It hasn’t taken long for internet users to give Tumblr well earned props for its singular ability to generate awesome content with minimal effort required by the author – avoiding the pitfalls associated with wordpress or blogger such as ‘thinking’. In turn it’s also perfect for internet users because it can be operated with minimal exertion using only the scroll down button while simultaneously eating a foot-long Subway sandwich. Over time it has evolved from a template for lowest common denominator bloggers into the platform of choice for some major publications, including global design mag Wallpaper* which launched its new web offshoot wallpapermag.tumblr.com only yesterday.
Wallpaper* has a rep as an industry innovator with cultural/technological cachet, so it’s not surprising that it has quickly jumped on the increasingly populated Tumblr bandwagon. Yesterday US Vogue also launched a Tumblr site vogue.tumblr.com which is kind of surprising.
This was an unexpected move considering Vogue has always presented a self-propagating image of ‘print prestige’ and Condé Naste’s ‘old media’ vibe, so I sort of assumed Anna Wintour’s reaction to putting Vogue onto Tumblr would be about the same as if you saw Elmo lit up a fag on Sesame Street. I’m happy to be proven wrong. And I dare say the dominant contingent of Vogue readers would consider the editorial spreads and artwork to be the major appeal – for which Tumblr is a far better way to engage readers compared with its text-heavy brother: the website.
It will be interesting to see if Vogue Australia follows suit, especially considering Editor-in-Chief Kirstie Clements’ past skepticism toward the role of blogging and democratization within Australia’s fashion media landscape. After all, for all intents and purposes vogue.tumblr.com is a blog.
Is it time for the publishing overlords at Vogue Australia to embrace the digital revolution?
