Bloomberg BusinessWeek: A Case for Focused Brand Management

I am an information junkie. I love news. In particular, I love politics and finance. When a magazine combines the two, I subscribe to it. I am a consumer of digital media, but still like to handle the print editions of several publications. 

I have been a subscriber to Business Week since last year, before the ailing magazine was acquired by Bloomberg for $5M plus liabilities. Prior to being acquired, the weekly periodical was something I read if I had time, but it was not a top priority. The content was dry at times and the design outdated.

Bloomberg’s rebranding and revitalization of the 80-year old Business Week has been a huge success. On the print side, the magazine has a revamped cover style, unique color tabbing based on subject, and an aesthetic approach that the magazine lacked before. The content is relevant, with feature pieces complimented by interesting anecdotal facts and figures. On the digital side, the magazine’s reach (as analyzed by Alexa) has increased 10% in the past three months alone.

As an associate at a Boston-based venture capital firm, I found this story of branding significance resonant. Effective content and brand management allows a business to stand out. Sleek and navigable websites allow a company’s offerings to shine through. When examining business growth strategies, one area that can truly enhance the top-line is effective marketing and brand awareness.

When looking for investors, expansion stage companies should look for a firm capable of adding real value in terms of branding and marketing. At OpenView, we have an in-house team of professionals, several of whom focus on marketing strategy and PR. They help companies to enhance there inbound marketing, content management marketing and competitive positioning. The case of Bloomberg Business Week shows how important such efforts can be.