Adrift

No. 71 — Adrift
It is November 23, 2023, and you are reading the newsletter from Médianes.

Hello, everyone,

What if I told you about a cap with the logo of an independent online media outlet embroidered on it? Or a mug emblazoned with the name of a major French daily newspaper? Or even socks in the colors of a well-known investigative newspaper? If you subscribe to this newsletter, you might recognize in these few lines a cherished item from your wardrobe or your tableware. Over the years, as you’ve attended events, festivals, and conferences, you’ve no doubt collected countless tote bags and posters. You may even have thought about setting up a shop for your own media outlet, especially with the holiday season approaching.

We’re going to tell you about these media companies that have come up with different strategies for their merchandise—whether to strengthen their connection with their community or to create a new source of revenue. Interested in this topic? Don’t miss our dedicated guide, where you’ll learn how to set up your own merchandise store.

Also in this issue: our review of “Médias en Seine,” magazines, recycling, an anniversary, and job listings, of course.

Enjoy the read,

— OWEN HUCHON, JOURNALIST AT MÉDIANES

Why not?

IDEAS FOR YOUR MEDIA

Strengthen your connection with your most loyal fans by offering them the chance to show their support for their favorite media outlet with (merchandise). A well-crafted and effective strategy will allow you to spread your message to a wider audience—and even generate revenue.

Communicate differently

Merchandise can serve as a medium for conveying the values and information you wish to share with your community. For example, Vert offers illustrated posters in its “Postérothèque” featuring the IPCC’s recommendations or information on fossil fuels. Another example: the bookmark from La Déferlante, which features a guide to inclusive writing on the back.

Grow your readership

The Morning Brew newsletter has a referral program. The concept is simple: recommend a subscription to the newsletter to your friends and family, and you’ll be rewarded (with stickers, mugs, T-shirts, etc.). Today, the publication attributes 30% of its growth to this program, which also inspired Axios. Be careful, however, of the risk of harmful overproduction of unnecessary products.

Get funding

In 2019, the Block Club Chicago published a series of articles about an alligator discovered in a lake in the city. Inspired by the articles’ popularity, the media outlet decided to sell T-shirts featuring the reptile. The campaign raised $100,000. They repeated the experiment in 2022 with a pair of “whistling plovers,” which resulted in proceeds of approximately $40,000.

Would you like to learn more? Are you planning to start your own store?

From the studio's perspective

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Contexte, a professional political news outlet, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the outlet is launching a new website and a new brand identity, introducing new editions, and hosting events…

Médianes, the agency, was asked to help Contexte launch a new phase and build new momentum in line with its ambitions: to become the leading media outlet for political news. We therefore helped define a strategy for influence, public relations, and media relations, and supported the implementation of these strategies.

On Our Radar

OUR MARKET RESEARCH TO SUPPORT YOUR PROJECTS

Médias en Seine: A Review

THE MEDIANES TEAM / MEDIANES.ORG

Part of the team attended Médias en Seine yesterday, the “festival of tomorrow’s media.” Artificial intelligence, media independence, new formats, changing consumption habits… Read our recap of the day.

Could be better

AZIZ OGUZ / FROM ELSEWHERE AND FROM HERE

An interview with Pascale Colisson, author of a dissertation titled *Diversity in the Media: Identities and Practices of Young Journalists in Newsrooms*. In the interview, the researcher notes the positive progress made toward diversity in schools but points out the recurring—and insufficiently effective—reliance on work-study contracts in media diversity policies.

Over at medianes.org

IT'S HOMEMADE

50 journals recommended by our team

THE MEDIANES TEAM / MEDIANES.ORG

Following our list of top newsletters, the entire team at Médianeshas put their best pens to paper to share their favorite magazines with you. Captivated by their content, format, or values, each team member offers a selection that might just inspire you as the holidays approach.

In Brief

THAT WAY, YOU'LL KNOW

• Ouest-France, Arte, Libération: These media outlets are hiring. Check out their job openings.

• Attention, founders of independent and socially conscious media outlets: is launchingMédianes its group support program!

• Puzzles, posters, a calendar…and magazines. For the holidays, the Pays store has put on its best clothes.

• To recycle its newspapers, Ouest-France offers its subscribers a curbside pickup service. The goal is to collect 5,000 metric tons per year.

• Freedom and independence of the press: The États généraux de la presse indépendante, in which we are participating, is organizing a public event on November 30.

See you on November 23!

Nous en profitons pour souhaiter la bienvenue aux équipes de Regain Magazine, Bayard et à toutes celles et ceux qui se sont inscrit·es récemment à cette newsletter.

As you read this, Marine Doux, Baptiste Thevelein, and Christelle Perrin—partners at Médianes—are heading across the English Channel to London to visit our British neighbors. If you’re in the area, get in touch!

You’ll hear from Marine Slavitch again on December 4 for the next issue of this newsletter, which will focus on vacations this time. How can you plan (and enjoy) your time off? Do you have a best practice, a personal story, or a tool to share? Contact us! Until then, take care of yourself and your social media.

— THIS NEWSLETTER WAS PREPARED BY OWEN HUCHON AND MARINE DOUX WITH THE MÉDIANES TEAM.