Gawker: blueprint

Electronic Arts kills nonexistent outsourcing project

Paul Boutin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:40:00 EST

No one knew exactly what the Blueprint division of videogame maker Electronic Arts was up to. Officially, it didn't exist. Now, it officially hasn't been shut down, but there's no one working on it. An ex-employee who blabbed to Variety tried to explain: Blueprint's dozen or so staff were charged with creating a way for EA to reliably develop games without hiring onsite, full-time employees. Now more than ever, you'd think that's a businessworthy project. Instead, Blueprint seems to have confirmed there's no substitute for a building full of crazed code monkeys with all the hardware and free snacks they need to crank out Madden NFL 09.

'Blueprint' Folds, Very Few Mind Particularly

Maggie — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:20:08 EST

Bid adieu to Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's Blueprint magazine, according to a memo just sent and to Fishbowlny. Apparently no one read the thing. Not surprising, considering its title, which always invoked to us an awkward how-to-be-fulfilled guide for the 25-45 architect set, rather than the "fresh, fun guide to personal style" it purportedly was. A memo sent to employees this morning says the last standalone issue will be next year's "January/February" issue. "There will be a reduction in staff associated with not publishing Blueprint as a full-frequency magazine, but we expect to re-assign a core team of employees to existing businesses and new projects at MSLO." Lucky ducks! "We believe Blueprint will be more sustainable if leveraged as part of the established Martha Stewart Weddings franchise. Both appeal to women at a similar life stage and we believe this strategy will allow us to better take advantage of the synergistic relationship between the two publications." Synergistic! Leveraged! Sustainable! Franchise! Ah, the empty marketing buzzwords used to confuse the recipients of bad news.

From: Communications Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 10:51 AM To: MSO Subject: Memo from Susan Lyne
MEMO FROM SUSAN LYNE
After much discussion and analysis we have made a decision to produce Blueprint as focused special interest issues within the home category, which we will introduce to brides-to-be through our Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. Bluelines, the Blueprint blog, will continue and we plan to grow Blueprint digital content across our websites. We will discontinue publishing Blueprint magazine on a stand-alone basis after the January/February 2008 issue.

Our strategic plans also call for continuing to build our overall Martha Stewart Weddings business by adding destination weddings issues and further developing our weddings website.

We believe Blueprint will be more sustainable if leveraged as part of the established Martha Stewart Weddings franchise. Both appeal to women at a similar life stage and we believe this strategy will allow us to better take advantage of the synergistic relationship between the two publications. By publishing Blueprint in a special interest format, we can provide newlyweds with useful ideas and inspiration for their homes; and advertisers with a targeted platform to reach this highly desirable consumer.

The moves enable us to redirect a portion of our investment dollars into other high-potential digital media initiatives, further develop our Martha Stewart Weddings franchise and create efficiencies in our Publishing business. There will be a reduction in staff associated with not publishing Blueprint as a full-frequency magazine, but we expect to re-assign a core team of employees to existing businesses and new projects at MSLO.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Sarah, Deb, and Amy, and the entire Blueprint team for the talent, passion, and devotion they brought to this start-up. We love what they created and we'll miss reading Blueprint in print on a regular basis. But we believe these changes will position the company well in this evolving marketplace. We look forward to working with Sarah, Deb, Amy, and other members of the Blueprint team on the new special interest issues and other company endeavors.

Susan

The 'Blueprint' Watch Never Stops: Four, and Counting

Jesse — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 16:15:42 EDT

So first there was just Martha Stewart's new Blueprint. Then there was the centrist Dems' wonky Blueprint. And then also the British design mag called Blueprint. And now a reader in Chicago writes in with perhaps our favorite version: Blueprints, which bills itself as "the produce professionals' quarterly journal." We think that means it's a whole magazine about fruits and vegetables. Which, come to think of it, means you'd really think Martha would have heard of it.

Blueprints [Bluebookprco.com]
Earlier:
Martha Stewart Also to Offer 10 Great Tips for Renovating Your Policy Positions
Third 'Blueprint' Is the Charm

Third 'Blueprint' Is the Charm

Jesse — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:35:02 EDT

Ruh-roh redux: There's even another Blueprint out there, a London-based mag one emailer calls an "esteemed international design pub." We'd tell you more about it, but the site is only available to subscribers and a U.S. subscription costs $140/year. And we don't care that much. But there it is (even if belatedly).

Blueprint Magazine [wdis.co.uk]
Earlier: Martha Stewart Also to Offer 10 Great Tips for Renovating Your Public Policy Positions

Martha Stewart Also to Offer 10 Great Tips for Renovating Your Policy Positions

Jesse — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 11:13:56 EDT

Ruh-roh. A D.C. wonky-type friend emails to point out a potential larger problem for Martha Stewart's new mag than mere revolving editors-in-chief. There's already a magazine called Blueprint, put out by the crusading moderates of the Democratic Leadership Council, and he wonders if there'll be a copyright battle brewing. The answer: Of course not. These are the kinds of centrist Democrats who can't even muster the conviction to battle with Bush, let alone with Martha. Plus, we hear Joe Lieberman always enjoys a good crafts project.

Blueprint Magazine [PPIOnline.org]
Blueprint Magazine [MarthaStewart.com]
Earlier: Martha's 'Blueprint' Snags Time Inc.'s Humphreys

Martha's 'Blueprint' Snags Time Inc.'s Humphreys

Jesse — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 18:27:47 EDT

Eat the Press looks up from the buffet long enough to catch word this afternoon that Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has found an editor-in-chief for Blueprint, its new title aimed at younger women: Sarah Humphreys, formerly special projects director at Time Inc.'s Real Simple. The first issue of Blueprint hit in May, the next is scheduled for August, and we're wracking our brains trying to remember if there was an EIC for that first issue who left amid some sort of controversy. Best we can recall — and best Nexis and Google and our Gawker archive seem to suggest — there wasn't; that first issue was simply overseen by MSLO's development editor, Tom Prince, and now needs its own chief. And that seems fair: Sending your chairman off to prison is enough HR controversy to last any publishing company for some time.

Full press release after the jump.

UPDATE: Right, right right. Rebecca Thuss, the mag's founding EIC and a 10-year vet of MSLO who was previously style director of Martha Stewart Weddings, quit the gig a few weeks before the mag's launch. Whoops.

MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA, INC. TAPS SARAH HUMPHREYS AS EDITOR IN CHIEF OF BLUEPRINT MAGAZINE

New Editor to Lead MSLO's Promising Lifestyle Magazine

NEW YORK, June 21, 2006—Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) has named Sarah Humphreys the Editor in Chief of Blueprint: Design Your Life, a new lifestyle publication for women, ages 25-45. Ms. Humphreys, who most recently served as Special Projects Director of Real Simple magazine, will oversee editorial direction of Blueprint, which provides today's modern, multi-tasking women with inspirational ideas and practical steps to create and refine their own distinctive style in all aspects of their lives.

Ms. Humphreys will collaborate with Debra Bishop, Blueprint's award-winning design director, to implement the creative vision of the magazine. She will also be working with home editor Page Marchese Norman, fashion editor Katie Hatch, and beauty, health and fitness editor Elizabeth Graves, along with the rest of the Blueprint team.

In addition to her magazine responsibilities, Ms. Humphreys will direct development of Blueprint editorial content for other MSLO distribution platforms, including MARTHA, MSLO's nationally-syndicated, live daily "how-to" TV show, and Martha Stewart Living Radio on SIRIUS Satellite Radio. She will also represent the magazine on national and local television and radio shows.

The first test issue of Blueprint arrived on newsstands on May 1, 2006, with an initial rate base of 250,000. The advance subscription sales are well ahead of forecast. A second issue is slated for late August 2006. The company anticipates publishing six issues of Blueprint in 2007.

Martha Stewart, Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, stated: "We are delighted to have Sarah on board as the Blueprint team develops this magazine for women who are designing their homes and their lives. She personifies the target demographic of the magazine and with her experience and leadership skills I feel she will be able to build and guide this newest MSLO property into a strong and vibrant brand."

MSLO's Development Editor Tom Prince, who directed the launch of Blueprint's first test issue, said: "Sarah is more than an accomplished and creative editor. She's stylish and smart, and she lives the life of the Blueprint reader. I'm confident that she will make this new magazine an extraordinary success."

"I'm excited about this opportunity to work at a new magazine that showcases the incredible beauty and utility that Martha Stewart is known for," said Ms. Humphreys. "Blueprint represents a very fresh and unique perspective for an audience of young women who are eager to forge their own personal style."

As Special Projects Director at Real Simple, Ms. Humphreys was responsible for bi-annual special issues and books. She also oversaw the magazine's international editions in Japan, South Africa, and Greece, and appeared as a guest expert on national and local television and radio shows to promote the magazine.

Ms. Humphreys graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in English.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (MSLO) is a leading provider of original "how-to" information, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content and high-quality products. MSLO is organized into four business segments: Publishing, Broadcasting, Merchandising, and Internet. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol MSO.

New Blueprint Editor: Real Simple's Susan Humphreys [ETP/HuffPost]

Martha Stewart Finds Homonyms Bad Things

Jesse — Mon, 22 May 2006 18:10:57 EDT

We were pleased over the weekend to notice at our local magazine stand the first issue of Martha Stewart's new Blueprint magazine. And we would have been even more pleased if she'd been able to hire some premier copy editors for her premiere issue.

Blueprint [MarthaStewart.com]

Media Bubble: Who Cares About Rate Base, So Long as Your Shirt Is Tucked In?

Jesse — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 16:46:17 EDT

• Details missed its rate base on eight of 10 issues in 2005. Fun. [Ad Age]
• Martha Stewart launches Blueprint today in a bid to reach younger readers. There should probably be a joke about Alexis here, but we can't think of one. [NYP]
• Daily Candy remains for sale. [NYM]
• Punch Sulzberger has allegedly said that he'll read the Times on the computer when he can take a computer into the bathroom with him. Now, apparently, he can. [NYT]
• Kurt Andersen thinks we're in a tech bubble again. How does he know? Because Michael Wolff wants in. [NYM]
• Simon Dumenco answers the questions you didn't ask, including whether he has a clothing line and what his jingle sounds like. [Ad Age]
• Existentially speaking, who is Brian Williams? [MW]
• NYT M.E. Jill Abramson's grandfather could have invested early in Paramount Pictures but didn't. [NYSun]