By Mari Sato
Mass media enterprise, Condé Nast, has been an authority in fashion for over 100 years, establishing its roots in the industry upon purchasing Vogue in 1909. However, the company has grown to encompass much more than that, owning over 80 platforms worldwide and specializing in a wide variety of subjects. This past Tuesday, SMU welcomed Eric Gillin, the chief business officer for US revenue at Condé Nast, who offered insight into the media company’s business strategies and the financial aspects of journalism.
For any media organization, differentiating itself among a never-ending amount of content and platforms is one of the most challenging aspects of capturing the modern audience, especially when trying to generate ad revenue. Gillin cites screen addiction, media fragmentation, and a massive decrease in news story clicks as the most complex barriers for platforms to reach audiences. However, at Condé Nast, they believe that culture is relevant, a differentiator, and the key performance indicator. The company manifests this belief by targeting individual audiences and designing the best for each magazine: Vogue is the best in fashion, GQ specializes in technology and entertainment, and Allure excels in beauty. Gillin explained that Condé Nast helps these separate publications to thrive by allowing them to go beyond print media, evolving into a more well-rounded brand. Vanity Fair hosts the Oscars after-party, Pitchfork hosts the Pitchfork Music Festival, and Vogue hosts the Met Gala, all of which create further buzz about the publications. This has been Condé Nast’s strategy since the company acquired Vogue, and Gillin attributes this approach to the longevity of the company.
Gillin’s journey with Condé Nast began in 2012 with the food and cooking site Epicurious, but he attributes his success to the first five years of his career as a journalist for finance-focused site TheStreet. While he never imagined writing about finance in college, learning to view life and journalism through a monetary lens has allowed Gillin to increase his performance and better reach his audiences. Gillin attests that it is critical for people going into journalism to know how it is funded.
Gillin finished his lecture with a Q&A from the audience, giving journalism students his advice for succeeding in the ever-evolving digital landscape. He emphasized the importance of embracing change and assured the audience that change is the only constant in both life and journalism. Pioneering media requires an unsentimental approach, and Gillin does not look to media from the past with melancholy. Everything digital vaporizes; media has always been unstable, and consumption platforms are always changing. Gillin commends curiosity and believes that knowing how to write and ask questions, no matter where you are, will put one far ahead of many of their peers. Finally, Gillin encouraged students not to force the life trajectory they may think is right, instead advising students not to plan for it.
Gillin’s lecture illuminated insights into the business of journalism, expanding the knowledge of dozens of journalism and fashion media students. His lecture was filled with funny anecdotes about the amazing work of Anna Wintour, the Met Gala, how Vouge became the international influence it is today, and more. In Gillin’s final message, he imagines a change for media platforms, advocating for unity over polarization. He believes people have a desire to get back together, emphasizing the importance of human connection and community.
