Running in my genes is just enough creativity to be dangerous. By moving every few years, from country to country and from house to house, I've been able to leave my "creative" decorating and faddish color schemes behind for the next person to re-do. I've liked it this way, but that was about to change.
Georgia is the first place I've lived for any length of time, in this case 11 years! My house has seen two color schemes and decorating redesigns. Very quickly I learned that taking down old wallpaper and painting over dark colors of a bygone era is a real chore and very hard work. It is now ingrained in me that planning for a redesign is key. Fortunately I learned these lessons before tackling the task of redesigning Shopping Center World.
In the beginning
The experts say a magazine should generally be redesigned every three years. This attracts new readers, while at the same time giving current subscribers something fresh and new to discover. The hard part in our case was not losing or changing the familiar items in the magazine that work well.
To begin with we gathered groups of randomly selected readers for blind focus groups. They talked, we listened. Overall, everyone rated Shopping Center World's content as top drawer. Some of the great comments we received were:
"Articles deserve to be clipped and saved."
"I keep this one on hand for up to 6 months to useas a reference from time to time."
"Broad coverage of the issues."
After the dust settled
When it came to the look of the magazine, we began with a slight size change and adopted a trendy, new type. Each page was carefully and lovingly crafted into a simple, elegant design. I think you'll agree, the new color palette is refined and tasteful. The easy-to-read table of contents and section heads make your passage through the publication as relaxing as a walk in the park.
To move SCW forward to an integrated, multi-media publication you'll notice harmonious integration of the website URL (www.scwonline.com) within the pages of the magazine. Our cooperation with Intertec's IndustryClick division (see Technology Edge column) brings expanded article coverage and breaking daily news.
In addition, there are more vivid photos and complementary design treatments. The most important of which is the new Shopping Center World logo. Carefully crafted to complement and enhance the spectacular covers each month, the logo is uncomplicated but eye-catching.
Our staff spent more than a year of planning, listening and plain old hard work. I hope you will be pleased with the new look, content and redesign we are unveiling in this issue.