Ryan Alford

I really liked the element of the face-to-face interactions, getting to know people, bonding with people, learning people. Like you said, you know my family. You have a great family as well. And it's been an honor and a pleasure for me to meet your family and become a part of you. I'm an extended part of the family. I love it.

First up today, Microsoft drops glossy print magazine. Seriously, are you kidding? This made a lot of sense to me, actually. And I think here's the punchline. There's a lot of niche audiences that are hard to reach. And for whatever reason, we always think there's like one size fits all.

First up today, Microsoft drops glossy print magazine. Seriously, are you kidding? This made a lot of sense to me, actually. And I think here's the punchline. There's a lot of niche audiences that are hard to reach. And for whatever reason, we always think there's like one size fits all.

First up today, Microsoft drops glossy print magazine. Seriously, are you kidding? This made a lot of sense to me, actually. And I think here's the punchline. There's a lot of niche audiences that are hard to reach. And for whatever reason, we always think there's like one size fits all.

Like, you know, digital media has proliferated, but there's still a lot of people that read print magazines and that like the physical touch. Look, we're doing a freaking trading card series right now. My kids love it. Physical media isn't completely dead.

Like, you know, digital media has proliferated, but there's still a lot of people that read print magazines and that like the physical touch. Look, we're doing a freaking trading card series right now. My kids love it. Physical media isn't completely dead.

Like, you know, digital media has proliferated, but there's still a lot of people that read print magazines and that like the physical touch. Look, we're doing a freaking trading card series right now. My kids love it. Physical media isn't completely dead.

It's just there's a lot of synergy and a lot of efficiency that happens with digital media and digital knowledge spreading digitally on your phone. But people still like to spend time with printed materials, collect those things. People are reading. People are trying to put the phone down even. So it makes a lot of sense, especially with Microsoft's target being a little older.

It's just there's a lot of synergy and a lot of efficiency that happens with digital media and digital knowledge spreading digitally on your phone. But people still like to spend time with printed materials, collect those things. People are reading. People are trying to put the phone down even. So it makes a lot of sense, especially with Microsoft's target being a little older.

It's just there's a lot of synergy and a lot of efficiency that happens with digital media and digital knowledge spreading digitally on your phone. But people still like to spend time with printed materials, collect those things. People are reading. People are trying to put the phone down even. So it makes a lot of sense, especially with Microsoft's target being a little older.

So I love this for a couple of reasons. Number one, it's niche marketing at its best. But number two, it also signals a way for Microsoft to build brand. It's getting harder and harder to build brand in sort of this – performance marketing land that everything's for sale. What's the feature? What's the price? Well, Microsoft isn't just telling you about every feature of a computer.

So I love this for a couple of reasons. Number one, it's niche marketing at its best. But number two, it also signals a way for Microsoft to build brand. It's getting harder and harder to build brand in sort of this – performance marketing land that everything's for sale. What's the feature? What's the price? Well, Microsoft isn't just telling you about every feature of a computer.

So I love this for a couple of reasons. Number one, it's niche marketing at its best. But number two, it also signals a way for Microsoft to build brand. It's getting harder and harder to build brand in sort of this – performance marketing land that everything's for sale. What's the feature? What's the price? Well, Microsoft isn't just telling you about every feature of a computer.

They're doing it through the lens of a magazine that tells story, has journalistic content that people actually want to read. And so, again, they've done it in a really slick magazine form here to a target that has a lot of spending power. They're targeting a lot of CEOs, CXOs, people that buy a lot of computer software, different things. They're trying to reach them. And this is the way to do it.

They're doing it through the lens of a magazine that tells story, has journalistic content that people actually want to read. And so, again, they've done it in a really slick magazine form here to a target that has a lot of spending power. They're targeting a lot of CEOs, CXOs, people that buy a lot of computer software, different things. They're trying to reach them. And this is the way to do it.

They're doing it through the lens of a magazine that tells story, has journalistic content that people actually want to read. And so, again, they've done it in a really slick magazine form here to a target that has a lot of spending power. They're targeting a lot of CEOs, CXOs, people that buy a lot of computer software, different things. They're trying to reach them. And this is the way to do it.

It's hard to hit these targets sometimes because they're not scrolling on Facebook all day like some other people. And they're not always in these digital mediums. So you get them in a space of comfort. and somewhere where they're spending time with a product in a magazine, and you can tell brand narrative stories that, again, are building your brand.

It's hard to hit these targets sometimes because they're not scrolling on Facebook all day like some other people. And they're not always in these digital mediums. So you get them in a space of comfort. and somewhere where they're spending time with a product in a magazine, and you can tell brand narrative stories that, again, are building your brand.

It's hard to hit these targets sometimes because they're not scrolling on Facebook all day like some other people. And they're not always in these digital mediums. So you get them in a space of comfort. and somewhere where they're spending time with a product in a magazine, and you can tell brand narrative stories that, again, are building your brand.

story through a funnel of getting them through the purchase cycle. And you're not always ever hitting them over the head with a price point. I think physical media still has a place in 2025, but it needs to be done in the right way for the right audiences. And they've done, I think it's 1500 copies of this. So it's limited. This is a very small audience.