TMB CEO Bonnie Kinzer: Don’t get stuck in the woefulness pit about the economy.

One of the most successful media transformation stories over the past several years is that of TMB (Trusted Media Brands), originally founded as Reader’s Digest Association in 101 years ago in 1922. From a Chapter 11 filing in 2013, the company is now characterised by a resolute focus on its community-driven, multi-brand and multi-platform model.

Leading the turnaround is Bonnie Kintzer, President and CEO, who will be one of our keynotes at the FIPP World Media Congress in Cascais, Portugal from 6-8 June 2023. In her time at TMB, the organisation has never been hesitant with experimentation, including on the technology side.

Bonnie recently sat down with our friends at WNIP, talking to Jez Walters about the turnaround in general and about experimenting with generative AI.

Despite news about lay-offs in Big Tech and media abound, Bonnie remains optimistic. “I’d encourage people to not get stuck in this woefulness pit about the economy and instead focus on the incredible opportunities ahead of us. Ships rise together and I’m optimistic things will get better this year.”

Discounted tickets for the FIPP World Media Congress is available until 1 February (groups of 5+ people) and 14 February (for individuals). Get your tickets now.

Here is more of what Bonnie told Jez (read the full interview on WNIP here).

You’ve been President and CEO for almost 9 years, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen in publishing during that time?

Bonnie Kintzer: That’s a big question. There has been enormous change, from the role that video plays, the power of social media, the advent of TikTok, etc. But I’ve been pleased with how we’ve harnessed these opportunities by asking, “Where do we belong? What’s our community? Where do our brands resonate?”

Taste of Home is your most profitable brand. What plans do you have for it in 2023?

Bonnie Kintzer: We are working on something called ‘Community Cooks’ where we are working to identify cooks all over the country who are doing good things. We’re bringing them in, they’re sharing their recipes with us, and we’re forging a deeper community. This also feeds into our affiliate side because our audience look to us to know what gadgets to buy