Inspirational Owners: February 2007
Dumbo Feather, pass it on
Kate Bezar had an idea for a new publication - a mook (magazine/book) - like no other. It would be real, have soul and integrity. When Kate discovered Lovemarks, she knew she had found a framework for what she wanted her publication to be.
Lovemarks: How has the idea of Lovemarks made a difference to the way you think about brands?
Kate Bezar: When I’m seeking out entrepreneurial people to tell their stories in Dumbo feather, I now look for those who are behind Lovemark brands. I would have searched out people who were involved in ‘something great’ but now I think about how much of what they do is loved AND respected. People like Rachel Bending from Slingfings, Abi Crompton from Third Drawer Down, Remo from REMO General Store (the list goes on and on) have graced our pages.
LMKS: Storytelling is at the heart of Lovemarks. How are great stories a part of each issue of Dumbo feather?
KB: Storytelling is Dumbo feather. We feature real stories about real people doing things they love, really well. They’re intimate tales of their time on the road-less-travelled, the tough times as much as the highs, like a big juicy chat. A reader wrote to me this week saying, ‘I realised Df’s pages were allowing incredible people to be human’. I think that by passing on stories it helps people realize that we are all just that - human - with the capacity to do wonderful things.
LMKS: One idea for the Attraction Economy is that “Great Design Is Irresistible”. What is the role of good design in creating emotional connection with readers?
KB: I wanted Dumbo feather to inspire through design as well as in words. A great design, like great content, won’t date. It’s user-friendly, functional, fun and emotional – great design can make people laugh and cry.
LMKS: One of the things I notice about Dumbo feather is how people keep recommending it to others and giving it as gifts to friends. What do you think makes your readers want to ‘pass it on’?
KB: It’s a natural thing to recommend something that’s brought you pleasure. It’s a natural thing to want to share something you love. That so many readers ‘pass it on’ I think is testament to how strongly they feel about it.
LMKS: Do you have an inspirational experience you could share that you often use to show how you feel about your brand and why it is special to you?
KB: Many readers have written to me telling me how it’s impacted them. One girl wrote to me recently that she wants to help us find more stockists in her country because “I LURVE this mook of yours with a passion. It has sustained me during one of the most difficult years of my life and I know its power can go forth and multiply”. When readers volunteer to find new stockists, proof, write, and risk paper-cuts stuffing envelopes, to me that’s testament to how much it means to them - and that means everything to me.
LMKS: In your opinion, what can a brand do to be inspirational?
KB: Break the mould, not just for the sake of it, but because there’s a real gap in the market. Dare to be different. Reject mediocrity. Do something good, something really good, not just for the sake of sales but because it’s the right thing to do.
LMKS: Name 5 of your Lovemarks.
KB: MINI, New Zealand, Bensimon sneakers, Mangiare, Moleskine