MacGuffin magazine
Ernst and Kirsten both came from the design world, but felt that a platform was missing. Almost everything around design focused on the future, objects had to be new and innovative above all else. Design is much more than that, Ernst and Kirsten found. "It is also about the use of those objects and objects." From this vision, MacGuffin Magazine was born in 2015: a semi-annual magazine with one object highlighted in each edition from all possible perspectives.
That birth took place back then in our print shop. We are proud that today we still get to do the printing for this wonderful magazine, which is widely read both nationally and internationally.
One object takes center stage
For each edition state, an everyday object is fully explored and examined: How is it used? What variations are there? What else can you do with it? How has the object developed? Those questions, among others, are answered from science, literature, art/design and the user world. And that object can be anything. A pair of pants, a bed or, say, a necklace. The object is leading throughout the magazine.
The magazine is itself an object
To complete the story, care has been taken to ensure that the magazine itself is also an object. This was achieved through the design, but certainly also through the quality of the paper. It is a luxurious, heavy magazine that functions as a portable exhibition of the highlighted object. That makes you want to keep it. "In fact, several readers have already come forward who want the entire series complete!", says Kirsten.
In addition to the luxury paper, the lithography is also vital to the look and feel of MacGuffin Magazine. "This paper is very thick, so the ink gets sucked up quickly. It is therefore a challenge to make the images come out as beautifully as possible. That's where lithographer Wim always helps us perfectly. He now knows exactly how to perfectly convert the images into beautiful printed matter. You could even call him our Lithogod, haha'!"
“What I find particularly impressive is that NPN|Graphius still maintains the same proactive attitude it had from the very beginning. They always stay on top of things, and what they accomplish every six months is by no means just a ‘gimmick’ for them. They approach every magazine as if it were a completely new project.”
Lots of fun
Kirsten still finds the process of developing the magazine incredibly enjoyable. “After all these years, we still really enjoy working on the magazine. On the one hand, that’s naturally because it’s our baby—or, actually, our ‘almost-adult teenager’ by now—but it’s certainly also due to our collaboration with NPN. They’re ambitious, but also adaptable. That flexibility is very important to us, because we only want to send the magazine to print once we’re truly 100% satisfied with it. We understand very well that this isn’t always easy for a printing company, which is why we’re especially pleased with NPN|Graphius’s accommodating approach.”
Long-term collaboration
This long-standing partnership is incredibly valuable and special to both us and Kirsten. “Because we’ve been working together all this time and NPN|Graphius has been involved with MacGuffin from the very beginning, we’re perfectly in sync. We know exactly what to expect from each other. They have a deep understanding of the magazine’s content. What I find especially remarkable is that NPN|Graphius still maintains the same attentive approach as they did at the start. They always stay on top of things, and what they do every six months is by no means just a ‘routine task’ for them. They approach every issue as if it were a completely new project.”
According to Kirsten, the close working relationship also contributes to this collaboration. “The MacGuffin editorial team is like a small family, and we get that same feeling from NPN Printing. The atmosphere is informal, engaging, and very open. That’s how NPN|Graphius has also found its own voice in the magazine!”
'It is striking that many young people are interested in MacGuffin. We think it's great that it is catching on very well with this target group.'
A successful magazine
Meanwhile, MacGuffin is finding its way around the world. "Sometimes we ourselves don't know exactly where it all is anymore. Then suddenly we get a phone call from the other side of the world from someone who is enormously enthusiastic about the magazine. It is striking that many young people are interested in MacGuffin. We think it's great that it resonates very well with this target group. We are particularly proud of the various awards we have won in recent years. I am sure that the (print) quality of the magazine has contributed to this enormously."
