As editorial project manager for Truth Publishing, I was charged with creating a new niche brand to reach new audiences and create new revenue streams. I headed a cross-departmental committee that determined the niche (food), platforms (website and digital magazine) and editorial plan for what would become Flavor 574.
I worked with our multimedia design specialist to create a framework and design for the new Flavor574.com, putting an emphasis on beautiful photography, readability and clean design. I worked with the external CMS development team to implement the design, with an eye for functionality and ease of use for our readers.
Meanwhile, I grew Flavor 574’s audience in anticipation of the April 2014 launch through social media outreach (Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus) and email marketing (MailChimp). Since the website’s launch in April 2014, I continued growing those audiences and using them to help drive readership for the website. In spring 2015, I added Instagram to the mix and adjusted our strategy with Pinterest.
As editor for Flavor574.com, I ensured that the website was updated daily with quality restaurant news, features, recipes and commentary to serve our community and mission. I worked with reporters and editors from The Elkhart Truth newsroom, freelance writers and photographers, and community bloggers to create and publish a range of content.
I also worked with our internal development team to continually improve and optimize the website to retain visitors and attract new ones.
Awards
In April 2015, Flavor 574 won the Truth first place in its division for Best Use of Digital Platforms in the Indiana Associate Press Media Editors Journalism Contest. Judges wrote: “The site is lively and engaging with a nice mix of restaurants and cooking tips.”
In March 2015, the Flavor 574 digital magazine won an Award of Excellence for tablet magazine design in the Society for News Design’s 2014 Best of Digital Design contest.
In Dec. 2014, the Truth received the Hoosier State Press Association’s James W. Brown Innovation Award for its work on Flavor 574’s website and digital magazine. The award honors a newsroom initiative to serve new readers and is only awarded when judges see fit. It was last awarded to The Indianapolis Star in 2010.
In Oct. 2014, the Truth received the second-place award for Best Online Innovation from the Inland Press Association for Flavor 574. “The focus on expanding the food franchise to tablet-based digital periodicals and a robust web site are pretty aggressive undertakings in such a small market,” the judges wrote. “The end result is a very colorful and friendly digital magazine that includes multimedia and a colorful website that seems to have a large collection of useful content in multiple food-related touchpoints.”
