Sometimes, it's time for a change
Welcome to the new Snips!
Former editor and publisher Ed Bas wrote his first column under that headline in July 1997, when BNP Media — then known as Business News Publishing Co. — took over production of the magazine from Nick Carter, whose father started Snips in 1932.
That first issue under BNP ownership must have been a revelation for many longtime readers. Besides a new staff and mailing address, it featured a radically changed appearance and extensive use of color photography for the first time in the publication’s 65 years.
And as many advertisers and subscribers still like to remind me, it was likely a surprise to see the issue arrive in mailboxes in the same month that was printed on the cover. (In the years just before BNP bought the magazine, it seemed Snips was running about three months behind in getting issues to subscribers.)
So this redesigned issue probably isn’t quite as big a departure as that first BNP edition, but it is the largest overhaul we’ve given Snips since those early days. Besides the new look throughout, we’ve streamlined and renamed most departments. You’ll still find most of the news you’re used to, but it’ll probably be in a different location. For example, the former Association News is now called Associations & Organizations. Most Supplier News items can now be found in Manufacturer Matters. And information from departments we no longer run, such as Internet News, People in the News and Regional News, can be found sprinkled throughout the rest of the magazine or online at www.Snipsmag.com.
We’ve beefed up the departments that readership studies say matter to you most, such as new products and added columns with tips from marketing and business experts. We’ve also put such information at the front of the issue.
I always approach these redesign projects with a bit of trepidation. They’re not easy and take up a lot of time in planning and execution. I’m never completely comfortable with the final product and wonder what readers will think of it. I know as a reader that I feel sort of lost when one of my favorite magazines overhauls its look.
So tell me what you think. Did we get it right or did we mess up the best parts of Snips? Email me at mcconnellm@bnpmedia.com or contact me through our social media websites.
And perhaps not coincidently, we recently relaunched our website, using a new platform known as “responsive design.” It means that Snipsmag.com should now look good and be easy to navigate whether you’re viewing it on a smartphone, tablet or traditional desktop computer. I recently interviewed Lisa Thomas, BNP’s online development manager, about the redesign process and the thoughts behind it. You can check it out on iTunes or at Snipsmag.com under the new “Multimedia” tab. Click on the “Podcasts” link.
