Outsider Magazine Redesign

Revitalisation Brief

Outsider Magazine is a global quarterly Adventure & Travel Hub magazine based in Ireland, merging style with thoughtful, intelligent content. The aim was to revitalise the magazine’s appearance and present the reader with innovative and engaging design ideas, whilst retaining its aesthetic identity.

Research Phase

We started with quantitative and qualitative research to get under the skin of the brand, the magazine and target audience. We wanted to establish who made up the brand’s fans and set targets for growing the magazine in the coming years. From desk research and one-to-one interviews, we developed a deep understanding of the product.

The Work

With this research, we set out to create a magazine that could compete for the hearts and minds of readers and adventurers across multiple markets. Beyond the magazine, it was important that we set up templates and direction to communicate the company’s values in the magazine.

Outsider’s visual approach is well-established. Retaining the magazine’s recognisable structure and grid, we commissioned a suite of strong, impactful and playful photography. We used loose, hand-inked section titles and more organic elements to create a contrast between the photography and formal type grid.

The Results

Our goal was to support a photo-driven editorial style while breathing new life into the magazine format. The result is a magazine that demands to be read – the clean, engaging layouts make a great case for the paper-and-ink edition. Its vibrant and lasting visual impact really draws readers in deeper as they explore the magazine. Following on from the this project, we have continued to work with Outsider to help them develop and execute a long-term design approach for the brand.

• 25% increase in subscribers to the print issue
• 15% spike in web traffic driven by the redesign
• 100% happy!