2012 MEDIA KIT
Hip-Hop On A Higher Level Since ’97 Put your product in front of Urban Enthusiasts
XXL’s editorial mission is to take a more mature, real and intelligent approach to hip-hop, with an emphasis on the music and lifestyle that are at the heart and soul of the culture. XXL keeps up with the pace of hip-hop’s dynamic energy and targets the trendsetter who lives for urban music. As the culture continues to evolve, XXL is there to deliver to readers the most progressive view of the music and the culture surrounding it. About the Magazine Published 11x year 136,532 Circulation
About the Reader
Male Readers: 78% Median Age: 27 Median HHI: $47,007 College Educated: 44.7% African American: 67%
Rates Display Rates: $495.00 per inch (2.25” w x 1” h)
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Simply complete the order form and How to Place fax it back to us at (352) 597-6201 or mail it to: America’s MediaMarketing, 13169 Jacqueline Rd., Your Ad Brooksville, FL 34613. Or call (800) 675-7636. ®
The No.1 Selling Music Magazine on the Newsstand!*
175,000
150,000
125,000
$5.99 XXL 103,617 $4.99 100,000 Rolling Stone 93,645
75,000
50,000
$4.99 SPIN 25,556 25,000
0
XXL significantly outsells The Source, Complex and vibe, which are not included, as they are not abc audited publications.
To get more newsstand facts, contact your XXL sales rep at 212.807.7100.
* According to ABC FAS-FAX. Single-copy sales circulation averages for six months ending June 30, 2011
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The Reader
XXL speaks to the rap-music generation. The readers are the purveyors of hip-hop culture and consume music, fashion and lifestyle on a level that defies logic. They are in the clubs, online, onstage and at retail shops—anywhere they can gain access to or create the music. They are the producers, the artists and the DJs. From the kid on the street to the record executive in his suite, XXL readers are part of a movement and helped build XXL to become the No.1 most influential brand in rap media. The fans are powerful consumers and are connected to the streets—with the ability to influence others and make or break brands. They are the voices of the neighborhood and the earliest adopters of new products. XXL is the No.1 selling ABC-audited music publication on newsstands worldwide and is the premier hip-hop media brand. XXL has set the standard in rap music journalism, with the best writers and photographers in the industry and chronicles all that’s relevant in hip-hop culture. After more than a decade of dominance, XXL has maintained its status as the most respected hip-hop music magazine by both consumers and the industry alike.
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DEMOGRAPHICS
XXL’s editorial mission is to take a more mature, real and intelligent approach to hip-hop, with an emphasis on the music and lifestyle that are at the heart and soul of the culture. XXL keeps up with the pace of hip-hop’s dynamic energy and targets the trendsetter who lives for urban music. As the culture continues to evolve, XXL is there to deliver the most progressive view of the music and the culture surrounding it.
XXL conducted a survey in the July 2008 issue to measure our current readership. Survey highlights, with respect to age, income, gender and ethnicity, are below.
GENDER AGE Male: 78% Under 18: 6% Female: 22% 18-20: 11% 21-24: 21% INCOME 25-29: 29% Median: $47,007 30-34: 16% Average: $56,571 35-39: 11% 40-49: 5% ETHNICITY* 50+: 1% African-American: 67% Caucasian/White: 18% 21+: 83% Hispanic/Latino: 19% Asian: 1% Median Age: 27 *Exceeds 100%, reflecting mixed ethnicities Average Age: 29
XXL is MRI protoyped. Please contact your sales representative for XXL MRI data.
Survey fielded in the July 2008 issue In making decisions regarding the suitability of magazines for your advertising plans, the information enclosed is the best estimate of XXL’s readership that Harris Publications can provide as of November 1, 2009. We believe this data to be an accurate reflection of our readership; however, the survey results are a sampling of our readership and do not (as it is physically impossible) poll every single reader. Harris Publications encourages you to use these numbers as a guide and conduct your own prototyping, comparing our magazine to similar magazines in their categories, when making your advertising decisions. Survey conducted by Touchpoint Research, under the management and supervision of DJG Marketing. The XXL Prototype is available upon request for use on IMS, Telmar and MEMRI for the Spring 2009 MRI Study. Agency research departments can contact Steve Douglas or Debbie Kaplan at DJG Marketing, by phone at 212.370.9700, or via e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions.
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MAKING HISTORY
OLD SCHOOL — A GREAT DAY IN HIP-HOP
In the fall of 1998, XXL was a budding magazine just five issues deep and looking to make a statement. On September 29, the editors made rap history when they gathered more than 200 hip-hop stars to recreate the famed jazz portrait “A Great Day in Harlem.” It was dubbed “A Great Day in Hip-Hop” and was shot by famed photographer Gordon Parks in the same spot in Harlem as the original photo.
NEW SCHOOL — XXL FRESHMAN CLASS: PRESENTED BY COLGATE MAX FRESH
On March 21, 2010, XXL held a concert featuring artists from the Freshman 10 for ’10 issue, which highlights new hip-hop tal- ent. Over 900 hip-hop fans attended the showcase at New York’s Highline Ballroom, which featured performances by Cam’ron, Doug E. Fresh, Estelle, Ryan Leslie, MTV2’s DJ Envy, Nipsey Hu$$le, Donnis, Jay Rock, Vado, Pill and Freddie Gibbs.
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Editorial Breakdown 360: What Goes Around 360 is the first section of XXL magazine and includes the latest hip-hop news, short interviews with artists and industry insiders, and trend and humor pieces. Some of the special monthly columns in 360 include Step Your Rap Game Up, a callout to rappers with subpar lyrics; Murder to XXLence, where Shaheem Reid goes one on one with today’s hottest rappers; and Picture This, the photo of the month. Show & Prove Here, the editors pick four up-and-coming artists of the month. Readers get the scoop on who they are, their new music and their industry co-signs. features With the highest journalistic standards by the best writers in the industry, XXL feature stories include interviews with today’s biggest stars and articles exploring the music, trends and defining moments of hip-hop culture. Every issue is packed with hard- hitting and well-reported, top-notch rap journalism. x-rated The most important part of hip-hop is the music. In X-Rated, the section where size matters, the editors critique and discuss the tracks, albums and artists that make up rap music today. In addition to informed reviews, other standout sections in X-Rated include Swagger Jacker, lyrics and beats borrowed from the past; and Chairman’s Choice, featuring artists and albums for true underground heads. eye candy There’s always room for a beautiful girl. The Eye Candy section features photos and interviews with the hottest, most wanted video vixens. doin’ lines Prove (Pusha T fi lls in all the blanks.)
& xWhere Sizerated Matters ( - ) WHAT GOES AROUND(What Goes Around) SWAGGER JACKER JUMP-OFF BORROWER DRAKE COMMON Take Care “SWEET”
Show (Young Money/Cash Money/Universal) “Wada dada, wada dada da dang/The C-O-double-M-O-N, I’m not playin’.” S M L XL XXL LENDER XXL KRS-ONE “9MM GOES BANG” doin’ lines “Wada da dang, wada da da dang (Ay!)/Listen to my 9-millimeter XL go bang.”
Better L BORROWER LIL WAYNE M “THE REAL HER” S “’Cause to her I’m just a rapper, and soon she’ll have met another/So if tonight’s an accident, tomorrow we’ll recover.” Way BEATS LYRICS ORIGINALITY A fill-in-the-blank Q&A can always gauge a rapper’s In the aftermath of Call Drake emotional. Say he sings too much. Characterize him as cocky. None of that has halted LENDER Jay-Z and Kanye West’s his ascent to the top of the charts. In fact, his ability to disarm any slights against him and DRAKE “MISS ME” internalize them has resulted in the 25-year-old’s becoming a leading voice across mainstream “I don’t judge her, I don’t judge her, but I could never love successful fi ght to keep her/’Cause to her I’m just a rapper, and soon she’ll have met music. Now, with his sophomore eff ort, Take Care, a little more than a year removed from another.” Watch the Throne from grappling with newfound fame on Thank Me Later, Drake has fully embraced his current leaking online, hip-hop position, insistent that he deserves it and confi dent that he won’t let it go. BORROWER Drizzy lays out that perspective on the album’s fi rst two lines, via the piano-driven “Over My MEEK MILL “STUNT” takes note for the future. “I get anything I want/Started in the back, now I’m that nigga Dead Body,” where he raps, “I think I killed everybody in the game last year, man/Fuck it, I was on, in the front.” state of mind. though/And I thought I found the girl of my dreams at a strip club/Fuck it, I was wrong, though.” The uncompromising lyricism continues on “Underground Kings,” “HYFR (Hell Ya Fuckin LENDER 1. Other than God, I fear disappointing my dad. 11. Besides myself, the best lyricist this year was Jay-Z. ay-Z and Kanye West’s joint album, Watch the Throne, received almost as much attention for its airtight release strategy, which Right),” “Headlines” and the Just Blaze–produced “Lord Knows.” The last number includes RICK ROSS “PANDEMONIUM” 2. The last line I heard that I wish I wrote was 2 Chainzís ìIím smoking 12. The next Clipse album will be called As God as My Witness and will “I got a penny in my pocket, million in the trunk/Started in the ensured that the highly anticipated LP didn’t leak even one day early, as it did for the music itself. Rick Ross, one of the six rap features on the album—Lil Wayne (twice), Andre 3000, Nicki Minaj back, now we the niggas in the front.” on exotic, my girl ainít got no stomach/Every time we have sex, she be a classic because it will touch on the whole dichotomy of the Clipse, For quite possibly the fi rst time since the advent of the Internet age, a major hip-hop release didn’t come out online before its and Kendrick Lamar—each fi ttingly placed and complementary in their appeal. (Rihanna, The always ask me for 100.î the street perspective vs. the conscious perspective. on-sale date. The tactics deployed by Def Jam and both Jay’s and Kanye’s teams to collectively guarantee no leakage actually worked. Weeknd and Stevie Wonder’s harmonica also appear.) Some of Drake’s vulnerabilities also seem BORROWER 3. Tyler, the Creator and I talk about our fashion differences. He 13. As a father, Pusha T will be the best who ever did it. In its fi rst week available, WTT sold 436,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan—321,000 digital and 115,000 hard copy—and to have withered away, and the unfi ltered honesty that connected with many is more sporadic PAC DIV “THE GREATNESS” calls my shit ìrich-nigga clothes,î and I call his shit ìBrady Bunch shit.î debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart as well as on iTunes in 23 countries. than in the past, although “Look What You’ve Done” tugs on the heartstrings, as Drake delves “The underdogs ’bout to go for the win/No I.D. on the track, let 14. ìAutomaticî is a song off my solo album that is so automatic I have to the story begin.” 4. As imagined, the Throne team took incredible precautions to avoid piracy. Hov and ’Ye didn’t record in studios, instead opting deep into his relationships with his mother and his uncle, both of whom raised him. Hook writing is my biggest defi ciency as an MC. stop myself from putting it out too early. for makeshift setups in hotels such as New York City’s Mercer hotel. All collaborators were forced to record in person, so nobody Not surprisingly, females are the topic du jour on Take Care, with tales about past lovers LENDER 5. The fondest memory I have about the “G.O.O.D. Friday” series is 15. Big Sean is a new MC that I feel has the potential to be an all-time could e-mail their contributions, risking theft. The recording space was Internet free. And in addition to these strategies, all (“Marvin’s Room”) and potential lovers (“The Real Her”), about honoring women (“Make Me KANYE WEST “BIG BROTHER” watching Mos Def do ìLord Lord Lord.î He pulled out his own mic. It was great. sessions were saved to password-protected external hard drives that were locked in a briefcase accessible by only three trusted Proud”) and commodifying them (“We’ll Be Fine”). The Toronto native expertly juggles his “Who was Hip Hop brother, who was No I.D. friend/No I.D. my incredible. (Los) mentor, now let the story begin.” singing and rapping, confi rming his growing songwriting abilities. Still, things become too R&B- 16. The Juice Crew is a legendary hip-hop crew I wish never engineers, according to Billboard. 6. This Christmas, I’m only buying gifts for children and not fo r CARLOS “LOS” COLEMAN is one cocky dude. But it’s hard to hate on his swagga. After initially turning down a chance to ink with centric toward the end, when Drake’s crooning carries three straight cuts, without a single bar spit. disbanded. Furthermore, WTT was made available only on iTunes for the fi rst fi ve days of its release, not as a hard copy in traditional retail outlets. Once BORROWER grown-ups. the LP went on sale digitally, the material was then sent to record plants, to press up physical product, saving the album from having to go to Diddy in 2002, only to be sought after by the Bad Boy CEO a second time years later, the Baltimore native has acquired an almost The album’s strongest suit is its sonic cohesion. Led by T.dot all-stars 40 and T-Minus, J YOUNG CHRIS 17. The last time I lost a battle had to be a Re-Up Gang cypher for one factories in advance and, therefore, limiting the chance of the creation of unauthorized copies. “Basically, we didn’t want anybody devaluing the legendary status in some hip-hop circles, bolstered by an unfailing stream of mixtapes. “People are already placing me in their top who, combined, produced 12 of the 17 tracks, Take Care is somber and mellow, cold but not “D.O.A. (DEAD ON ARRIVAL)” 7. When my brother starts recording again, I suggest all fake MCs fi ve,” says the 27-year-old MC. of the mixtapes. hard work, especially with those two guys,” says Lenny S., Jay-Z’s longtime A&R. “We want it respected the same way you buy a nice suit, a piece unwelcoming. Its ethereal chords, delicate strings and subtle percussion provide a steady mood “Watch them niggas that’s close to you/Make sure they do what run and hide. He dropped his fi rst mixtape, Los Freestyles, in 2000 and enjoyed a moderate buzz, before trying out for, and making, the fi nal cut they supposed to do/You know they be thinkin’ ’bout smokin’ of couture clothing or a car. You don’t want someone driving your car weeks before you buy it.” and tone that is both dense and structured. Coupled with Drake’s voice, cadence and multiple 8. 18. I think Occupy Wall Street is much needed for the awareness. of MTV’s Making the Band in 2002. But he opted out. “I didn’t want to be in a group,” Los explains. Diddy, however, remembered Los, and you/Nothin’ personal, nowadays it’s the ways.” I record ˇ v e songs a month, and the public gets to hear as many as Now the question is whether other labels will use Hov and ’Ye’s plan as a bulletproof blueprint to avoid their own leaks. “When you look at fl ows, the sound bed creates a captivating and enveloping listening experience. after a 10-minute freestyle audition, he fi nally signed him in early 2006. After nearly two years on the roster, though, Los left when I can leak. 19. I will never cut my hair because… Yo, Charlamagne Tha God wants these type of blockbuster or tentpole releases, [you think], This should be the strategy,” says Joe Fleischer, the chief marketing offi cer at BigCham- Overall, Take Care’s sum is greater than its parts. This isn’t a drawback—especially in hip-hop’s LENDER a legal situation with his other label, the Baltimore-based indie Da Bloc Inc., soured the deal. 9. me to; Iíll cut my hair eventually. current climate, where new material comes and goes. As Drake continues to fi nd his voice and NAS “WATCH DEM NIGGAS” Traveling overseas has opened my eyes to the value of the dollar pagne, a business-intelligence and media-tracking company. Since the split, Los has built his brand online, releasing 10 mixtapes and a slew of freestyles that display his uncanny wordplay, “Watch dem niggas that be close to you/And make sure they bill. 20. Delivering three solid verses is the toughest thing about being a TO HEAR MUSIC FROM THESE SHOW & PROVE ARTISTS, CHECK OUT XXLMAG.COM. stay true to himself, he’s put his team in place to take care of the rap game for the near future. So is this the start of something new? With a fl urry of hip-hop albums coming down the pike from artists such as Drake, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre and and his YouTube channel has nearly seven million views. “As quickly as he raps and as much as he is really saying, I would put him in a do what they supposed to do/’Cause you know they be thinkin’ —ADAM FLEISCHER 10. Pharrell advice. —SHAHEEM REID maybe even Jay-Z, only time will tell. —JESSE GISSEN category of a Jadakiss, Nas, or even go as far as Eminem,” says DJ Ill Will, who hosted Los’s 2010 mixtape, Shooter. ’Til next time. about smokin’ you/Never personal, nowadays it’s the ways.” I call late at night when I need solo artist. Now aligned with After Platinum Records (the label that helped bring Cory Gunz to Young Money), and off the release of Worth the Wait in July, Los is juggling calls from major labels while he crafts his 11th mixtape, The Crown Ain’t Safe. “Maybe I’m fi lling some sort VISIT XXLMAG.COM/REVIEWS FOR A DAILY BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE LATEST HIP-HOP MIXTAPES AND ALBUMS. LOG ON TO XXLMAG.COM FOR MORE ON WATCH THE THRONE . of void for people that want better content,” Los says. “If I can be that person, then that’s what works.” FOR MORE FROM PUSHA T, GO TO XXLMAG.COM.
C VERNON COLEMAN II MAX MILLI
Los’s way. — . JASON GOLDWATCH ILLUSTRATION: CRISTIANO SIQUEIRA REPRESENTED BY ERIKAILLUSTRATIONS.COM » » »
NOVEMBER 2011 XXLMAG.COM DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012 109 XXLMAG.COM OCTOBER 2011 021 044 XXLMAG.COM 122 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012 XXLMAG.COM
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1115 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 /// Tel 212.807.7100 Fax 212.807.0216 /// xxlmag.com ® lifestyle THE GOOD LIFE In hip-hop, fashion and lifestyle have become almost as impor- tant as the music. In The Good Life, you’ll find everything hip- hop is rocking, what you should be copping and then some.
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XXLMAG.COM (STATS)
HOMEPAGE >>> NEWS >>> Displays every section the site has Up-to-the-minute news on the latest to offer, News, Features, Bangers, in hip-hop and featurettes on the Bloggers, Video, Reviews, Maga- game’s most prominent rappers. zine and Contests. XXL VIDEO >>> FEATURES >>> Entirely produced in-house, XXL’s Find out the latest on your favorite video content allows users to go MC through XXL’s exclusive online behind the scenes of its cover Q&As. shoots, watch exclusive interviews with the game’s brightest stars BLOGGERS >>> and view footage from recent XXLmag.com features in-depth hip-hop shows. blogs from the staff and notable guest stars including Ron Mexico, CONTESTS >>> Byron Crawford and rapper Exclusive contests and promo- Killer Mike. tions available to readers. When affiliated with an advertiser, an BANGERS >>> opt-in component is available. The site’s most popular section, Bangers premieres exclusive MAGAZINE >>> XXLmag.com is the most credible hip-hop singles and videos and features XXL’s magazine content is the latest rap leaks on a daily previewed online before each website on the net. An extension of XXL maga- basis. issue’s newsstand date. zine—the No.1 ABC-audited hip-hop publica- tion on newsstands worldwide— XXLmag.com EYE CANDY >>> TWITTER >>> The industry’s hottest video Follow the staff on Twitter on provides up-to-the-minute hip-hop news and models are featured in sexy, the site to get the latest hip-hop music, exclusive online features, blogs from yet tasteful pictorials. There is updates firsthand. the web’s most respected bloggers and origi- also Web Candy for the hotties not yet in videos. REVIEWS >>> nal video content produced in-house. XXLmag. XXL reviews the latest hip-hop and com won a VH1 award for best hip-hop web- R&B albums. site, is often referred to as the CNN of hip-hop, and is truly hip-hop on a higher level.
MONTHLY PAGE VIEWS: MONTHLY UNIQUE VISITORS: 5,281,435 1,014,085
Traffic data as of December 2010
AD RATES 728x90: Leaderboards $20 CPM (top and/or bottom of every page) 300x250: Medium Rectangle $25 CPM (above the fold on every page within content) 160x600: Wide Skyscraper $20 CPM (left hand side of every page) SUPERHEADER UNIT, 970x270: $40 CPM (top of page) WALLPAPER: $35 CPM RICH MEDIA: $4 CPM surcharge (if XXLmag.com pays serving fees) EMAIL NEWSBLASTS: $25 CPM CUSTOM MARKETING PROGRAMS: Custom microsites, wallpapers, site skins, section sponsorships, expandable creative, custom creative, roadblocks, email blasts, video pre-and-post-roll, contests and online/print integrated marketing programs are available upon request.
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EVENTS
XXL hosts premium events ranging from product launches to charity fundraisers, concerts and issue-release parties. Events uniquely connect with the artists, influencers and fans of hip-hop music and culture. Some of our past events have included:
DEF JAM 25TH HIP-HOP ANNIVERSARY SOUL PARTY In support of Black Music XXL hosted an exclu- Month and to promote sive event to celebrate the launch of Hip- Hop Def Jam Records’ 25th Soul, XXL teamed up with Anniversary. Def Jam Rémy Martin to host an artists mingled with con- exclusive event in New sumers at this NYC event. York City, with special XXL partnered with Rémy live performances by Martin and Hot 97 on this Chrisette Michelle and star-studded event. Musiq Soulchild.
XXL LIVE EIGHT732 Remy Martin was the LAUNCH & title sponsor of XXL Live, a six-city summer YOUNG JEEZY 2010 concert tour with BIRTHDAY events in New York, Los XXL helped promote Angeles, Chicago, Miami, the official launch of Washington, D.C., and Young Jeezy’s Eight732 San Francisco featur- clothing line by hosting a ing live performances by VIP flight-themed birthday Trina, Wale, Twista, The soiree at a converted Clipse and Three 6 Mafia. airport hangar in Atlanta.
RISING SUMMER STARS JAM XXL teamed up with XXL is the official Heineken to create a magazine sponsor of 360-degree integrat- Hot 97’s annual hip-hop ed marketing program music festival, Summer aligning the brand with Jam, held at Giants some of the most influ- Stadium, and the ential, ground-breaking publisher of the special- artists in hip-hop, R&B edition Summer Jam and neo-soul. concert program.
1115 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 /// Tel 212.807.7100 Fax 212.807.0216 /// XXLMAG.COM ® INTEGRATED- MARKETING PROGGRAMS (CAS E S T UDIES )
HEINEKEN Opportunity: Team up with Heineken to create a 360-degree integrated-marketing program aligning HARLEY-DAVIDSON CUSTOM BUILDS the brand with some of the most influential, ground- Opportunity: Increase Harley-Davidson’s awareness and breaking artists in hip-hop, R&B and neo-soul. relevance in the urban market, and brand Harley with celebrities Solution: XXL selected “Rising Stars” who were who are leaders and influencers in the urban market. profiled in-book and online in a sponsored editorial Solution: Harris Publications created a custom program in column in the magazine, on the homepage of the web- which we partnered with rappers Ludacris and Pharrell and site, on a microsite and in custom interactive super- radio personality Funkmaster Flex to build four custom celebrity- headers which lived on XXLmag.com and third-party designed bikes over a two-year campaign. Each custom build hip-hop sites. Print and online profiles explored the was showcased on a digital microsite and print ran in XXL and artists’ careers, backgrounds, musical influences and RIDES. XXL/RIDES invited readers to share their ideas for their lifestyle. Consumers could hear tracks, watch videos, ultimate dream custom bike, which were then used to inspire read bios, follow the artists on tour and engage with a custom gold Harley-Davidson motorcycle, given away to a them via social media. consumer winner. Result: The program was a true cross-media integra- Result: The program significantly raised Harley-Davidson’s tion, ran throughout the year in every issue of XXL profile among urban consumers, generated considerable grass- and cultminated with a New York event celebrating roots buzz, provided lead generation for the client and were the achievement in music. In addition, XXL ran a nationwide subject of videos displayed in Harley-Davidson dealerships. The contest in which consumers nominated themselves to bikes went on a nationwide tour including concerts, car shows be Rising Stars, with the winner receiving a trip to a VIP and bike shows, with Ludacris’ bike ultimately being featured at concert in New York. the Harley-Davidson museum.
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INTEGRATED- MARKETING PROGGRAMS (CA S E S T UDIE S )
EA SPORTS Opportunity: Create an online program to promote Fight Night 4, fusing boxing and hip- hop into one cohesive campaign. Solution: XXL launched “Battle of the Rap Ring,” Football at Historically Black Colleges and Universities has a long tradition of great games, an online contest in historical rivalries, epic gridiron moments, halftime shows, coaching legends, bands, tailgating and off- which 16 finalists com- the-field revelry. From the Circle City Classic to the Bayou Classic, XXL and Coors Light celebrate Game Day with a look at the season ahead, saluting the grand tradition of Black College Football. peted head-to-head in real time, live rap battles. XXL built a custom microsite, used a voice call-in application with voting capabilities, and allowed our web community to vote. At the end of the four-week period, the final two contestants came into the XXL offices to battle head-to-head. This final battle was streamed on COORS LIGHT XXL Video with the winner appearing in-book. Opportunity: Partner with Coors Light to promote the brand’s Result: EA Sports solidified the “Fight Night” franchise sponsorship of Historically Black College & University (HBCU) with XXL readers by receiving over 10,000,000 print and Football Classics. online impressions and 2 million consumers exposed to Solution: XXL created a 4-page advertorial showcasing the history the Battle of the Rap Ring promotion. of the games, tailgating, historic rivalries, great moments on the field, halftime shows and the proud tradition of HBCU Football Classics. This unit ran in the magazine, online and as a custom stand-alone brochure distributed at Coors Light retailers, promotional events and football games. Result: Coors Light, long a leading beer brand in the African- American market, raised awareness of their HBCU initiatives, reach- ing consumers via a non-traditional marketing message showing the brand’s support of Black colleges, scholarships and achievement.
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WEB PROGRAMS (CASE STUDIES)
SCION Opportunity: Develop an online program to unite the Scion brand with the true hip-hop fanatic in a subtle, credible manner, steering away from overt lo- gos and branding. Solution: XXL created a social-networking application, XXLBlockTalk.com, to host a first of its kind online rap battle. The program attracted aspiring MCs, was in line with Scion’s organic approach to marketing and included user listening and voting capabilities. Entrants had their own profile page and virally promoted themselves to garner votes in the competition. Result: The rap battle attracted more than 650 aspiring MCs, with more than 490,000 unique visitors exposed to Scion online branding. Between the microsite, online and offline promotion, and the winner being profiled in XXL magazine, Scion was able to organically integrate their brand into the fabric of the urban and hip-hop community.
PEPSI Opportunity: Promote Pepsi’s DJ Division campaign and drive aspiring DJs to join the competition to become the next Superstar DJ. Solution: Pepsi became the exclusive sponsor of Gcast, an XXLmag.com real-time audio blog where rappers called in to let fans hear what they’re up to and live vicariously through them. In addition to hearing from superstar rappers, renowned DJs participating in Pepsi’s DJ Division audio blogged on the site. Result: The campaign organically integrated Pepsi into the content of the site, uniting the brand with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and DJ culture. In addition to traffic on XXLmag.com, the DJ blogs generated a large amount of exposure and awareness in the hip-hop community through third- party sites and podcast streams.
T-MOBILE Opportunity: Build awareness and excitement around T-Mobile’s limited- edition D-Wade Sidekick 3 launch. Solution: XXLmag.com created a turnkey promotion around one of our readers’ most anticipated events, All-Star Weekend. The program effortlessly linked the Sidekick 3 designed by Dwyane Wade, All-Star Weekend and XXL via a custom-drawn cartoon series following two fans’ All-Star Weekend adventures as they used the Sidekick to find D-Wade. Users were invited to enter a sweepstakes to win a limited-edition Sidekick 3. Result: XXL generated more than 10,000 online entries from the customized promotion, creating huge enthusiasm for the Sidekick, building up T-Mobile’s mailing list.
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Custom Publishing
Harris Publications provides custom publishing solutions for clients including Nike, Sirius Satellite Radio, Emmis Broadcasting, Foot Locker, adidas and Rémy Martin. Custom publishing is one part of larger promotional programs providing customized marketing solutions to help further brand penetration in the urban market. Some of our custom publishing projects have included:
hot 97’s jay-z at radio summer jam city music hall As sponsor of the Hot 97 annual mega For the 10th anniversary of Jay-Z’s event, Summer Jam, XXL offers first album, Reasonable Doubt, XXL advertisers the opportunity to reach published a story documenting the 55,000 fans who attend the largest hip- making of the classic rap LP. The hop concert of the summer through article was so well-received that this exclusive concert program. Every when Jay performed at the year XXL creates a custom program anniversary celebration at Radio for the big show, profiling the artists City Music Hall on June 25, 2006, performing onstage that year. Def Jam asked XXL to produce a program for this historic event.
xxl presents the anger hip-hop soul management tour 3 XXL’s softer side is Hip-Hop Soul, In 2005, XXL sponsored The a magazine that provides an Anger Management Tour 3 and insightful look into the soulful produced the program for the world of R&B. Hip-Hop Soul is a ultrasuccessful nationwide tour. custom-published special edition The custom publishing project series featuring exclusive artist in- was created as a mini-magazine, terviews, music reviews, behind- designed with similar editorial the-scenes coverage, lifestyle sections found in XXL, and featured and fashion—all that is hot and a CD compilation of artists on relevant in R&B. tour inside.
xxl presents xxl presents xxl dvd shade45 magazine vol. 1 When Eminem launched his rap radio XXL’s multimedia prowess includes channel, Shade45, on Sirius, to reach a first-ever XXL DVD Magazine the 18- to 34-year-old hip-hop fan, distributed on newsstands XXL created a magazine to educate worldwide. The disc featured hip-hop heads about satellite radio, 90 minutes of exclusive footage how it works and how to get it, and it with rap’s biggest stars and was also gave info on some of the artists polybagged with a complementary that would be featured on the chan- 32-page collector’s edition nel. The ultimate goal of the magazine magazine. was to boost subscriptions for Sirius.
When the special Shade45 XXL edition hit newsstands, awareness for the channel seemed to increase tenfold overnight. It was not only exciting to see our personalities in print across the country, but to be connected with an exclusive brand like XXL was a great look for Sirius Satellite Radio.
--- Geronimo, Sirius Satellite Radio, Director of Programming, Hip-Hop
1115 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 /// Tel 212.807.7100 Fax 212.807.0216 /// xxlmag.com ®
2012 publishing schedule issue # On Sale space Close art Due
MARCH (#139) jan. 31 Dec. 6 Dec. 20 Bonus Distribution at the annual Magic Fashion Convention—Las Vegas
APRIL (#140) March 6 Jan. 10 Jan. 24 2012 Freshman Class/Spring Fashion
MAY (#141) April 10 Feb. 14 Feb. 28
JUNE (#142) May 15 March 20 April 3
HOT 97 June 3 April 10 April 24 SUMMER JAM*
JULY/aug (#143) June 26 May 1 May 15
SEPTEMBER (#144) JuLY 31 June 5 June 19 15th Anniversary Issue plus Fall Fashion with Bonus Distribution at the annual Magic Fashion Convention—Las Vegas
OCTOBER (#145) Sept. 4 July 10 July 24
NOVEMBER (#146) Oct. 9 Aug. 14 Aug. 28
DEC/JAn ’13 (#147) Nov. 20 Sept. 25 Oct. 9 Holiday Gift Guide/Winter Fashion
Editorial themes are tentative and subject to change
* summer jam dates are subject to change
1115 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 /// Tel 212.807.7100 Fax 212.807.0216 /// xxlmag.com ®
IN THE NEWS
1115 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 /// Tel 212.807.7100 Fax 212.807.0216 /// XXLMAG.COM