Threadless made the headlines a couple of days ago now it is 8020 Publishing. What do they have in common? They uses customers and social media to re-invent a business model and make it profitable.
8020 Publications take a big chunk out of the cost of creating Conde´Nast like travel magazine. They solicit articles and photographs through social media and select the best for the next issue.
One of the concerns about citizen journalism is that the quality will suffer. Well, the volume of submissions lets 8020 keep it high. What about the photographs. Not a problem. Online communities reach critical mass and cream rises to the top.
8020 is cleverly using the ability to reach and mobilize millions to product that high-end, glamour magazine so many of us love. Yet, the old business model and cost of production was driving it into the ground.