Trends and Recommendations
While I did not specifically follow NG for kids, I noticed quite a bit of the news coming out of National Geographic was focused on improving the kid portion of the magazine/online experience. [See Jumping Jack Challenge at White House; Next Explorer; Geography Awareness Week; ACK Partnership] There are also several apps and games available for the iPad and iPhone which are geared towards getting kids interacting with information [Weird But True, GeoBee Challenge]. This makes quite a bit of sense when we are discussing an educational publishing company that has its eye to the future. Kids are the future. If they can gain the audience, respect and admiration of children, they can secure a brand that will last as it has done since 1888.
Piggy backing on this theme, my recommendations to NGM are to ensure they continue to market to their adult audience as well. It’s clear that they are improving their children’s market, but I hope they continue to realize every one feels just as they did when they were a children when they read National Geographic. The process of discovery never ceases to amaze us; the information may be processed at a higher rate, we may read articles a bit quicker, but we still want to be amazed, and this is the magazine to do it! In fact I just received my December issue in the mail and am excited to start exploring! 