
Photo: RetailWire
Staples last week launched Staples Worklife, a quarterly magazine, aimed at professionals “who see their work as more than just a job.” A Staples Worklife podcast, e-newsletter, digital community and live events will soon follow.
The new content follows Staples’ rebranding changeover in March to “The Worklife Fulfillment Company,” which aims to position the retailer as a provider of solutions rather than a seller of products.
“Put simply, our business customers are looking for ways to improve their work lives. They told us they want solutions to be more productive and connected at work,” said Marshall Warkentin, chief marketing officer, Staples, in a statement. “At Staples, we’re uniquely positioned to bring together solutions to millions of working professionals and to bring a sense of community to work.”
The free magazine’s initial circulation of 250,000 copies is targeted toward business customers.
The inaugural issue includes an interview with bestselling author Daniel Pink who shares his tips on motivation mistakes and how to correct them, as well as articles on building cultures in stressful environments and managing workplace conflict. A recurring monthly feature, “The Decider,” probes one question in flowchart form. The inaugural issue’s question: “Do I really need to go to that meeting?”
Later this summer, Staples will launch its accompanying Worklife podcast and e-newsletter, and will later host events and a digital community designed to connect working professionals. The first Staples Worklife industry event, in a partnership with FastCo Works, Fast Company’s branding content studio, will take place in Boston and feature panels related to productivity, connectivity and inspiration.
A number of retailers have launched magazines to support their lifestyle positioning and address the appeal for experiences.
In May, REI said it would discontinue its mail order catalog and instead publish Uncommon Path print magazine dedicated to delivering inspirational stories about outdoor life and culture. Among digital retailers, paid magazines from Net-a-Porter focus on fashion and Away on travel.
A number of traditional retailers, from Walgreens to Costco, send out free magazines, while Target and Whole Foods are among the many that offer online content.
- Introducing Staples Worklife – Staples/Business Wire
- Staples launches magazine as part of ‘Worklife’ brand refresh – Marketing Dive
- Staples Launches Quarterly Magazine ‘Worklife’ – MediaPost
- Staples Reinvented: Digital and Delivery Business Launches New Brand Centered on Being The Worklife Fulfillment Company – Staples/Business Wire
- REI scraps mail order catalog to publish a magazine – RetailWire
BrainTrust

John Karolefski
Editor-in-Chief, CPGmatters

Doug Garnett
President, Protonik

Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.