The main aim of Macguide is to collect a group of teenagers with potential and provide them with a space to show their ability to the public. Thus the public would know what local teenagers are doing. It would also organize healthy activities, for example monthly BBQs and picnics for teenagers to participate in. Ma believes that society sometimes lacks space for teenagers to demonstrate their talents and abilities. Working with about 20 people in a team, Ma thinks the market size is the most serious problem. Macau is too small as a market, and it is difficult to promote a new magazine in a small market. Therefore, they mainly use a website and flyer distribution as their main promotional channels to reach local teenagers. They spent over two months on conducting a market research and preparing for the magazine. They consider it as a trial, a chance to start their business of publishing a magazine by themselves. They are not aiming to make money at the beginning, but to enjoy the process and gain experience from it. They have encountered many difficulties in the process. "I hope that Macguide can stay in the market," said Ma, their expectation is to build up the brand within three issues and continue the publication. "We have put a lot of effort into it, I wish people would like it and accept it so that it can survive." The "culture desert", which is the term used by many artists to describe Macau, indicates that any venture of culture and art is difficult to survive here. Whether the magazine could survive in this market is still unknown, but Ma believes there may be a miracle. |