It’s not often that I’ll write about a magazine to which I contribute, but this is a unique case. The other day, I downloaded the March/April issue of VIV magazine. I wanted to check out a story I’d written on barefoot running. In case you haven’t heard of the barefoot running phenom, see below for a link to Chris McDougall’s fabulous book Born to Run. Even better, check out VIV.

VIV is a digital delivery mag (hence, you must download it). It was launched by a group of former Shape magazine editors. Calling it a magazine, though, is a bit deceiving. Yesterday while I was “flipping” through it using some of the interactive features, it really struck me how revolutionary it is. Indeed, it’s not “What I’m Reading Now” but, rather, “What I’m Experiencing Now.”  A fashion layout included a talking stylist with pithy instructions on how to make certain outfits “mild” or “wild,” how to mix florals, etc. Another impressive story centered on sex fears, but it wasn’t just a story…I guess I’d call it an interactive film noir watching/reading treatment. For the barefoot running piece, which also featured info on new minimalist running shoes, gone were the charts you might find in a regular magazine. With VIV, you click on a shoe and info just pops up.

Of course, you have to get used to navigating this experience. The basics: to read an entire article, you click on a red or white V at the bottom of the page. To move on to the next article, you click on an arrow. With that much info, you can navigate. With a little more messing around, you will quickly be able to use some of the more advanced features. VIV costs $36 for an annual subscription. That’s slightly pricier than most print mags, but you can feel good about saving paper. Plus — and I’m saying this as someone who only occasionally contributes words and has very little to do with the whole package — it’s the experience you’re paying for. It strikes me as the kind of thing that’s so cool you may want everyone to gather round your desk to check out the latest issue…sort of like how it must’ve been to be the first family on the block to own a television set.

If you go to the subscription part of  VIV‘s website, you can preview the current issue. Let me know what you think!

Share on Facebook