W+K Delhi suggested that subcultures are largely neglected in India. The definition of ‘subcultures’, according to the agency, is “everything from unknown rural communities to offbeat urban tribes".
W+K has handpicked the editorial team with executive creative director V Sunil and creative director Annette Ekin in charge of the creative direction in working with young and established contributors in the country.
The theme of the first August/ September issue is ‘Freedom’ and will retail for Rs100 (US$2.17). W+K hopes to turn Motherland into a collectors' publication and have future plans to issue the magazine monthly instead of bimonthly.
Mohit Jayal, managing director, commented, “As a creative business, Wieden+Kennedy is constantly studying society and popular culture for fresh insights. This magazine is a natural by-product of that research.”
“India does not have a single magazine that combines meaningful content, great design values and strong local relevance, and that’s a damn shame,” added Sunil.
The debut issue of Motherland takes a look at the love of freedom (or lack of etiquette) Indians have on airplanes, the growing use of surveillance in India and young Tibetan exiles in Dharamsala.
The magazine is available at news stands, bookstores, boutiques, art galleries and airports of major Indian cities, including Delhi’s tier three cities. It is also online at www.motherlandmagazine.com.