[nukkad] Faze

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We don't understand life any better at forty than at twenty, but we 
know it and admit it. -Jules Renard, writer (1864-1910)
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Faze Magazine started six years ago when Lorraine
Yip-Hoi went to the newstands looking for a magazine
for her 13-year old brother. She was hoping to get him
a gift subscription and wanted to find a teen magazine
that was a little exciting, inspiring, empowering,
intelligent. It wasn't to be found. Not even close.
What she did find were dozens of American publications
written more for preteens based on their writing
style, recycling the same diet, makeup, hair and
dating tips over and over. Or dozens of magazines
featuring the same flavour of the month pop star. For
the guys, there was less, a few video game mags, again
all American. And all the magazines were about selling
something: video games, CDs, Hollywood, clothes,
cosmetics.

The void was obvious, where was a "real" magazine? "As
a teen, I definitely cared about a lot more than
lipstick and pop idols." says Lorraine "I was also
thinking about travelling, a future career, the latest
cool technology, the environment and so on. There
really was nothing to read though for us. It was sad.
And I wasn't alone."

>From clearly seeing that need for a magazine of
substance, Lorraine starting interviewing teens across
the country to decide whether the market really
existed. The support from teens was overwhelming. In
general, Canadian teens were quite cynical about the
body of magazines representing the crasser edge of
American consumerism. While there was a time and place
for a little mindless flipping through celebrity
photos, the teens all expressed interest, quite
passionate at times, in a magazine that could bring
them the best of all worlds. They wanted a
newsmagazine for teens, covering everything from world
news to science to careers to social issues, and a
comfortable dose of pop culture and fashion. 

Further market research and investigation into the
business of publishing took another a couple more
years. There was the business of finding all the
various pieces of the puzzle that would lead to a
complete magazine. Graphic designers, printers,
photographers, writers, copy editors, a deal with
Disticor, Canada's largest magazine distributor.
Finally, at the end of 1999, the first issue of FAZE
was nearing completion. The learning curve had been
steep, and it had been a long climb. Operating out of
her home, feverishly working day and night for months
alongside her partner, Paul, the premiere issue took
shape and hit the presses in early January, 2000.

Having expended considerable funds financing the
magazine themselves in the prelaunch years, they
received enthusiatic financial backing from a couple
key family members to fully fund the company's year
2000 publishing goals. On January 6th, 2000, FAZE
Publications Inc. came into the world.

An official magazine launch party was set for February
10th at a popular club in downtown Toronto. Lorraine,
Paul and family members prepared the food, decorations
and gave the guests directions to the club. Rising
stars Hope Springs Eternal were being flown in from
Calgary to play two sets at the event. CTV, CBC,
MuchMusic, CITY-TV, newspapers were all booked to come
as were the teens from the focus groups, family,
friends and staff. Two hours before the party the
previously tame winter unleashed its biggest storm of
the season. It was a classic irony in the making, the
big party, the big storm, is anyone coming in this
weather?...an hour after the doors opened the place
was still empty.

Paul probably poked his head out twenty times over 90
minutes, looking for the crowds, brushing the snow off
the FAZE Launch Party sign. The band was due to start
the first set, tons of food was spread around the main
room. And then, of course, after keeping the FAZE crew
worried just long enough people started to arrive in
droves, and they kept coming. Soon the place was
packed and the band kicked in. And then all the TV
crews arrived at once, as did the newspaper reporters
and cameramen. FAZE launched with a bang and the
momentum has not waned in the months since.


Note: Three successful seasons later Faze Magazine is
one of Canada's largest circulation magazines, with
the 2002 quarterly Back-to-School Issue hitting
500,000 copies. This puts Faze in a tie for fifth
largest circulation in Canada with the weekly
newsmagazine Macleans and the monthly Homemaker's. It
is the largest magazine for youth in the country.
 
Copyright © 2000 FAZE Teen. All rights reserved.



What is FAZE all about? 
Faze is an exciting magazine published for Canadian
teenagers. Written for both guys and girls, Faze is a
refreshing break from the standard dumbed-down teen
magazines that only serve up regurgitated American pop
culture and prom diet tips. Faze offers its readers
insightful, hopefully inspiring looks at real life
issues, current affairs, real people, science and
technology, travel, business, health and fitness and
much more.






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