Dan Cresta, Strategy Director of Naked Communications, chooses Waitrose Food Illustrated
May 2009
"I feel it’s a really well-executed magazine that doesn’t just reflect Waitrose values, it starts hugely valuable conversations amongst its foodie customers – and in the process it must be creating hundreds of ‘foodie’ ambassadors for Waitrose.
The challenge for this magazine is clearly to define and develop Waitrose’s food values, and it does this in a very sure-footed way – perhaps not surprisingly, as the magazine has been going for ten years now. The art direction and editorial quality is excellent, with plenty to whet the appetite and get the pages turning.
But subtlety is an important part of the package of values, so this is not all about celebrity chefs, it’s focussed very much on the food itself.
It’s good to see that this editorial confidence extends to the pages devoted to product advertising – these can often let the side down in less well managed environments, where the desire, or need for revenues can result in a disruptive front half glut of shiny DPS ads .
Any negatives? Well, £2.50 for this much magazine seems a lot compared to the rivals – but then the cardholders get it for free, and everyone I know who reads the magazine talks about food, and frequently Waitrose, with a genuine passion and affection - and that’s the heart of the project."
