The original idea for Pitch magazine came our way about four years ago…
STENCIL was approached by a third-party publisher, with the idea of creating a multi-sports title. Potentially, on behalf of Time Warner, the London magazine house.
The job had STENCIL down to deliver the editorial and design component, with TW handling distribution and any ad sales, and our publisher sorting all the bits in between.
The project moved to a ‘fourth down and inches’ stage, right up to the point where TW’s whole magazine section was sold lock-and-stock to Future Publishing, meaning effectively that, was that. Or so we all thought. Until about six months ago, that is.
Eariler this year, STENCIL Creative thought that as we’d grown quite a bit over the past 18 months, we could potentially deliver a magazine in-house, without it unduly impacting on the rest of the studio’s output. And given Sam’s commitment and belief – he’d always really liked the idea – we went back to publisher, Kevin Whitchurch, in order to take the project’s temperature. Or maybe its pulse, even? Anyway.
Basically, here we are. Out now. A brilliant 132-page all-sports title named Pitch.
The job had STENCIL down to deliver the editorial and design component, with TW handling distribution and any ad sales, and our publisher sorting all the bits in between.
The project moved to a ‘fourth down and inches’ stage, right up to the point where TW’s whole magazine section was sold lock-and-stock to Future Publishing, meaning effectively that, was that. Or so we all thought. Until about six months ago, that is.
Eariler this year, STENCIL Creative thought that as we’d grown quite a bit over the past 18 months, we could potentially deliver a magazine in-house, without it unduly impacting on the rest of the studio’s output. And given Sam’s commitment and belief – he’d always really liked the idea – we went back to publisher, Kevin Whitchurch, in order to take the project’s temperature. Or maybe its pulse, even? Anyway.
Basically, here we are. Out now. A brilliant 132-page all-sports title named Pitch.
To buy a copy or subscribe – visit pitch-mag.co.uk
If things go well we’d like to add to our ‘family’ of Pitch – Stories of Modern Sport by producing Stories of Modern ‘Music’ and ‘Film & TV’ versions at the same quality level.
It would effectively mean us having a three-title stable, all with the same name, editorial values and principles, all delivered across subject areas that people are particularly passionate about.
The whole thing is very much a case of us, as a creative agency, putting our money where our mouth is. Testing the studio’s ability to create high-quality editorially-led design, in print & digital form. Effectively, formulating an idea, bring it to fruition, and ultimately seeing it to market.
The magazine’s masthead – the names of all of the people working on the title – is also a good indicator of what we do and how we do things. And is something we’re particularly proud of. There are lots of names. Comprising young and old. Experienced and new talent. Boys and girls. And every type of personality.
Effectively, as a product it’s the nothing-smells-like-fresh-print living-and-breathing embodiment of what STENCIL is all about. In that, it showcases that with careful and considerate guidance, a business that offers opportunity to young creative types to work beyond their experience, but within their abilities, it can deliver brilliant results.
And these young people have contributed at every level in the delivery of an expanded, wholly involved and sophisticated editorial design product. Collaboratively. And as individuals.
And they’ve delivered a magazine – by its very definition – as a collection of ideas.
Not as one voice. But as a single voice. One that reflects their energy, vitality and a certain amount of wide-eyed-wonder. Which all contributes to make living, breathing work triumph over the dead-behind-the-eyes versions of something no-one is in love with anymore and doesn’t know how to take forward.
Comms that lack the vitality of creativity fail to cut through. That’s a fact. We love what we do. Off and on the ‘pitch’. Reviewing the standards of every business’ output is vital as a sense-check. Challenging ourselves to ‘do better’ is what we’ve done with Pitch.
And we’re happy to do so. Time and again.
It would effectively mean us having a three-title stable, all with the same name, editorial values and principles, all delivered across subject areas that people are particularly passionate about.
The whole thing is very much a case of us, as a creative agency, putting our money where our mouth is. Testing the studio’s ability to create high-quality editorially-led design, in print & digital form. Effectively, formulating an idea, bring it to fruition, and ultimately seeing it to market.
The magazine’s masthead – the names of all of the people working on the title – is also a good indicator of what we do and how we do things. And is something we’re particularly proud of. There are lots of names. Comprising young and old. Experienced and new talent. Boys and girls. And every type of personality.
Effectively, as a product it’s the nothing-smells-like-fresh-print living-and-breathing embodiment of what STENCIL is all about. In that, it showcases that with careful and considerate guidance, a business that offers opportunity to young creative types to work beyond their experience, but within their abilities, it can deliver brilliant results.
And these young people have contributed at every level in the delivery of an expanded, wholly involved and sophisticated editorial design product. Collaboratively. And as individuals.
And they’ve delivered a magazine – by its very definition – as a collection of ideas.
Not as one voice. But as a single voice. One that reflects their energy, vitality and a certain amount of wide-eyed-wonder. Which all contributes to make living, breathing work triumph over the dead-behind-the-eyes versions of something no-one is in love with anymore and doesn’t know how to take forward.
Comms that lack the vitality of creativity fail to cut through. That’s a fact. We love what we do. Off and on the ‘pitch’. Reviewing the standards of every business’ output is vital as a sense-check. Challenging ourselves to ‘do better’ is what we’ve done with Pitch.
And we’re happy to do so. Time and again.
To buy a copy or subscribe – visit pitch-mag.co.uk
Andy Afford – Managing Director, STENCIL
“When print is done well, it becomes a great ambassador for a brand”
To find out more about how STENCIL does customer publishing, email us
