2011 Alberta Magazines Conference
Last year's Alberta Magazines Conference was March 24 - 26, 2011
Check out the Conference Highlights photos, plus the results of the fun had by all at the "Conference Issues" photo booth, courtesy of AMPA event photographer, Don Molyneaux, and his assistants Andrea Tombrowski and Jessica Patterson.
Want to know what really goes on at the Alberta Magazines Conference? Get Awards Coordinator Anh Chu's insight: "Red Bull, Bull Riding and Cardboard Cuts: Behind the Scenes at the 2011 Alberta Magazines Conference"
The 2011 Alberta Magazines Conference brought together industry experts from across the continent to speak on timely topics in all areas of magazine publishing. We also celebrated our industry with the Alberta Magazine Excellence Gala, where we presented Showcase and Achievement Awards to some very deserving writers, designers, artists and publications.
Here are some of the highlights from the conference:
The brochure outlines all of the 2011 conference details, including a full schedule, session descriptions and conference rates.
Covering current topics in editorial, design, sales and digital media, there was something for everyone.
The 2011 conference featured national and international industry experts: Haig Armen, Scott Bullock, Luke Hayman, Niel Hiscox, Kim Latreille, Anthony Licata, Sharon McAuley, Eithne McCredie, Beverley Sinclair and Martin White
The Alberta Magazine Excellence Gala on Thursday featured an awards ceremony, with new categories including “Best New Magazine” and “Best Alberta Story” and “Achievement in Publishing." And the winners were...
All day Friday, conference registrants visited industry vendors at the trade show to find out the latest trends and technologies, and supported the Amber Webb-Bowerman Memorial Foundation with bids at the silent auction.
A special thanks to our 2011 sponsors:
2011 Brochure
The brochure outlines all of the 2011 conference details, including a full schedule, session descriptions and conference rates.
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2011 Sessions
Download the brochure for full details
Thursday, March 24
B1. Interactive Print - The Next Revolution
Presented by Transcontinental
What does the future hold for the Canadian magazine industry in 2011? Virtually every magazine publisher has taken pause to reflect on the best strategy that optimizes print and digital...
Alberta Magazine Excellence Gala
Sponsored by Quad/Graphics
An evening celebration of excellence in the Alberta magazine publishing industry, a chance to network over dinner with colleagues old and new. The 2011 gala included a drama-filled awards ceremony, featuring new Alberta Magazine Awards categories and cameos from our event speakers.
Friday, March 25
Block One 9:00AM
1A - Supercharge Your Service Content (with Anthony Licata)
Whether you’re providing tips on ski waxing, spicy sex or perfect holiday gifts, the most important lesson for readers should be that your magazine provides essential information they can use in their daily lives...
1B - Selling Strong Online (with Martin White)
These days, no publication can afford to neglect online advertising. Print sales staff comfortable with CPM, rate base and volume discounts now need to also talk about unique views and impression levels...
1C - A Print Designer in a Digital World (with Luke Hayman)
Print’s evolving. Digital media is exploding. Magazine designers have to adapt fast—sometimes instantaneously—to new and unfamiliar programs and formats...
1D - Circ Me Up: Hot Tips on Improving Circulation (with Eithne McCredie)
Learn about the most profitable methods for maintaining and increasing your circulation including renewals, online and inserts...
Block Two 10:45AM
2A - Care and Feeding of Freelancers (with Beverley Sinclair)
For editors, finding a great freelancer is like getting your hands on the goose that lays golden eggs. Unfortunately, that fable doesn’t end well for the goose...
2B - Ad Sales Toolkit: Show & Tell (with Sharon McAuley)
Sponsored by Magazines Canada
Advertisers are looking to you for more than ROP ad pages—in today’s market, you need to be creative...
2C - Covers that Sell, Covers that Fail (with Scott Bullock)
Covers are critical: they affect a magazine’s newsstand sales, and can determine how often it’s picked up off the rack...
2D - Hands On with Mobile Digital Publishing (with Haig Armen)
With the arrival of iPad, Kobo and Kindle, and an array of new tablets or e-reading devices on the horizon, we’re on the cusp of a mobile electronic publishing revolution...
Luncheon and Keynote Speech
Why Magazines Matter (with Anthony Licata)
Sponsored by CentralWeb
Pundits point to shrinking budgets and readerships and declare print media dead. But some magazines are ignoring the naysayers, embracing today’s myriad opportunities and succeeding wildly. Field & Stream editor-in-chief Anthony Licata shares his story of steering the 115-year-old franchise into an era of growth and expansion...
Block Three 2:00PM
3A - Online Content Dos and Don'ts (with Beverley Sinclair)
In the olden days (you know—five years ago), “online content” meant slapping a version of your print product on the Web...
3B - Making Money with Social Media (with Martin White)
In recent years, social media has been credited with winning (and losing) elections, earning canny users oodles of cash and engaging a new generation of tech-savvy consumers...
3C - Big Design on a 0.25 Pt Budget (with Luke Hayman)
Gorgeous spreads are the product of big bucks, right? You hire Annie Leibovitz and spend $50,000 on a photo shoot, right? Wrong...
3D - 10 Crucial Production Tips and Tools (with Kim Latreille)
Like it or not, production sometimes involves burning the midnight oil—but too much
will also burn up profits and staff morale...
Wine and Cheese
Sponsored by CDS Global
Refreshments were enjoyed while basking in the glow of how much had been learned in one day. The Alberta Magazine’s Volunteer of the Year was announced, as well as winners of the silent auction, and a variety of cool and interesting door prizes.
Saturday, March 26
B2. State of the Province: Lessons from Alberta Publishers on Making Money in the Integrated Ad Platform Space (Moderated by Niel Hiscox)
Presented by Magazines Canada
This bonus Saturday session presented free by Magazines Canada was an opportunity to network among industry leaders in an intimate setting. Valuable insights were gained into innovative business initiatives from a panel of magazine media experts...
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2011 Speakers
(Presentations for 2011 Registrants)
Haig Armen
Haig has taught design, interactivity and digital storytelling at universities and colleges around the world. He’s the design and creative director for LiFT Studios, as well as assistant professor of Design & Dynamic Media at Emily Carr University of Art & Design. As a producer at CBC Radio 3, he created editorial, design and marketing strategies that earned three Webby Awards and other international recognition.
Scott Bullock
With a 29-year career as a frontline circulator, national distributor, educator and entrepreneur, Scott has a unique insight into the industry. He is the owner of circulation consultancy firm Circ3, Smart Circulation Solutions, and has worked as circulation director for both consumer and B2B magazines, including Toronto Life and FASHION. He is also the creator of Coverssell.com.
Luke Hayman
A partner at Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design company, Luke’s wide-ranging design expertise encompasses magazines, books, identities and exhibitions. His work has received many honours, including a 2006 National Magazine Award (US) for excellence in magazine design. As former design director at New York magazine, Luke was instrumental in restoring the title to prominence. Since joining Pentagram, Hayman has redesigned numerous publications including TIME, Consumer Reports and The Atlantic.
Niel Hiscox
Niel is the president of Universus Media Group Inc., a newly-launched publishing and content marketing company serving Canada’s automotive and manufacturing markets. Prior to that, Niel was the vice president and leader of CLB Media Inc., which publishes more than 25 titles. Niel has worked on the boards of BPA Worldwide and Magazines Canada; and been an advisor to Georgian College’s Advertising and Marketing program.
Kim Latreille
As group director, production at St. Joseph Media, Kim reinvented workflow systems and managed to reduce operating expenses by 64% while improving efficiency, timelines and turnaround. Previously, she helmed production at Quarto Communications and Rogers Media. Kim has more than 20 years experience as a planning, scheduling and efficiency strategist, supervising print, pre-media and distribution.
Anthony Licata
Few editors can say they led their magazine to win a National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Even fewer can say they did it in their first year on the job. A Field & Stream staff member since 1998, Licata was named editor in 2008, becoming the 15th person to hold the title in the magazine’s 115-year history. After just one year as editor, he helped Field & Stream earn its first-ever National Magazine Award (US).
Sharon McAuley
Sharon has more than 23 years of experience as a marketer and publisher, specializing in strategic brand and new business development of both trade and consumer magazines. As vice president and group publisher for the Urban Group at St. Joseph Media, Sharon’s portfolio includes Toronto Life, Ottawa Magazine, Quill and Quire and WHERE Canada.
Eithne McCredie
Eithne is a 15-year veteran at Abacus Circulation Inc., a consulting firm that provides customized circulation management skills to Canadian magazine publishers, with experience in both consumer and trade as well as paid and controlled circulation models. Prior to joining Abacus, Eithne was the circulation manager of Saturday Night, Toronto Life and FASHION.
Beverley Sinclair
Writer, editor and chair of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Bachelor of Journalism program, Beverley is a self-professed word nerd. She has written many magazine articles, several of them award-winning, co-written a book (Western Journeys: Discovering the Secrets of the Land), was editor of the Georgia Straight for seven years, and is kind of fanatical about clear, sharp writing.
Martin White
Martin is the principal of Online Magazine Marketing, where he shares his expertise with senior management through strategic and tactical consultation. As the former publisher of TIME Canada and associate publisher of Toronto Life, Martin’s experience in the print and online magazine business is extensive. He has monetized web programs for large and small businesses from Bombardier, Pioneer and Reader’s Digest to Wedding Bells, Vantage and Downhome magazines.
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2011 Alberta Magazine Awards
The 2011 Alberta Magazine Awards were presented at the Alberta Magazine Excellence Gala March 24, 2011, as a celebration of the Alberta magazine industry. The awards included new Showcase Awards and Achievement Awards, cash and art prizes, plus all that glorious glory.
Congratulations to all of the 2011 winners, finalists and nominees!
2011 Trade Show
2011 conference registrants visited industry vendors at the trade show to find out the latest trends and technologies, entered to win exciting door prizes, and said hello to an Alberta Magazines Conference sponsor. They also bid at the silent auction in support of the Amber Webb-Bowerman Memorial Foundation. Some had fun modelling at the custom magazine cover photo booth, and others had a ‘quickie’ expert consultation with one of our Pros at the Show.
Silent Auction Fundraiser
The Amber Webb-Bowerman Memorial Foundation once again hosted a silent auction fundraiser at the AMPA conference.
The Foundation is a registered charity that raises money for scholarships and awards for journalism and arts students in Western Canada and was created in memory of magazine writer and editor Amber Bowerman (nee Webb). The record $1,800 raised through the 2011 auction will go towards establishing an endowed scholarship fund so that scholarships will be given in Amber's name in perpetuity.
