I was a sophomore in high school the first time I read Wired. My friend’s mother received a subscription but the magazines sat around their apartment unread. When I’d visit, I’d steal away and fan through the magazine’s coverage of gadgets, robots, computers, and the similar escapes of a teenage boy’s mind, all combined into a single sleek package.
So, I attended today’s Wired Taiwan launch event with the same boyhood excitement inspired by the original. Here’s a look at what we saw.
The Wired team gets major props on overall presentation. The event itself was in the trendy W hotel and the promo packet (right) was a sensory pleasure that matched the environment, with captivating imagery and their first printed version sealed in a suave LP-sized envelope.
The promotional materials were sealed in a large envelope
Looking at the materials closely though, the divergence from the original title becomes clear. The promotional leaflets discuss brand image, social media, and e-commerce, but fail to explain exactly the significance of these categories. Are these coverage areas? Upcoming features?
The beta print issue is striking with its sparse cover, edgy design, and shiny silver text. It's printed on really thick stock, with astounding color and photo print quality. It even smells expensive. Good stuff.
The inside cover of the beta issue
A five-page foldout of QR codes and past WIRED covers. The design in the beta issue is quite nice overall, but...
...some pages leave a little to be desired. The table of contents are hard to read and printed in a weird serif font.
QR codes are used and featured extensively in the magazine. This utilization of the magazine to push online content makes sense, as the title will have a more prominent online presence overall.
On my desk I have an American issue of Wired and cannot help but be impressed by its sheer density (198 pages!) coupled with its aesthetic quality. The Taiwan beta version doesn’t quite have that same ‘feel,’ at least not yet. The beta print version weighs in at 96 pages and is free of any ads, which is something that is likely to change, and is filled with eight feature stories. In general, the Taiwan and Chinese versions of Western mags tend to take a fairly different editorial route from their original counterparts, and this version of Wired is likely to be the same.
We’re excited to see how and in what ways it departs from the original. One early indication is a partnership with TEDxTaipei that was announced today, though no other details were provided.
Could we see events on the way? What’s the deal with the ‘social’ theme? What would you like to see from Wired Taiwan?
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