The Brand & Values:
Black Mamba Magazine is a controversial new publication born out of the desire to, like a black mamba, be powerful, dangerous and strike fast. Black Mamba aims to dare you to expose yourself to notions of contradiction and to stick your finger in the polemic pie. It is for those who are motivated to learn about opposing ideas and who are attracted to something different. It calls out contemporary culture and asks them to step up to the plate and endure pure, ruthless and brutal honesty. The brand Black Mamba is the antithesis of contemporary magazines; it is pop-culture in a new light and disregards all political correctness. The magazine harks back to a time before the digital age and seeks a post-nostalgia romanticism sensation coupled with pragmatism. Black Mamba is a somewhat fictional place where readers can escape into a sheer joyous nirvana to engage in their most lewd and politically incorrect fantasies without being reprimanded. Should you feel threatened or feared by Black Mamba, let it be known that to South African locals, the black mamba’s bite is known as the “kiss of death”.
However the values of the brand are strongly held. It is not just a contentious magazine; the brand is devoted to relevant, fresh and inspiring content while asking difficult questions and instilling freedom of speech at its heart. The articles are delivered in a no frills and bite your tongue style and follow the fashion of Gonzo Journalism. Gonzo is a style of journalism written without claims of objectivity and it often includes the reporter as part of the story in a first person narrative. The approach is through (personal) experience and emotions in contrast to traditional journalism which favours a detached style. It involves the writers embedding themselves in the culture/topic they are covering. Most importantly, this journalism style ignores the edited product favoured by newspapers and strives for a much more personal and organic approach. It is more like reading a story than having information spat at you in a factual way. This attitude is what Black Mamba wishes to ride on because it is evident that people are drawn to stories as they seek authenticity, even if they cannot easily define it.
Tone & Target Audience:
Telling it like it is exudes the nature of Black Mamba. It is unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something but, in saying so, it does not lack moral sense. Rather it is untrammelled and untamed and appreciates well-spoken, honest expression. The core essence of Black Mamba is to challenge the status quo. The most important people in the brand are the readers – it is a people-centric brand that welcomes new ideologies and is always looking out for novel insights.
The target audience for Black Mamba Magazine is alternative and niche, alluring passion lusters with open minds and brave hearts. It should appeal to the free-spirited, the crazed, the genuine and culture-obsessed, as well as people who are looking to feel something unique and who are bored with contemporary societal norms and long for the glory days.
The tonality of Black Mamba is one that is unconcerned with superficiality. It is raw, authentic and slightly crude. Some words that embody the brand are daring, brash, satirical, sharp, witty, explicit, sardonic and foolhardy. It knows no bounds and makes use of black comedy presented in a wild and open style. There is an element of nostalgia and reminiscence for the reason that nostalgia is a psychological resource that people can dip into to conjure up the evidence that they need to reassure themselves that they are valued. Following the Gonzo style, the written articles make heavy use of idioms, informal language, euphemisms and a hyperbolic structure.
With these attributes and values at heart, Black Mamba sets out to be the definitive example of contemporary culture and the epitome of open-mindedness. Unprotected, jarring and slightly vulgar, Black Mamba is the venom you want rushing through your veins.
Brand Bible:
Thank You.
