Southland
Invercargill marketing agency Market South is proud to once again showcase the heroes of the south, with the release of edition 8 of The Life magazine. The Life is an annual culture and lifestyle magazine, celebrating the people, places and more in the south.
The theme of edition 8 is kindness and resilience. In what has been the toughest year many of us have faced, The Life’s team felt it was important to share these uplifting stories, bringing to light the work of many who give their time to help others.
Editor Briar Babington said edition 8 was a special one for the whole team, with the pressures of COVID-19 throughout the year making for an interesting production process.
“We knew from the outset that this edition not only had to happen so we could continue to celebrate the people that make the south special, but also that it had to be a unique edition, different from what we’d done in the past.”
That included extending The Life’s coverage to encapsulate Clutha, Dunedin and Central Otago. The magazine’s content is interwoven with tourism, so this was a natural extension. But perhaps the most exciting change this year is the cover.
As with most magazines, usually a striking image graces this cover. While edition 8’s cover is no different from that, this year it is a skilful illustration of an image, aimed at encouraging readers to take that second glance and really engage with the stories they’ll find among the pages.
Featuring on the cover this year is none other than Melissa Vining. The tireless campaigning and work Melissa has given to the Southland Charity Hospital as part of her husband Blair’s legacy for fairer cancer care is the epitome of kindness and resilience, Babington said.
“Melissa and the entire Southland Charity Hospital team are absolute champions, carrying on the work that her husband Blair started and just being so fiercely passionate about making sure that others have better outcomes.
“She’s an incredible spokesperson, role model and all-round wonderful person, and we’re proud to help carry on the Vining story, with the charity hospital.”
Producing a magazine during a year when business confidence and spending is down wasn’t the easiest of processes, but Market South has long been a business that advocates for all the great things the south has to offer. The toughest edition brought to print since the first one was published in 2013, the commitment to sharing southern stories at a time when they’re needed most kept the team going.
The addition of content from places such as Central Otago, Dunedin and Clutha was a great motivating factor, throwing light on places and people the magazine’s scope hadn’t yet explored.
Market South creative director Carla Forbes said she was proud of the work done by everyone and blown away by the stories she’d come across throughout the production of the magazine.
“Now more than ever we need those stories of resilience,” she said.
“We all want to hear about those business and people who have trucked on through Covid, who are doing their best to share their offering, and The Life is a great vehicle to help share these stories that shape the identities of our regions.”
Edition 8 of The Life is on sale now, and can be found at retailers around Southland and Otago. Check out thelife.co.nz/buy for your nearest stockist.