After 54 years, Time Out London publishes its last print issue

After 54 years, Time Out magazine has released its final print issue. On the King’s Road in Chelsea, founder Tony Elliott originally published the listings magazine as a newsletter in 1968. Under the main front page, four London-based artists designed custom covers to commemorate the final print edition. All of which are designed beautifully.

In 2012, the 50,000-copy food, drink, and entertainment magazine had a price tag of £3.25. It was released again in September of that same year in a condensed edition and went completely free.

Laura Lee Davies, editor between 1999 and 2004, said to BBC Radio London: “When you open a paper magazine you get those wow moments and those things you don’t know you’re looking for whereas online… you don’t necessarily find what you didn’t know what you were looking for.”

Is print a thing of the past?

With a lot of publications starting to focus more on digital content, does it open out the conversation to new ways print can be utilised?

We have been doing a lot of work alongside the University of Gloucestershire on their new prospectus that now lives online. Is it time for other institutions and publications to do the same given so much of our time is now being spent on devices like smartphones and laptops? We should be moving to where the audience is.

That’s not to say print isn’t still a great marketing tool, there are just different ways that we can utilise it to cater to a host of new audiences. Similar to Time Out, who released a smaller, condensed version of the publication, institutions should be focusing on minimising print funs and creating more personalised print material.

If you’re interested in discussing how SMILE can help you, contact us now or find out more about Prospectus Plus