From Magazines To Restaurants... Conde Nast Licensing Magazine Names For Restaurants

from the well-there's-an-idea dept

Thu, Aug 5th 2010 9:55pm — Mike Masnick

I'm not sure how well this will work, but it does seem like an interesting experiment for publications to expand their revenue streams. Magazine publishing giant Conde Nast is setting up an entirely new division to focus on licensing its magazine names for restaurants. There's the GQ Bar & Grill and the Vogue Cafe, for example. The focus right now is not on the US market, so these won't be appearing here, but in places like Hong Kong, Dubai and Moscow. Of course, the general idea isn't new. As the article notes, Playboy has famously licensed its brand all over the place. However, it is an interesting recognition that a publication's brand has additional value beyond the publication itself. So what do you think? Techdirt Cafe? Anyone want to license that?

Filed Under: gq, licensing, magazines, names, publications, vogue
Companies: conde nast

24 Comments

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Rose M. Welch (profile), 5 Aug 2010 @ 9:58pm

Nah, Internet cafes are on the down here in America.
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BearGriz72 (profile), 5 Aug 2010 @ 10:05pm

Techdirt Cafe?
Techdirt Bistro Or Techdirt Tavern Maybe?
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Jon Renaut (profile), 5 Aug 2010 @ 10:24pm

license?
That's an infinite good. I'll license it, but I'm not paying you for it.
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tim, 5 Aug 2010 @ 10:51pm

how about
The Techdirty Gentleman's Club. Strippers and tech. what could go wrong?
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Aug 2010 @ 10:56pm

Techdirty: An Elegant Club for Elegant Nerds

Where business "models" dance and hand out free hamburgers!
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Anonymous Coward, 5 Aug 2010 @ 10:57pm

Re:
I don't know which is funnier, that my comment took five minutes to write or that my name is also Tim. I also love terrible puns!
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tim, 5 Aug 2010 @ 11:14pm

Re: Re:
oh god, its like a wordier version of myself is reposting my ideas! hallelujah, as long as you are making me sound smarter, I have some programming I might get you to look over..
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Chunky Vomit, 6 Aug 2010 @ 2:26am

Somebody needs to license this:
CwF+RtB BBQ.
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Mike Masnick (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 3:56am

Re: Somebody needs to license this:
CwF+RtB BBQ.

You win.
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AG Wright (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 4:08am

Trouble
I'm afraid that name would get me in trouble with the health department.

AG
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Vidiot (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 4:55am

Re: Techdirt Cafe?
If we're doing alliteration, how about Techdirt Taqueria?
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johnjac (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 5:24am

#TacoTuesday ?
TechDirt TexMex with #tacotuesday 's
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Berenerd (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 5:32am

Techdirt manure supply...
What? Come on now...I am only playin....
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DS, 6 Aug 2010 @ 5:39am

Re: Re: Techdirt Cafe?
Is that where I eat Tapas and Taquitos?
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Anonymous Coward, 6 Aug 2010 @ 5:39am

Re: Somebody needs to license this:
CwF+RtB BBQ?

Wtf?
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trench0r (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 7:42am

Techdirt Cafe?
I'd buy that for a dollar!

can I host topless wait staff?
what about free wifi?
can I get some kind of formal paperwork for my dollar?
how much of a vested interest would the folks at Floor64 have in such a business once it became a reality? would this be like a franchise that I have to keep up to corporate specifications? is this like an internet cafe or a starbucks style cafe?
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 8:15am

Re: how about
"The Techdirty Gentleman's Club. Strippers and tech. what could go wrong?"

There'd always be that one guy telling the strippers that they're doing it wrong.
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sue, 6 Aug 2010 @ 9:17am

techdirt cafe
HAHAHAHA. love that. this is actually quite smart. i always thought that tv shows could probably do the same thing. (the Flinstones BBQ Joint?" anyone)

why only in other countries, i wonder? We have a restaurant called 'residuals' in los angeles, where you can bring in your residual check (no matter how small) and get a free drink. slightly different, but a fun concept.

i'd like to start the iget2work bar where folks can bring in their unemployment check and get free appetizers!

meanwhile, this is free and has laughs and info: http://igetwork.com

great idea, conde nast!
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 10:25am

Re: Re: Somebody needs to license this:
I smell T-Shirt!!!1
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Anonymous Coward, 6 Aug 2010 @ 11:54am

I wouldn't go to any of those magazine restaurants if you paid me. I'm still ticked off at Conde Nast for making the Internet Archive take down its episodes of The Shadow radio show.
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 12:13pm

Re: Re: Somebody needs to license this:
Exactly.
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Dementia (profile), 6 Aug 2010 @ 4:46pm

Re: Re: how about
Especially if it was this crowd in attendance.
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thornintheside, 6 Aug 2010 @ 9:42pm

How long until CEO is fired
It will take a few years, but eventually this will fail and the people responsible at Conde Nasty will be fired. There will be talk of "getting back to basics" and "focus on core business"
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2010 @ 4:42am

Techdirt Tavern, and sell all the geeky science beers, and have hot sexy wait staff, that wear glasses, to keep up the geeky ensemble
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