CCPA

By Marlene Talasnik, Simplified Living, LLC

For those of you who weren’t able to attend the March 31, 2009 luncheon at Le Bec Fin, here is a front row seat to two interesting men and their insights on the Philadelphia Magazine, print media and other topics of interest.

David H. Lipson, Jr.

David H. Lipson, Jr is President of Metro Corp., the entity that publishes Philadelphia and Boston Magazines, as well as many other publications that serve these two cities.

Lipson is a native of the Philadelphia region and has been associated with the Metro Corp. in various capacities for more than twenty five years.

Lipson began his career in advertising at Boston Magazine and worked his way to Philadelphia after a stint in New York.  This is where he introduced the move to a “relationship marketing approach” to sales…an innovative marketing approach that is developed around the advertisers’ needs.

Additionally, Lipson initiated the effort to introduce ancillary and shelter magazines to strengthen the publications’ foothold in Pennsylvania and Boston.  In Pennsylvania, those magazines now include the Philadelphia Wedding and Philadelphia Home, amongst others.

With a mission to enhance the lives of readers who live in the communities served and help advertisers (and sponsor committees) reach luxury high end markets, Metro Corp has launched such renowned programs as “Philly Cooks! and the annual Best of Philly, and initiated the involvement of publications in numerous sponsorships across the region.

Lipson is continuing the family legacy started by his grandfather S. Arthur Lipson. 101 years ago and we look forward to many more years of the Philadelphia Magazine.

Larry Platt

Platt is a respected national journalist and author, who took the helm as Editor of the Philadelphia Magazine in September, 2002.

Platt has been affiliated with the Philadelphia Magazine for almost fifteen years, writing features on sports; politics; media and business. His work has also appeared in other publications, such as GQ; the New York Times Magazine; Playboy and others.

Additionally, he has written several books. the last being Only the Strong Survive: The Odyssey of Allen Iverson (Regan Books, October 2002).

About Philadelphia Magazine

Did you know what the average income and educational level of its readers are?  Would you be surprised if I told you they earn a minimum of $200,000 per year and have post-graduate level degrees?

Mission: If it can be distilled to one sentence, Lipson would say that it is to bring information to those living in the Philadelphia area.  For Platt, each issue has to pass the “time capsule test”, which means “if you retrieved it twenty five years from now, would it reveal the “soul” of the time”?

Goal: According to Lipson, he loves Philadelphia and wants to make it better than it is! As an editor, Platt wants to share its “passion”, which he defines as its lifestyle and its power, particularly who’s doing what or should be doing it better!

Strategy: Lipson stated that you must treat the magazine as a “brand”…which was defined as one that possesses a tony, upscale lifestyle.

Print vs. Digital: Although the present and future includes the exploration of digital medium for readers, Lipson said there will always be a need for print media.  It works best in the 5000 word piece arena (i.e., “The Battle for the Soul of Philly’s Jews” article in the April 2009 issue).
Digital media at the Philadelphia Magazine currently looks like phillymag.com. A visit to phillymag.com/restaurants will provide a search of more than 900 listings, make reservation and share your own reviews.  At phillymag.com/bop you can search five years of the areas’ best restaurants, shops, services and more.  If you want to get the real deal on upcoming sales and the latest boutiques, phillymag.com/shopping is a must!  It is also evident in the use of “contextual advertising” for advertisers and can take one of two formats.  One a guide to info from advertisers who wouldn’t normally advertise, the other the promotion of events in forums designed specifically to capture targeted audiences, such as the very wealthy.

Competition: Platt’s definition is not another publication.  Rather, it is the reader and their time!

Topics of Interest aka Questions

Views on Use of Internet: Lipson said the future will have less free information.  In fact, he envisions a charge for a “micro-minute” of an article.  Eventually, he sees delivery taking the form of a “tablet”.

What is the Philadelphia Magazine looking for when it prints an article? The criteria is would appeal to the general interest of all, according to Platt.

Allen Iverson: No question and answer session would be complete without questions regarding Allen Iverson.  And, Platt did deliver.  His comparison to the Beverly Hillbillies show brought the house down!

By Kimberly Neff, PernaFrederick

As if small business owners in Center City aren’t already gripped by the economy, in January of this year, rates at downtown parking meters were hiked. The increases are geared to change the way Philadelphians get around, using costly street parking to push them to either public transportation, walking or to park in a parking lot. Will people be motivated enough to shop and dine in Center City that they will be willing to change their behaviors to do so? Or are we literally just driving business away? And, dare I say, is traffic a bigger problem or issue than the needs of Center City business owners?
The increase takes rates from $1 an hour to $2. Sounds painful to both business owners and shoppers in a plethora of ways. This is effective from river to river, Spring Garden to Bainbridge. Although it brings in $8 million to a city with a budget crisis, Mayor Nutter affirms the rate change is more an attempt at behavior modification, than revenue generation. Revenues to the PPA will total $31 million this year. The plan also includes a proposal to eventually triple the original rates to $3 in the core of Center City.
I am a big advocate of the benefits of public transportation, and the need to create easy, accessible opportunities for people to get around. But let’s be realistic for a moment. Suburbanites will continue to drive, along with city dwellers making short trips. People will not stop looking for street parking versus the more expensive alternative in a lot. You would have to stay 8 hours to make the lot worth it. $7.50/hour is the cheapest on the www.philapark.org site in distance of Walnut Street.

Encouraging switching to public transportation is a valid effort, but may take years. Let’s just say, that the majority of people with who are coming downtown to eat or shop will go home with items in hand (hopefully), and might prefer to put those items in the back of their vehicle than toting them on the R5 back to Radnor. Shouldn’t we be encouraging this needed economic stimuli?

The fear is simply, that it is now more difficult for consumers to spend time and money in Center City. And therein lie the problem that business owners and CCPA members are talking about. The hike has some good intentions, but it is less than timely. It is a difficult concept to grasp, especially in a time of economic strife, why the city would make these changes now? Most jarring are the pains felt by Center City restaurateurs and small business owners who are already fighting to keep their businesses viable, and fearing they are missing out as shoppers and diners are opting to park with ease at the King of Prussia Mall.

Exciting Parking News!!!

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20090121_Parking_meters_costing_more_this_week.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081111_Plan_would_triple_rates_at_Center_City_meters.html

http://www.gpmabl.com/index.html