Behind Lemon Mag - from Portugal to Global
A magazine for modern parenting with a refreshing, aspirational, and inclusive perspective, Lemon is an intelligent magazine for modern mothers! With a voice that speaks to the mothers of today's changing times, Lemon addresses the struggles of motherhood - a constant juggling of roles that also brings with it fleeting moments of joy.
Join us as we chat with Bárbara Perino, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Lemon Magazine.
1. What was the idea behind creating Lemon Magazine?
Since I was a little child, I have always been an avid magazine lover as I’ve always had a creative streak in me.
When I had my first child, Zion, and then my youngest, Africa, I completely fell in love with children’s fashion. I also don’t think there are many magazines or platforms that empower motherhood, especially modern motherhood, so for me, Lemon is that! It is beautiful, full of love but yet sometimes bitter (portraying the ups and downs of parenthood). I’m all about making our dreams come true and Lemon is definitely a dream of mine.
2. You hail from Portugal and aim to reach audiences internationally. Can you give us an insight into your global strategy? What is the positioning of Lemon Magazine? What are the essential steps to become a worldwide name?
We are indeed based in a tiny country, which is however full of soul. Since the beginning of history, Portugal was the land of explorers. There are a few strategies that are basic to “conquer” the international market, but at the end of the day, for me, having a strong brand identity, with readers trusting what we write and wanting to share it with their friends and family is everything!
3. Can you tell us a few changes you’ve implemented in your marketing and editorial workings as a result of the pandemic? How did you overcome printing difficulties?
The pandemic has been hard upon us. We had a few delay issues but the truth is that we made it happen. Our summer issue was completely edited while the world was in quarantine and everyone was self-isolating.
For our editorials, we challenged photographers to photograph their kids with the help of our fashion editor who sent all the looks to the different photographers.
In terms of our distribution; well, that had to and is still adapting to closed and open borders. It’s a time where we just have to adapt to the times we live in.
4. With content being uploaded by newcomers every day, the line between being an online magazine and an online blog is blurring steadily. What's your strategy to differentiate yourself from this information booming era?
It’s exactly because of this that we are a printed magazine. We want to bring the contact back, the touch, and the feel of a beautifully printed magazine. And with that, we hope that our website is an up to date and consistent mirror of our magazine. Somewhere people can check in daily and come to us to see new trends and collections.
5. What exciting things can we look forward to from Lemon Magazine?
We are just starting in the international market but we are confident and excited that we will soon be a worldwide recognized brand.
Lemon brings you real people, real parents but also very much desired aspirations.
Lemon is here to stay. We are constantly motivated by talking with modern fathers and mothers. At the end of the day, we are all just people... all with feelings, insecurities, doubts, and challenges that society often throws at us. It’s all in our name, Lemons are perfect, yellow and beautiful, but then again, they can be bitter too.
