What’s happening:
NYT is launching a groundbreaking new feature this weekend in its annual Voyages issue of the Sunday Magazine: a nearly text-free magazine, with words replaced by photographs from all over the world with a corresponding soundtrack.
Why it matters:
This sonic journey around the world is not only a first for the Times, it also gives readers another sensory experience of travel — that of hearing, combined with visual. This innovative brand storytelling feature also combines powerful native advertising through its sole sponsor, GE.
Digging Deeper:
- Audiences will travel with Voyager to 11 places around the world, experiencing them in photographs and corresponding sounds, such as the earth cracking in Chile’s Atacama Desert or the roar of a waterfall in Iceland.
- An additional feature is commentary from experts, to help readers learn more about what they’re seeing and hearing.
- A bonus first-of-its-kind puzzle is included in the magazine, created especially for this audio edition, featuring a mix of print and audio clues.
- Exclusive sponsor GE seamlessly integrates an experience with the world of energy, providing audiences with the sights and sounds of its technology in action.
The bottom line:
This is an exciting new innovation in the magazine world, particularly for a legacy newspaper like the Times. Editor-in-chief Jake Silversteing says, “We’ve never done anything like this before.” The Times is sure to make waves with this experiment.
Readers and listeners can immerse themselves in this special issue starting Saturday, Sept. 22 at nytimes.com/voyages. The soundtrack will also be available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.