I have no shame in admitting I am a fan of Martha Stewart. I have devoured her magazine’s issues for years. It’s more than the recipes, more than the picture perfect homemade treats. It’s the Martha Stewart lifestyle, the beautiful homes, the adorable dogs curled up in baskets – thank you Martha for inspiring us to become domestic goddesses. If only I could bake just one cookie that looks anything like the ones in your magazine!
Last night was my chance to finally meet Martha, she didn’t exactly invite me to her Westport Connecticut estate. Rather, courtesy of Apple I got to preview her new digital apps at the Mac Store in Soho, NY. It was a free event – first come first served. Free inspiration brought to you by Apple.
Martha Stewart is often portrayed as an ice-queen. I would say she is a fascinating contradiction. The first self-made female billionaire exudes power. She comes through as a totally non-sentimental person who has built an entire empire on the kind of things we would be most sentimental about: home-cooked meals, handmade Christmas ornaments, a warm bed with tightly tucked flannel sheets.
So why does Martha need to turn digital? Well, MSLO (Martha Stewart Life Omnicon) lost $14 million in 2009, and her TV ratings keep dwindling. On the bright side, her merchandise line (that spawns from dog sweaters to kitchen cabinets) has become the cash-cow of her business. But media is key to keeping the Martha Stewart dream alive. And you guessed right, digital apps are key to tapping into younger audiences.
Last night we had the chance to view the iPad version of her magazine ‘Living’. The special issue takes advantage of the touch-of-a-finger interactivity, starting with the cover art of a blooming peony. Users can toggle through panoramic views of Stewart’s peony garden and farm. For example, a story on phyllo dough allows users to toggle between the outside wrapping and the interior fillings. Pretty fancy!
Launching digital apps seems like a must these days, but most are clumsy clickable versions of the original print counterpart. The remarkable thing is, Martha Stewart’s digital apps come through as different type of ‘animals’, cleverly using multimedia resources in favor of awesome storytelling. Even better, the plan is that soon the digital version will start to influence the print edition. Martha is not only doing digital, she is thinking digital. A couple of months ago, there was a big shake-up at Martha Stewart’s ad sales team. One person became the focal point across all media, rather than having separate silos for broadcast, print, on-line marketing etc. This ‘media-agnostic’ approach reveals how courageously Martha Stewart is embracing new technology.
At 69 she is definitely a queen bee, and she is doing all she can to be stronger, faster and smarter than ever. Her energy and focus, undoubtedly comes from knowing herself and what makes her brand special. When asked how she sees herself vs. her arch rival Oprah, she is crystal clear – ‘ She is a preacher, I am a teacher’. Instructive, energetic and relentless, Martha is still ‘a good thing,’ and going digital can only make her better.
