Online-Only Move Not So Kraft-y
I was extremely disappointed last week when the latest issue of Kraft’s Food & Family magazine arrived in my mailbox.
No, not because I don’t like the publication. I love it. I was disappointed because a cover flap announced this would be the last print issue. Next issue, Food and Family becomes an online-only publication.
I can understand the why behind the move, but I don’t like it.
As a writer and editor who works at a publishing company that—shockers!—likes to make and save money, I completely get why Kraft is doing this. Going online saves paper and postage costs and allows them to get interactive with their audience.
But as a consumer and reader, I loved getting the print magazine several times a year, particularly the holiday issue with all the quick seasonal recipe ideas. Every time it arrived I ended up making at least one if not several of the dishes suggested—and I of course ran out to buy Kraft products to do so.
Just the way print catalogs drive online shoppers to buy, so did the Food and Family magazine drive me to load up my shopping cart with Kraft salad dressings or Philly cream cheese or Ritz crackers or whatever ingredients I needed to try something new.
I’m sure the new Web only edition will be just grand. But will an e-mail link to a Web site have the same impact the magazine sitting on my coffee table did? For me, not likely.
Still, I have to give Kraft credit for trying, even if they did cause me to pound my head against the computer earlier today.
The cover flap announcing the change invites subscribers to go online and get $5 worth of coupons. Sure, I bit. Even though I often forget to actually bring the coupons to the market, I love getting them. Who doesn’t?
I logged on and typed in my code and my zip code. Then, I was prompted for my member name and password. Member name? I have no idea. I guess I created an account when I signed up for the magazine four or so years ago. I ask for a reminder and fumble, since I can’t even remember which e-mail account I was using then.
Finally, I get it right, get my name and PW and type them in…and I’m told the password isn’t valid. I try several times and realize that they’ve probably changed their security measures since then and require a password with more characters or numbers or something. I fumble around the site some more, access my profile and change the password, which gets me to the coupon page.
There, I select the coupons I want (ooohh..75-cents off Oreos!), click print and am told I need to download their couponing software. ARRRRRAGH!!!!
Still, by now I want the damn coupons, even if it kills me. A few more clicks and I have my coupons, which I’ll likely never bring to the store. But they’re mine, ha ha.
Anyway, I’ll give Kraft the benefit of the doubt that their new online version of Food & Family will be the best thing. And hey, get me a coupon and that cheese might even be your brand’s.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
as a former print journalist, i do find the decline of magazines a little sad.
but it is exciting to see companies investing in online. it stinks that Kraft created a frustrating user experience. if the company gets its digital strategy together it can open up a lot of options for a level of customer interaction not available in a traditional print magazine.
move a magazine online; save a tree!
November 5th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Hi Beth,
General Mills with their Pillsbury and Betty Crocker brands still send print editions! You may want to check those out, and they also do online. Multichannel, what a concept! With recipes, I do think people want to hold the books close by as they create the dishes and great cooks have pride in their worn-our print editions to prove they really can and do cook.