newly-acquired RV. No matter which directional route you’re taking, ROVA is prepared to give you the best hints at an enjoyable travel experience. ROVA will help you say you’ve been everywhere, man.

The Golfer’s Journal

There’s more to golf than hitting a small, dimpled ball in, around or near a hole. Golfing is a lifestyle full of luxury and hardships that can only be experienced by those who’ve invested time and money into the sport. Detailed stories, accompanied by beautiful photos teeming with green, will satiate your golfing mind into a clear escape to the fairway.

The Magnolia Journal

Chip and Joanna Gaines have won the hearts of many television viewers with their shiplap and all-white interior lifestyles, and now they’re winning the hearts of readers, too. Magnolia Journal is yet another example of a brand taking print form and taking the newsstand by storm. You’ll find stunning centerpiece designs, interior makeovers, farm-friendly recipes and even a sighting of the four Gaines’ children in each issue.

The National

Airline magazines can be read in-flight, but can this new railroad magazine be read in-rail? Of course it can — and anywhere else for that matter. This anecdotal publication was born from the heart, mind and soul of America’s railways and features content along each and every potential stop. If you have a minute to spare, climb aboard The National for an unforgettable reading and viewing experience.

The Pioneer Woman

Ree Drummond is a mainstay on morning television screens across the nation. She’s a fan of what most country cooks are, too — real food. Her brand mantra translates into the new Pioneer Woman magazine. You’ll get more hearty recipes, more Oklahoma prairie views and more of hunky husband, Ladd, in this stunning magazine of life on the ranch.

Type

Renowned designer Roger Black is back with a vengeance in his new magazine Type. If you’re not hopping on the typography bandwagon, just know you’ll soon be left behind in a cloud of Comic Sans and Papyrus. The magazine displays stunning representations of typography and allows the reader a pairing of applicable content to complement.

Woolly

The folks at Casper Mattress know the key to a good night’s sleep is not only a premium mattress, but a premium magazine. This unconventional magazine accurately matches quirky content to their mattress-buying audience as a branded supplement. Instead of counting sheep at bedtime, count the days until the next issue of Woolly comes around.

Stay tuned for the naming of the top 10 finalist to be announced the third week of January 2018 and looking forward to seeing you at the American Magazine Media Conference in New York City on Feb. 6, 2018. Click here for more information about the AMMC.