Landyachtz Magazine
I worked with the founders of Landyachtz to create a publication that would introduce the world to our brand, showcase our products, and illuminate the purpose behind our designs. This undertaking arose from a desire to connect with people on a level that surpassed the fleeting nature of Instagram. Inspired by the posters that adorned our childhood bedroom walls, we sought to present media that offered more than a lingering glance. Not just skateboarding photos, but stories about the individuals, places, and communities that define our culture. Most importantly, we wanted to motivate our readers to live richer, more meaningful lives by following our ethos — Skate & Explore.
Large Format
By choosing newspaper printing, we were able to produce huge 10” x 15” magazines, and lots of them, at a significantly lower cost than traditional magazine formats. We also chose not to bind the magazines. The absence of staples or glue allowed readers to pull the pages apart and view full photo spreads without the distraction of holes or tears.
A single photo spanned the front and back cover of each issue (as seen here), communicating to readers that this publication was meant to be pulled apart and the photographs inside enjoyed in their entirety.
Setting the Tone
Skateboarding is scary. No matter who you are, or your level of ability, risk is ever present. The reward we chase is exhilaration, admiration of oneself or our peers, and a deep sense of accomplishment. Every issue of Landyachtz Magazine has an intro that shares an unresolved moment of tension and an outro that inspires the viewer to grab a skateboard, run out the door, and seek their own adventure. In later issues we started blending photos between intro and outro to bookend the story and solidify our message.
Curating Contrast
Opposites are attractive. We paired images with both complementary and juxtaposing elements, such as composition, temperature, and depth, to create layouts that balanced each other and asked for a little more attention than either image would on its own.
Product Feelings
We created dramatic posters of our products, which deliberately omitted information about features or specifications. Our product ads were designed to elicit emotion. We included a brief statement on the rare occasion that it enhanced the ad.
While these ads were usually paired with photos of high-energy riding, we wanted our posters to be so strong on their own that they would be worth putting up on a wall or in a locker.
Stories about People
The magazine gave us a chance to share stories about our employees and team riders. These were deeper dives than we could provide with Instagram, and significantly more affordable than producing content for YouTube. We showed the world some of the incredible individuals that are associated with Landyachtz by creating exciting layouts and featuring images that emphasized their unique style.
The Art of Skateboarding
Skateboard graphics have the power to imbue riders with the personality of the board. Our products represent emotions and perspectives that can influence the way people interact with their environment. We played with this idea by pairing renders of our graphics with riding photos that had similar composition.
Spread ‘Em
We took inspiration from artists like Siegfried Hansen, as well as publications like SNEEZE, What Youth, and Downgrade Magazine to push the boundaries of layout design. We wanted to take advantage of our ability to pull the magazine apart and put it back together again. In doing so, we discovered that many photos had complementary composition, resulting in a lot of fun and creative outcomes.
Skate & Explore
Landyachtz’ Skate & Explore videos have given millions of viewers a way to join our team riders on their journeys into uncharted territories. As with all great trips, they weren’t just about skateboarding; they were windows into the heart of adventure and exploration. Our articles captured the essence of these escapades, from the mesmerizing landscapes we encountered to the unique cultural experiences that skateboarding unlocks.
These stories celebrated our brand's adventurous spirit, inspiring readers and fostering a deeper connection to Landyachtz and the vibrant community we represent. Our magazine became a portal to the exciting world of Skate & Explore, solidifying Landyachtz as more than just a skateboard company; it was a lifestyle and an invitation to write their own meaningful stories.
Artist Features
Creating content about our artists allowed us to learn about and share aspects of their lives, processes, and relationships with Landyachtz. By delving into their creative journeys and unique perspectives, these features aimed to deepen the connection between our customers and their boards.
Product Guides
We used the centerfold of the magazine to showcase our annual skateboard line-up. In addition to getting customers excited about Landyachtz’ products, the spread served as a visual reference for wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. A single page that made it simple to reference names, remember styles, and place orders.
We made sure to put the trucks and wheels on a separate spread so that they could be used simultaneously, without having to flip the page.
Encouraging Interaction
Landyachtz magazines are intended to be pulled apart, drawn on, cut up, and played with. In this spirit, we created collages, a board game called Skates & Alleys, and Landyachtz Radio — a collection of staff playlists on Spotify accessible via QR codes.
Results
We published 6 issues of Landyachtz Magazine over the course of 5 years and delivered over 70,000 copies to distributors, retailers, and customers worldwide. The creation of this magazine gave us a chance to examine our messaging for the year, to consider our marketing strategies, and how to position our product offerings. Having our magazine in shops greatly increased our brand presence. The ability to offer a free product, rife with exciting branded content, helped us punch far above our weight, in an environment where brands allocate substantial funds to elaborate product displays that cannot be interacted with, taken home, or shared.
Most importantly, we created a piece of memorabilia that will live in the homes of people who see value in the adventures we’ve had and stories we told. And there is a good chance that we inspired some of those people to go skateboarding.
Thanks!
I appreciate you taking the time to look at my portfolio! If you have any comments, criticisms, or ideas on how to improve this material, I would love to hear from you.