execution

American Spirit had not reached its potential as a quality publication and a key component in the DAR’s multifaceted communications program. Hammock worked with the organization to address these issues and realign the magazine with the DAR’s core mission. One of the first things Hammock’s editorial and design team did was try to define the audience and the mission for the magazine. One thing we all agreed on — American Spirit should be the kind of magazine you would want to leave out on your coffee table. The design should rival any commercial magazine, the articles should be intriguing and informative, and the writing should be fresh and vibrant. Since the revamped American Spirit was intended to reach out to potential new members, we had to make some assumptions, concluding that this group would likely be younger, with careers or families or both, and were probably accustomed to brightly designed magazines with a variety of topics. Originally, American Spirit’s editorial lineup called for articles on women’s health and financial affairs. The more we talked with members, the more we felt readers could, and should, go elsewhere for that information, to magazines that exist to focus on those topics. American Spirit should focus instead on the National Society’s core concerns: history — especially women in history — genealogy, education, patriotism, and preservation. More than focusing on the details of long-ago battles, the magazine strives to tell the American story through the women and men who lived this history. Beyond Revolutionary history, American Spirit shows the human side of American life from Colonial times to the present, with articles ranging from features on historic homes, collectibles, and Americana to regular articles on historic travel, timeless crafts, and preserving family history. In addition, Hammock worked with the association to develop an advertising sales and newsstand distribution strategy in order to broaden the magazine’s reach and increase its revenue potential.