Independent publisher Iceberg Press, which also publishes monthly lifestyle magazine The Simple Things, has transitioned the bi-monthly title into a mindful magazine offering, it says, a fresh perspective.
Oh will build on the core readership of Oh Comely, which the publisher bought three years ago, but aim to grow it significantly within the burgeoning mindful sector, which has increased five-fold over the four years to 2018, way outperforming the general magazine sector, says Iceberg.
Iceberg Press Managing Director David Parker says, “We’ll be using the large digital community of Oh Comely and that of its sister lifestyle magazine, The Simple Things to tell potential readers about Oh and where to find it. And building on our existing listings in the major retail multiples and a wide range of independent outlets.”
The mindful magazine sector’s growth is driven by a mix of new launches and one-shot specials, but Iceberg believes it has found a niche with Oh. Iceberg Editorial Director Lisa Sykes says, “All that was good about Oh Comely – a curious, playful and thoughtful magazine, non-judgmental, inclusive and a place for new writers and illustrators to emerge and be discovered – will stay. But we want to better reflect the changing times we live in; people seem to want to buy less things, own less and adopt a more conscious approach to life. So, we have said goodbye to shopping pages, replacing them with longer reads and more stories of women (and men) who explore their minds and bodies in order to understand and grow, learning more about themselves and our times in the process. No one else in the mindful sector is delivering this in a beautiful and useful way.”
Oh Comely Art Editor, Cathy Mckinnon will also design Oh, retaining much of its look and feel, including its distinctive illustrated covers, though they will now be created with one illustrator over a year to develop a story.
New Oh Editor Eminé Rushton (previously Wellbeing Director at Psychologies) says: “Oh is about mindful being and mindful doing, taking a fresh, often surprising, look inside ourselves and out at the world. It’s for readers who want to live ‘on purpose’.”
Signature features include:
- Oh moments – mini meditations where you can take a breather
- Doses of mindfulness – small helpings of quiet and focus to get to know yourself better
- Longer reads that encourage you to put your phone aside and bring your full attention
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