Hearst Magazines, the Whitney and Johnnie Walker Align Social Values to Create "The Art of Moving Forward"

Of course, putting that into action in a way that is authentic, timely and aligned with a brand's core values may at times seem more aspirational than reality-based -- especially when an idea is a collaboration between multiple partners. Yet that is exactly what happened with "The Art of Moving Forward," a partnership that Hearst established with the Whitney Museum and Johnnie Walker in honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month.

According to Haskell, the idea to amplify emerging women artists who are making a difference across multiple Hearst Magazines brands started as he says most of their best ideas do -- through editorial. In this case it was spurred by a walk through Rockefeller Center one of their editors took during an exhibition of Mexican art last autumn that had taken over the whole plaza. A brainstorming discussion followed that got them thinking: "Imagine if we turned over some of our real estate on our sites and magazines to celebrate International Women's Day to artists who had something really interesting to say about how women around the world are moving forward."

That imagining turned into action, starting with decisions about which twelve Hearst Magazines brands would participate, what artists they would be paired with and how they would find those artists. Hearst tapped into their long-standing relationship with the Whitney Museum to help curate the women artists.

Interestingly, the first thought as this unfolded was not how this would make money. Rather, "it made good editorial sense," Haskell recalls. "We were going to do this regardless of whether or not we had a partner. However, once we decided to do it, we were thinking about advertisers who shared these same values and who would be excited about aligning with this message."

Johnnie Walker rose to the top of the list. Johnnie Walker, a Diageo brand, in 2022 launched their First Strides initiative, a long-term investment in cultural trailblazers with a goal "to uplift diverse communities spanning film, music, sports, art, hospitality and technology." This perfectly aligned with their own brand messaging and, according to Haskell, Johnnie Walker quickly jumped on board.

One of the other commonalities these partners had was that they are all legacy brands that have stood the test of time. "Younger consumers are drawn to iconic brands, to the craftsmanship behind them and the story behind the brands, but those brands also have to be relevant to the consumer and their lives," Haskell says. While their social values may align with these younger demographics in order to keep the legacy going, they need to reach these audiences where they are, hence this partnership has been optimized on social and digital channels and amplified further with paid social.

In addition, two of the brands -- Oprah Daily, which was paired with artist Gabriella Baez, and Country Living, which was paired with artist Kathy Butterly, also created mini-documentaries featuring the story behind the artist as well as that artist's work. "Using the social platforms, particularly video, we can reach that unexpected reader," Haskell notes.

Other Hearst brands that are a part of this collaboration include Cosmopolitan, Elle, Elle Decor, Good Housekeeping, Harper's BAZAAR, House Beautiful, Town & Country, Veranda, Women's Health and, yes, Esquire -- which featured Justine Kurland.

Hearst's efforts to incorporate their social values in their messaging does not stop there. Nor does Johnnie Walker. The latter's First Strides commitment is ongoing, awarding more than $1 million in grants to women-owned businesses. Hearst's other initiatives include Project Tell Me, which supports the next generation of journalists from historically underrepresented communities, and The New C-Suite, a Cosmopolitan brand program which celebrates the next generation of Black-owned business owners.

According to Haskell, not only does this type of program resonate with consumers by demonstrating they share values, it helps internally within the organization. "It makes people feel good about what the brand is doing," Haskell says.

Picture at top courtesy of Hearst. Clockwise from top left: Dad’s Tools, 2021. Courtesy of Cheyenne Julien and Chapter, NY, New York: Photograph by Charles Benton; 2 Lizards. Courtesy of Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki: Photograph by Ron Amstutz; Blue Kinetic © Kathy Butterly 2023. Image courtesy of the artist and James Cohan, New York. Photography: Alan Weiner; Memo Center With Clean House Plaque: Joanne Leonard/Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art/Licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY; …the hawk looks out…as she embraces the haunt…and flies come for the nourishing…, 2021. Courtesy of Ebony G. Patterson and Monique Meloche Gallery.

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