What’s Your Story Plan for December 2023?
National Geographic’s December 2022 issue
We know we’re only a few weeks into 2022, but let’s do some year-end planning shall we? One of the things we’ve noticed in the print world is that more and more editors are moving toward annual issues—a result of paper shortages, budget cuts, and COVID aftermath. And if you thought it was tough to be timely and relevant on a quarterly schedule—an annual issue is a whole new game.
But there are ways to be creative and get ahead of that crunch, and our favorite is a photo “year in review.” You know, just like those smart folks at National Geographic who launched their first annual Year in Photos issue in 2020—a year that definitely needed a yearbook.
“But,” you might say, “it’s National Geographic, for goodness sake. They have amazing photos and can have their pick from top talent.” True. But you have pretty talented folks, too. And if we know alumni magazine editors, we know you’re often clamoring to scrape together enough budget to get some of the same photographers that work for newsstand publications into your magazines. But more important: Images are a strong way to tell the story of your school—the everyday moments and people that make that place what it is. But go forth with caution: Alumni magazine photo essays have real potential to be stale visual press releases if you skimp on the narrative.
So … a few thoughts on planning for the December 2023 issue of your magazine.
Start Now. Make it a yearlong project for your staff and colleagues—and talk about it often. Do you have weekly editorial meetings? Make it a regular item on the agenda. What photos did we gather last week from events, magazine articles, web pieces? What’s coming up this week that is worth capturing? And don’t stop with staff: Develop a marketing campaign to get the whole campus into the game.
Make It Fun. Let’s assume kids these days are taking a lot of photos—of themselves, of their friends, of their adventures, of their food. We heard a rumor that it’s kind of a thing. Take advantage of their passion and skills (and filters). Create a social media tag and ask students and faculty to share their images all year—pull the best into a print essay. And offer weekly or monthly prizes for top photos.
Don’t Be So Obvious: We know the tendency will be to lean toward events that take place every year: Commencement, move-in, that community event that raises a kabillion dollars every year. But we would urge you to go with the unexpected as much as possible. Shoot moments, not events. Those moments will tell a more authentic story about your people and your place—and they’ll be images that you can’t just find anywhere.
Don’t Forget the Nostalgia: We know we just said don’t shoot the obvious, but when it comes to campus spots, we know our readers get giddy remembering those special places throughout campus. Don’t be afraid to play those cards.