Welcome to Media Hotshots, a series of interviews with some of the most celebrated editors in lifestyle, fashion, beauty and interiors media today. All of the Editors interviewed in this series subscribe to PRShots and PressArea, and the majority of those have said that they heavily rely on it service in order to make their jobs easier. Therefore, the opportunity for you and your brands to gain more coverage into their pages is made all the more possible. And this series of interviews is aimed at not only celebrating their lives, but to help provide you with some golden nuggets that if used could make you a complete hero.
(00:44) I want to welcome everyone to the fourth in a series of interviews that we're holding with celebrated editors working in and around the lifestyle fashion and interiors media. So without further ado, I'm going to welcome Michela along to our fourth interview, Michela is the Style and Shopping Editor of Ideal Home magazine.
What we're going to be covering during the course of this interview: -
So without further ado, we've got Michela Colling, who is the Style and Shopping Editor of Ideal Home magazine. You've been there actually for eight years. Prior to that you spent a few years assisting stylists on events, and photoshoots of big brands like M&S, John Lewis and H&M. You were doing TV shows and editorial shoots for various interiors, magazines, along with this you had a long standing freelance position on Eve magazine, and You magazine as well. So it's quite a varied little amount of stuff that you've done there. So welcome! In fact, I've got the cheering here. I've got to make sure I get the cheering.
So just want to welcome you, and thank you! I really appreciate this because the other interviews we've had, a lot have been Fashion. So actually, it's good to get an Interiors magazine involved as well. So the question I was always open up with is, how did you go from school to becoming Style & Shopping Editor of Ideal Home? I mean, was it a planned thing? How did it all work out?
(02:43) Michela Colling: Well, it's probably quite a long, possibly boring story. But yes, after uni, I did English Literature at uni, and temped for a few years on various office jobs, trying to work out what to do. And I always had the idea in my mind, I'd like to work on a magazine. And at the time, I had a school friend that worked for a small publishers in Orpington called Highbury Lesiure at the time, I don't know if it's still there, and they had a Homes magazine, so he got me in for a couple of weeks work experience that rolled on for a bit. And then one of the titles there was a gardening magazine, and they were looking for an editorial assistant. So I joined them for a few years as an editorial assistant, which is a teeny, weeny team. So we had quite a varied experience there. But then I still was like, I think I want to get into the kind of photoshoot side of things and styling. So I left, did a bit more temping and then did a course actually at Central Saint Martin's. A short styling course, which I think actually Lucy Goff has recently taken over, another stylist, but at the time, it was someone called Sue Pitman, who'd worked with Terence Conran and very experienced. So I worked with her for a bit and and from that, I actually worked on a few events she did and met a few stylists that worked with her. So I started working with them for a little bit. And one of those stylists worked on TV. So I assisted her on a few TV shows. And then really just cold called loads of stylists and just said "if you need any help - I'm here", and some very kind stylist took pity on me and got me on board or gave me other names to call and kind of gradually built up my experience assisting and then from that followed a few days here and there are magazines and then my regular freelance position at Eve which followed on to You magazine. And then, it's quite a long story but two stylists I used to assist a lot for Ideal Home, Di Civil and Robin Collingwood; they got me into the office at Ideal Home, quite a few days here and there, and then someone happened to leave, and the position became free. So I got the job as Decorating Assistant, and I did that for four years, and then moved onto the role that I'm in now.
(05:15) Nick Osborn: So Decorating Assistant, is that where you handle all of the, I guess, the decorating side of interiors?
(05:20) Michela Colling: Yes. So I was doing a couple of features as well, or quite few features, actually. And then, on top of that, it's just dealing with the kind of logistics of shoot stuff going in and out of the building. So I spent a lot of time chasing missing parcels and broken props and things like that, and sorting out a prop room. So yes, so that was part of that job as well, as well as doing a few features.
Nick Osborn : Sure. And now you're Style & Shopping Editor for Ideal Home, which is great. So what does that role entail? In fact prior to that; the demographic of Ideal Home would be great as well. And then we get into the nitty gritty.
(06:00) Michela Colling: So, our core reader, and we would call our super busy Mums, and they will be our 40 something women with a lot of pressure. So work, kids, elderly parents possibly battling a lack of space in the home, but would like a stylish smooth running home, a bit of escapism, and that's a bit of self indulgence. But also it is quite a broad range. So we also have like the style conscious starters. So they are women in their late 20s, early 30s. Still settling into their careers and homes, they might be renters or have just bought their first home and are looking for practical advice without the budget of the next stage. And then also the other end of the scale, we've got the active empty nesters. So they are more affluent, 55 plus, have reached a point where they're enjoying the best things in life, and can be a bit more self indulgent, starting to redesign their home after the kids have maybe left, but potentially still supporting their children or their grandchildren. So it's a very, very broad age range.
Nick Osborn: Yeah, okay, now it's good. It's good coverage as well. So that's great. And with regards to your role then as Style Editor, and Shopping Editor, what does your role entail?
(07:19) Michela Colling: So I guess I'm covering what's new. At Ideal Home we're not too trend lead, although it's just naturally part of interiors. But just looking out for what those new twists on core trends are. And so it will be very shopping based and anything newsy. Always looking for good budget solution. And also trends like colors and wider reaching decorating trends. So I'll be looking for things like that as well.
Nick Osborn: Okay, oh, that's good. And how does the team work? So what's the structure of your team.
(07:57) Michela Colling: So now we work very much in hubs. So we have a content team hub, within that content hub, certain people still do just cover particular titles. So I work on Ideal Home, Style at Home, and one feature on Country Homes & Interiors. So we will focus on particular features every month, certain people will. And then above that is our brand team. So that will be our Editor, our Creative Director, subs, you know, so we'll, we'll still have that contact as well. But my team is the content hub
Nick Osborn: Okay. Yes. And how do you work out who creates the content? Who brings the ideas? Is a lot of it on you to create the ideas, see what's trending? Or do you take some input from from others as well? How does that process work?
(08:55) Michela Colling: So the way it is now, we'll own our own features. Actually it's always been that way, but we'll own our feature. So it's up to you to come up with ideas for that feature and present those ideas, and then we'll go through it with the Editor and Creative Director we'll hone down which are our favourites and that's how it goes together, really, but in the past, this is probably answering question you've got later. But in the past, there would have been a lot more of a creative process. So we'd have huge planning meetings with the entire team, and everyone would input ideas and things they've seen and things that spark an idea for a feature. But unfortunately, with the teams being so much smaller and time pressures being so much, we very much stick to the structure the features every month, so there's not really as much leeway to go "oh, I've seen this. I think we should do a feature on this" whereas we could have done that in the past, but now we just have to slot those ideas into our features.
Nick Osborn: So when you say that actually, has that changed since you've been within the industry? Or has that been more specifically as a result of COVID?
(10:09) Michela Colling: Yeah, probably compared to when I first started to now, the team's just got so much smaller, and the number of features we do are more. So yeah, and the same for the art team, and the subs team, they've shrunk considerably. So they only have so much time to design a new feature or sub a new feature. So really, it helps the whole flow if things are slightly more structured for everyone, you know, to get through those pages. So
Nick Osborn: Yeah, wow! And how many features are you tasked with yourself? Is there a set number that you have to come up with? Or is it just really what's going on?
(10:45) Michela Colling: Yeah pretty much set most months? There's the odd special issue or Christmas issue, obviously, always throws things off, but generally, yeah it is set.
Nick Osborn: And how many features do you have to write? Is there a magic number that you have to adhere to?
(11:04) Michela Colling: Probably, just for Ideal Home, seven, I'd say, but some of those can be one quick page and others are more involved.
Nick Osborn: Ok, and what do you look for, for inspiration for those features? Because if you're coming up with that stuff yourself, is there a process that you go through? Or do you spot things during the course of the day?
(11:32) Michela Colling: I suppose it starts at the beginning of the season. So Spring / Summer, we'll start getting all the imagery and all the look books in and that's when we'll start gathering ideas and trends. In Ideal Home we're quite led by what's going on in the high street and in the shop, so as much as we might have an idea of what a future trend might be, if that's not in the shops now, that's not something we'd feature, whereas more design led things. Obviously, we do want to make sure we're still a step ahead, so we're always looking for those trends, but generally, we'll see what's coming, and then we'll plan that over the next few issues, how we present that to people...
Nick Osborn: Yeah, ok, interesting! And you've talked about the changes within the industry, with the teams getting a lot smaller. How have things changed since since COVID came in March? Has there been a massive difference to the way you currently work?
(12:36) Michela Colling: Well, we're still all working from home, so it means there's less of that office chat, were actually really sometimes it's quite helpful to say "Oh, I'm working on this at the moment - has anyone seen this?" And generally, within the team you have that kind of input, so I'm missing that quite a lot, actually. But to begin with, we had to try and push our planning back as much as possible, just because obviously brands weren't able to shoot, so it was really tricky, obviously, for them. They all did it somehow in time for Christmas, amazingly, which we're so grateful for. So we had to push that planning as late as possible, but at the end of the day, our print deadlines are still the same. So we still got to fill the magazine in those times, so really, were still working to the same deadlines as we were.
Nick Osborn: So did you feel that they actually brought your deadlines closer? Because we know that Christmas is generally being searched for sort of July time, around there, but we actually noticed that it was being searched for by Editors a lot earlier, for whatever reason. As you say, there was a lot of brands that couldn't even get images up because furlough etc. So did that process change? Or did that, as you say, stay totally the same?
(13:56) Michela Colling: We did leave producing the pages to the latest possible time for that. We produce a standalone magazine, 'The Complete Guide to Christmas', which comes out really early, it comes out in October, and we are working on that in June, so I was probably one of those people searching on PRShots in June, but that's every year. That's super early that one. But other than that, I think we've mostly stuck to our normal timescales.
Nick Osborn: Okay! And it's interesting that you said that magazine gets released in October does it? Before Christmas. I guess it's because, if people are doing interiors, they need to have enough time to get it set up, to get it completed by Christmas I guess. So I'm surprised that wasn't even bought even further forward, because I know from, at the moment with everything that's going on, I guess there's an even bigger delay, with interiors brands being able to fulfill on requirements prior to Christmas. But you can't bring that forward just because of that, you still need the content in order to be able to provide for that anyway!
(15:07) Michela Colling: Yeah, that's the thing. So thank you to the PRs that did manage somehow to get their shots over.And yeah, we managed to fill the pages.
Nick Osborn: Yeah. So the question I generally ask is that, over that period, not to promote us in any way, but over that period, we've had a lot of Editors that say we were heavily relied on anyway, but even more so as a result of what was going on - would you say that you were more reliant on it as a result of that stuff? Or was it just as was?
(15:43) Michela Colling: Yeah definitely, I think because of timescales being so pushed as well, you're having to do those pages, in even shorter time than normal, so it's something that PRShots is instant, so that helps massively I would say, definitely!
Nick Osborn: That's good. So you got Christmas out of the way for one of the magazines, I'm guessing. The majority of Editors I've spoken to, there was a lot of work being done for Christmas. Are you over Christmas now? What are you actually working on at the moment?
(16:17) Michela Colling: So currently, February issue, and then planning March next week (week beginning 2nd of November), so yes, thankfully, we're over Christmas.
Nick Osborn: Yeah ok. I'm just trying to think where we are now. We're end of October aren't we!? So you work four months in advance? Is that right?
(16:32) Michela Colling: Yes. Four months, we're actually working on the issue, but we usually plan a month before that. So planning-wise, we're five months ahead.
Nick Osborn: Ok. And is there anything specifically that you're looking for at the moment that if anybody listening to this is thinking "actually, I've got some of that. Let's just send it out to Michela"...
(16:54) Michela Colling: 100% Spring / Summer. Anything Spring / Summer. February is kind of a weird crossover issue where a lot of things are in the sale by that point in the shops, so things we put in the February issue, tend to be more from brands, because we know those things will stay in stock, just as a safety net, or they can be brand new, but it's quite early for brands to be able to get us anything by this stage for February, so it's always a tricky issue. So March will be starting in two weeks. So anything Spring / Summer we're desperate for!
Nick Osborn: No, of course. And is there anything specific? Because with a couple of Editors, I know Julie Player from Bauer said "I just need a red dress" because they're doing a shoot for their Christmas cover, and she needed a specifically red sequined dress and nothing else would do, so are any images that you're finding it difficult to find? Or anything that you're looking for that might be useful..?
(18:01) Michela Colling: I guess for this stage in the season as well, the big Lifestyle shots really set up the mag. So I have a feature called 'Set the scene', which we open the magazine with. So it's got to be that beautiful lifestyle shot. And also by this point, we've used a lot of Autumn / Winter press shots, so we're keen to see new lifestyle shots. So any beautiful, evocative imagery, and lifestyle imagery is always really good!
Nick Osborn: Okay, that's good. I guess with with fashion and interiors, it's slightly different. I've spoken to a number of Editors, not necessarily in this series, that are saying because of the current circumstances, there's a requirement to make sure that the images fit in with the situations, so no crowd shots and all that kind of stuff. Is that important? Because I know with one Editor I spoke with, they said they even wanted masks on, but when you speak to fashion interiors they say "we really want people to get away from that whole thing", but also adhere to certain things. Is that a certain requirement that you're looking for?
(19:07) Michela Colling: I think we're definitely conscious of that. Especially over Christmas and New Year issues, we'd always talk about entertaining all the time in January, but obviously we've scaled that back a bit this year, because we just don't know what the situation will be. So we're definitely more aware of those kind of images and, and features mentioning those kind of things over Christmas. I think it won't really pop up again until Summer, because again, that's another real entertaining season. So I guess we'll be aware of that kind of thing then. But yeah, it's definitely a thought in the back of our minds.
Nick Osborn: Yeah, ok, that's good! So with the process, you've got seven features that you need to write for each magazine. How much, for inspiration, etc. You're looking, as you said, at look books, etc. How much of an opportunity is there for brands to influence you on what to cover? And how would they best do that for you personally?
(20:17) Michela Colling: Well in all honesty, I'm absolutely terrible at replying to my emails, I'm the worst, but I do really look at them and I do read them and I do file them. So I appreciate emails that have got ideas, or round ups, or trend ideas or if it's a new story, having all the information on there for a new story. So we'll put them in folders, put them forward for planning, or when we come to work on that feature. So if that email has got a link to images in it, or if it's got prices, or if you've got a quote, or if it's got any information, which makes it ready to go as a news story in particular, that's really always really helpful. I always feel awful because so many people email and say "what you're working on at the moment?" And I just can't always respond to those. And also it can be so specific, because if I get the look for a house, which is a page I will do, unless they can see the house, it's hard for them to suggest things, so really, it's just good to see what's new, any emails rounding up the imagery or anything new that they've got. It can sometimes spark an idea as well for a little mini trend, or if it's got an amazing price point, and it looks amazing or something like that!
Nick Osborn: Yeah, yeah. Okay, it's interesting. Another, are there specific brands that you particularly like that you cover a lot? Or is it does it not work like that? I've got some Editors that have said that they probably look for the brands first of all, but then if they're looking for themes they'd actually be influenced more by that, and new brands can get in as well, but I just wonder what your thoughts were...?
(21:57) Michela Colling: That's probably true, actually. We do as a core, go to those big, high street names, or familiar names, so that is probably always a starting point. But I then do want to make an effort every now and then to try and find those smaller brands and, you know, it's exciting for the reader as much as it is for me to discover those new brands. So it is lovely to use independent shops and as well as big brands, so yeah. Sometimes it's via email, sometimes it's if I'm searching Instagram, and something pops up. And as a team generally, we're just trying to be more aware of what the story is behind those little brands, including more diverse brands, back home businesses, we need to make sure as a content team, we're looking at what we're featuring more closely. So yeah, I think that's a nice thing to be able to do. Our go-tos are those big brands, if I'm honest, and that will always be the case for Ideal Home and Style at Home, but we do try and get the smaller brands in when we can.
Nick Osborn: Yeah of course, and is that how then you use PRShots? Do you actually go in there and go through all the brands like in a catalogue kind of way? Or do search more for search terms, and then just see what images come up? Or how does that process work?
(23:20) Michela Colling: - Yeah, it depends on the feature really. When we're doing planning, looking for those lovely lifestyle shots or looking for ideas, then I will go through each brand individually go to the look book, try and find those trends and that kind of thing. If it's something like a 'Get the Look', I'll be more specific and put in something that I'm really looking for, like a grey sofa or brass light or something like that, I will then break it down. Or sometimes I'll just know that a brand will always have a cushion like 'that', so I'll go to that brand, but it varies on the feature.
Nick Osborn: Yeah, ok interesting! And is there anything that's hot at the moment that you're looking at? I know during the Spring and Summer sweet pea green seemed to be the fashion. So I don't know how that works in interiors, if there's anything hot at the moment that people are just like "wow, this is just going like wildfire!"
(24:12) Michela Colling: Yeah, colour is always something we focus on but, like I said, we try not to be too trend specific. We're looking at those big core trends and what the evolution of these trends are, but going forward, I think sustainability will just be bigger and more important than ever, where things have come from and what they're made of. I think people may be more consciously buying, more thoughtful buying, maybe not so many of those throw away quick buys. And that's where it comes into not having those trends as such, because it's things that you will love for a long time. So that will be quite important I think going forward.
Nick Osborn: That's really interesting because actually Lynda Bell from Good Housekeeping said exactly the same thing. She said, actually, even with sustainability, it used to be like a theme at some stage, but she said that now it's almost expected, whereby if it's not sustainable to a certain degree, she might not even cover it because it's just got so much stuff. But it's interesting as well, because Julie Player and Paula moore both said about investment pieces, rather than being fast fashion, it doesn't really necessarily work with interiors, but...
(25:29) Michela Colling: Well there is that, in fact, in interiors too!
Nick Osborn: They were saying that the more investment pieces that are timely pieces that you can keep forever, rather than just going for trends is something that's really hot at the moment, as well. So it's nice to know that's covered over in interior as well. So that's all really good! So if I was to give you the top three things that you hate and love that PRs do, whether that's on PRShots, or just in general, what would be your list? You could do it in any order. Most have chosen to go for their pet hates first just to end up on a nice note. But it's up to you which way you do it really!
(26:07) Michela Colling: Well, I guess my pet hates: - I appreciate everyone's busy and under pressure, so I don't want to put anyone down, but I guess sometimes you have to be really specific about an image you want and, if it's in a look book; what page? And just sending the wrong image! Sometimes I think "Oh, I thought I made that really clear!" But that's one of those things. I would say just making sure prices are included, once that image is sent over. And also if it's if it's going to be available. Sometimes I do forget myself, but I try and say which issue it's going into, but if it's then going to go out of stock, it would be good to know that. So sometimes it happens where you put a product in and then suddenly it's disappeared, and they say "Oh, yes, or it's not available anymore". It might be that they didn't know that was going to happen themselves, but just small things like that. And also holding back! Again, I appreciate that PRs have a whole process where it's got to go through a lot of people, and be signed off by a lot of people, and prices, but if those images are in, we just want to see them ASAP! So no holding back! Just send it over when you can. So they're my three big things...
Nick Osborn: Pet hates!
Michela Colling: Yeah.
Nick Osborn: Ok, alright, and actually before you go into the loves as well, I'm sure everyone appreciates how busy you are, so therefore you're not going to be able to respond to people's emails, but how ready or able are you to respond to people when you've covered their brand? Is it relatively easy for you to be able to then send them a PDF or something?
(27:55) Michela Colling: It's a tricky one, because I completely appreciate why people would want to know, and would like to see it, but if you can imagine how many things we put on the page, it can be quite time consuming. Yeah, I try my best to respond, but sometimes, quite often people say "can you let us know?" And I say "you might just have to email me at the time to remind me because I can't remember". Or I can't go through all of them, so it's a little bit tricky, but I always try when I can.
Nick Osborn: No, of course and people appreciate you're busy as well. But I guess you know, you're being as responsible? Or you're responding as much as you can.
Michela Colling: Yeah, not enough. Definitely not enough.
Nick Osborn: No, don't worry! So what are your three pet loves that PRs do?
(28:47) Michela Colling: Ok, really boring, but just prices and availability. What season! On PRShots, for example, it's quite good to even know when the image is uploaded. So I can gauge what was uploaded for Autumn / Winter, and then I can go and check whether that's continuing into Spring / Summer. If I see it was uploaded in 2018, and if it's still on the site, I can write it off usually. But I will still go and check if it's not perfect for the feature, any kind of price or availability is really useful!
Nick Osborn: Actually, on that subject with the prices and availability. Again, I get a mixed bag from Editors, how important is it to include the prices? If the price is not included, will you not cover it? How does that bit work?
(29:37) Michela Colling: No, not at all. Like I said before, we just want to see the images. I realise it must take forever to upload the images and put all the prices on. So if it's the difference of seeing the image or not for the price; we'd much rather see the image and get it in the feature and then request the price. So that's not the top top priority. But if that is vailable at the time of uploading, that's really helpful. Yeah, I agree, we'd rather see the image first if that's the case. And like I said before; emails that come with a Dropbox link, if it's not in PRShots obviously, any links to the image that last, because although I appreciate that must be hard, but WeTransfer obviously disappears after a while, so you go back to it, and it's gone. Yeah, so that's really useful, and those ideas already in email, any quotes, that kind of thing is really useful.
Nick Osborn: So when you say ideas, like what themes that they've created themselves, for example?
Michela Colling: Yeah, it might be just a theme they created themselves. Trends they've spotted or ideas, yeah.
Nick Osborn: Yes. And with regards to the image as well, because I appreciate what you say about WeTransfer, that's a bugbear for a lot of people. Some Editors have actually said what they like is not even necessarily links to it, but actually, if you've got the images within the main body of the email itself so you could see it, is that particularly helpful for you?
(31:04) Michela Colling: Definitely yeah - if it's in the body, and then you can link to the image, or if it's an attachment as well, that's great. But yeah, if it's instantly visible, that's perfect. That's really useful. And actually, it's really handy, if it is taking a while to get hold of that image, if the PR just drops a quick line saying "I'm on to it", or "it's coming might take me a few days", that's fine. It's when you don't, and again, I'm guilty of not responding. So I can't be too cheeky, but if they just respond and say "right, sorry, I'm getting hold of it", then I know it's coming rather than having to email again, or "yeah, I'll, I'll get on to that. It could take couple of days" that's ok and always helpful to know.
Nick Osborn: Ok, so obviously, with everything that's changed, and it's interesting because I guess it's dependent on how long you've been in the industry, the relationship between PRs and Editors have changed quite dramatically in the advent of, especially digital etc. And I guess even more so now, because even press days are being done online. How does a PR schmooze you? Some Editors like being taken out for dinner, or whatever, and all that kind of stuff, or being bought certain things, or whatever. How do you like that? And how has that changed? Is there another way now to get you to go "hi!"
(32:34) Michela Colling: It's a tricky question actually, because obviously, yes press days are always lovely, and especially being treated to amazing dinners, and that's always lovely, because then you get to speak to people face to face and catch up with them as real people, not just work-wise. And so obviously that's changed dramatically now. And I'm not London base, so that makes it even more tricky for me to meet people. But I quite often have to send out those begging emails for new imagery. Lots of PRs are amazing and go out of their way to send us even just contact sheets, and so just things like that really are amazing and really helpful! Going out of their way to help us out as well. Keeping in touch, letting us know when something's new - that's really all we need.
Nick Osborn: Yeah I guess it depends on what what you like, because as an Editor, it's great to get free stuff, so I didn't know if that particularly worked for you..
Michela Colling: I mean, obviously we'll never say no, it's always nice to have those treats but it's not the be all and end all
Nick Osborn: On that same line then: is there any particular PR campaign that you remember, that was just like "Wow...", you know "you had me at hello"! You properly dined me here, and I'm going to include you totally!" Is there anything that?
(34:08) Michela Colling: No, I read that and I thought really those press events were those moments. So seeing that I couldn't think of one in particular, there's so many of the brands that do great event, so it's really going to those events, seeing the products and talking through the product. So that always really helps because seeing them in a PDF, or on a page you don't get the story behind it always. So what's great about press events is being talked through the design, why, and you suddenly get a story out of just hearing that bit of information, and what their process was, and why they decided to do something with this particular product in that way. So sadly those press events were great for that, but I know that's just not possible at the moment, and I wouldn't probably be able to go even if they were. So I know people come up with really creative ways to recreate that, and so sorry, I didn't have an answer for that.
Nick Osborn: No, don't worry a lot of people said the same thing. There's probably only one or two that have actually said "yes, I recall this!" But it's interesting you say that because everyone's had to adapt, everyone's had to get more digital. How are you finding these digital press days, and the whole new creative side of things? Has it made your life easier? Are there any that stood out for you?
(35:31) Michela Colling: Yeah definitely, well, definitely for now it's making life so much easier, and obviously, it's the best way to go. But it's just hearing from the brands, hearing from the designers still recreating that press day experience, digitally somehow, virtually somehow. Next did a great Christmas one! I have to give them a shout out, they did an amazing studio setup, and walked us through the products, and gave us a chance to ask questions, but it was really clearly filmed and it took us 'round, so that was a really great, well done event. And then another event was for The Wool Room, and they do all kinds of duvets and pillows and mattresses. And we heard from the owner of the company, we heard from the farmers that produced the wool, and we had a really in depth talk through, so I I learnt a lot in that press event. So that was really good!
Nick Osborn: Well that's it! Actually, I didn't ask you, and it's a standard question: - What what are your lead times? You're working four months in advance - what's the copy deadline dates and the likes? Is the same every month? How does that work?
(36:49) Michela Colling: It does yes. We get about four weeks to work on an issue, and we stagger our features over those weeks, so sometimes, if something's in week one, we just have to get that through very quickly. So it starts really with planning, which is five months ahead, and we make quite a few decisions then, although we can be flexible. But that's quite a key time to make decisions, and as things have changed we can't go back and forth that much with features anymore. So once things are in, they're in! Which is a shame because sometimes new things come in and I'm like "Oh, I'd love to just swap that image in!", but we can't really, for the sake of our art team and our subs team we can't be doing that too often, unless it's really essential. So getting those images and information as early as possible is really important.
Nick Osborn: Okay, brilliant. Fantastic! And actually before we wrap up, I was just thinking: have you got any thoughts on how you feel things might change for the future? Whether that's in the media industry or within interiors itself? Either / or
(38:06) Michela Colling: I know, as a business we're going to be concentrating a lot on subscriptions, because people aren't going to shop as often as they were, they're maybe not picking up that magazine in the airport like they were, so as a business subscriptions are going to be really key for us to hold on to that readership. And obviously digital will be a huge development, so I think that will be the future over the next year, really. And whether that's making money through affiliate sites as well on those digital platforms, and so I'm sure we'll be doing more digital than we are currently. We do have digital teams, but it might be that our job crosses over a bit more. COVID has probably sped up the process of that happening, I think.
Nick Osborn: In fact, that was another question which I was going to ask is how much do you work with the online team? Are the articles that you feature automatically covered online? And do you deal with that? Or do you pass that over?
(39:12) Michela Colling: Yeah, not currently. There are some crossovers, but the digital team very much look after that. So there'll be the evergreen content that will come from the magazine, but new stories tend to be rolling every day, so that's not really something we're doing currently. But yes, I think there are probably plans to make the two match up going forward. But it's tricky, because they don't always necessarily work that way, but I think that's the idea that they'll marry up a lot more going forward
Nick Osborn: Ok, exciting. Fantastic! Well listen Michela, thank you so much for your time! I really, really appreciate it because I know you're really busy anyway, but thank you so much. If there's anything you need, obviously contact us as well. And I just want to thank you for your time and thank you so much!
Michela Colling: Ahhh, thanks for having me, and I hope it was useful!
Nick Osborn: It was! It was brilliant - thank you so much!