Download pdf - VICE - The Hipster Media Empire

ORIOL SALVADOR VILELLA CMNS 2160 Mass Communication and the Popular Culture Industry

What is VICE?

We wanted to be the first international voice for the universality of youth sub-culture.

(Shane Smith, VICE co-founder)

Ø  Monthly FREE magazine Ø  Profits: advertisement & partnerships. Ø Target: metropolitan 21-24 years old.

Volume 19 (Number 5) a.k.a HIPSTERS -->

Demographics (Media Kit 2012)

What is VICE? Ø  750 employees. Ø  Offices in 34 countries. Ø  24 different country editions.

Volume 19 (Number 5)

World Distribution (Media Kit 2012)

VICE ’s timeline

1994: Three friends bought the community newspaper where they were working:

Voice of Montreal.


Shane Smith

Suroosh Alvi

Gavin McInnes

Photos from: Canadianbusiness.com, MySpace and Twitter

VICE ’s timeline

1996:

Editors break with the original publisher and change the publication’s name to VICE.

1999:

VICE moves headquarters to New York.

2007: Partnership with Viacom (MTV). McInnes leaves VICE due to “creative differences”.



VICE ’s contents Generally:

Ø  Alternative lifestyle Ø  Trends Ø  Music Ø  Fashion Ø  Sex Ø  Photography Ø  Illustration Ø  Sports Ø  Technology (…)


VICE ’s contents Ø  DO & DON’Ts


VICE ’s contents Ø  Content shifting to serious news topics

(Afghanistan, North Korea, OWS…) approached in a non-conventional way.


VICE ’s contents Ø  Music, films and videogames,

aggressive and unconventional, reviews


VICE ’s contents Ø  Special issues:

Ø  VICE UK’s Student Guide (2005)


VICE ’s buddies New friends for the international trip: Ø  Tom Freston (former CEO at Viacom)

Ø  Joe Ravitch and Jeff Sine (The Raine Group, investors)

Ø  Martin Sorrell (WPP, advertising firm)


The VICE empire VICE Films: Heavy Meal in Baghdad (2007) Full-length documentary following Acrassicauda, the only heavy metal band in Iraq. White Lightnin’: The Jesco White Murders (2008) with Ed Hogg and Carrie Fisher, directed by Dominic Murphy. Co-produced by UK Film Council. The Ride (2009) Documentary following the Professional Bull Riding Circuit.


The VICE empire VICE Films: The Fourth Dimension (2012) Three short films by three directors. Co-produced with Grolsch Film Works. Full-length film available for FREE on YouTube. Bad 25 (2012) Spike Lee’s documentary about Michael Jackson. Co-produced with Grolsch Film Works. (…)


The VICE empire VICE DVDs: Series VICE Guide to Travel (“60 minutes meets Jackass”). Skate series Epicly Later’d (2009) (…)


The VICE empire VICE Books: -  Travel city guides & photography collections.

-  Greatest hits and DOs & DON’Ts compilations.

-  Heavy Metal in Baghdad, by Andy Capper

and Gabi Sifre, based in the 2007 documentary.

(…)


The VICE empire VICE Music: -  Music label: VICE Records

-  The Raveonettes -  Black Lips -  OFF! -  Win Win -  Acrassicauda

-  Management Agency -  Music video production

(…)


The VICE empire VIRTUE: -  VICE full-service agency:

ü  Brand strategy. ü  Creative development ü  Production ü  Distribution ü  Research

-  North America headquarters: Brooklyn, NY

-  Europe headquarters: Shoreditch, London


The VICE empire More: -  MTV’s The Vice Guide To Everything. -  Custom publishing for brands. -  The Creators Project (partnerhip with Intel)

-  Noisey (music website)

-  Motherboard (technology and science)

-  Fightland (fight and martial arts)

-  AdVICE (digital publishers)


Conclusions Ø  Alternative and controversial voice

appealing to audiences unsatisfied with the content from mainstream media.

Ø  VICE build a defined audiences and found advertisers looking for that target.

Ø  Money not only from advertisement but from derivate business and products.

Ø  A hipster media empire that is turning ‘mainstream’ (just like Rolling Stone)?