Recent winner of a Magnetic Spotlight Award for ‘Planner of the Year’, Zoe Bond from the7Stars, shares a quick 60-second update with us.

How long have you been in your current role?

I’ve been at the7stars for three years. We don’t really have job titles, which has allowed my role to evolve gradually taking on more clients and responsibility and taking a vested interest in trading discussions too.

Which clients/sectors do you work on?

I work across FMCG (food focused), automotive, finance and travel, which gives great opportunity to plan and buy with varying categories, budgets and objectives!

Share a great magazine campaign that caught your attention and tell us why

I loved the Ernest Jones campaign that another of the7Stars teams ran prior to Christmas with Hearst, who offered a brilliant platform to bring it to life.

All the activity had a luxurious feel and the shoppable ads provided a clear path to conversion.

Magazine content – especially online – has seen increased engagement over lockdown. What sort of magazine features have helped you navigate the pandemic months?

It really varies. I can get lost down an online rabbit hole of lifestyle and celeb stories, especially about the latest must watch shows/trending stories thanks to the magazine brands on Instagram.

I’ve particularly embraced puzzle pages too! The Radio Times one has long been my family’s favourite and we spent ages on a Good Housekeeping crossword puzzle last summer. Everyone got involved, and personally I find they’re much easier in print than doing them online.

Do you have a particular passion and is there a magazine title that you look to for tips or inspiration?

I’ve always enjoyed arts and crafts. During lockdown I’ve been practising modern calligraphy and my team bought me some watercolours for my birthday, so I’ve been combining these to make cards. There are a few specialist magazines I sometimes pick up if I want to try new techniques, but generally I just go for lifestyle titles as I generally have a passion for reading, Grazia being my current regular read as it’s got a great mix of content and tips. As well as food mags, BBC Good Food online and Sainsbury’s Magazine for recipe content as a massive foodie.

What is it about magazine media that consumers will always identify with?

I just love the fact that it offers a bit of escapism, but in a really useful way. Having expert editorial from credible writers, who provide advice and in-depth features, is more important than ever. Magazine media gives a great mix of information, top tips and opinion pieces, along with all sorts of inspiration whether it’s on what to wear, watch, cook or where to go (when we can get out and about again!).

And finally… What are you most looking forward to when all pandemic restrictions are lifted?

As food is a big passion, I’m really looking forward to going out to eat. Whether that’s weekend brunches, working lunches or those big reunion meals with family and friends – hopefully there’ll be lots of food!