I got a call back from Mario Gedicke because I was interested in chatting with him about his freshly launched publication, LIV Magazine. These days, it’s not as common to pick up the phone and have a conversation. I even recall asking if he preferred I just email my questions. It turns out Gedicke is a true character. So much would have been missed if we hadn’t just talked. In many ways, that reflects the overarching theme of our conversation: meaningful connection.
A Magazine Built with Purpose
He was calling from a luxury boutique hotel in Germany. He noted the beauty and timelessness around him and his desire to create a feature about it. Gedicke has been in the publishing industry for more than 15 years. He just released ISSUE 02 of LIV Magazine which, focuses on community, fashion, and lifestyle in southern BC, and he’s expanding. With a publication already launching in Alberta and more in the works, Gedicke sees the hype, interest and growth around LIV as proof that a good product will find an audience. “People say and think print is dead. Print is not dead. It speaks for itself.”
LIV Magazine is built with purpose. It exists in a world where we are overloaded by content every day. For Gedicke, intentional media offers a break from that. As a high-end community lifestyle magazine, LIV aims to elevate local stories and celebrate the people behind them. It is about success and inspiration presented in a beautiful way.
Iconic
In this issue, a dedicated section titled Iconic brings that philosophy to life. Iconic is a curated feature that profiles individuals and organizations within the community. Stories about local people are paired with dramatic black-and-white portraits by Hudson Wren Photography, reinforcing Gedicke’s belief that strong storytelling and strong visuals are equally important. Pairing those stories with a well-designed, luxurious print experience gives the content a more premium feel. It encourages readers to slow down and spend more time with the people and stories being featured.
“quadrupled” web traffic and engagement, with people going “apesh*t” for stories featuring someone they know
The response has been immediate. Gedicke shared that the Iconic series has “quadrupled” web traffic and engagement, with people going “apesh*t” for stories featuring someone they know or recognize from their own community. That sense of recognition carries further in print. People are far more inclined to share that they were “in a magazine,” not just another @ tag or mention online. As he put it, “The moment something becomes tangible, it becomes real.”
One of Our Own
One of the reasons I wanted to connect with Gedicke in the first place was because he had featured our very own Mitchell Vice President of Sales, AJ Rai, in the Iconic section. When I asked why he chose AJ, he didn’t hesitate. “Because he’s f*@!king handsome,” he joked.
Humour aside, the reasoning ran deeper. Gedicke pointed to AJ’s strong presence, his success in blending technology and print, the diversity he represents and his clear commitment to exceptional customer service. Those are exactly the kinds of qualities Gedicke looks for in an Iconic profile.
Behind the feature is also a working relationship. Gedicke shared that bringing LIV Magazine to life from the ground up required the right partners, and that Mitchell played a key role in that process. Mitchell helped turn the vision for LIV into a finished publication with the quality and presence Gedicke wanted.
That collaboration is part of what makes a feature like AJ’s feel authentic. The story recognizes not only the business, but also the people and partnerships behind it. When that story appears in print, it feels more substantial, both physically and figuratively.
The Value of Print
For Gedicke, the value of print isn’t rooted in nostalgia. It comes from experience. Having worked with larger media companies, he saw firsthand how easily the connection to the audience can be lost. “Don’t create sh*t for the sake of creating.” In chasing scale, the focus often shifts away from what people actually want: stories that feel relevant, personal and worth their time.
“If you create a beautiful magazine, people want to read it.”
Print offers a way back to that connection. It creates a more intentional experience, with content that is considered, designed and produced with care. And that care is felt. As Gedicke put it, “If you create a beautiful magazine, people want to read it.” There’s also a sense of legitimacy that comes with being featured in something tangible. It is something people can hold, keep, and share, especially within communities that rarely see themselves represented in that way.
That changes the way people engage with the story. Instead of quickly scrolling past it, they can spend time with it, return to it and share the physical piece with someone else.
Creating with Purpose
Creating with purpose shapes everything behind LIV Magazine. For Gedicke, content isn’t about filling space: it needs a reason to exist. “Don’t create content just for the sake of creating. Find the purpose and serve it. Inspire with purpose,” he affirmed.
As I wrapped up the call with Mario, it became clear that everything behind LIV comes back to intention. How is it created? Who is it created for?
LIV is built around that idea, highlighting people, businesses and communities in a way that gives their stories room to be seen and appreciated. The goal is to present them with the same level of care that goes into the magazine itself.
“When stories are elevated, communities respond.”
“When stories are elevated, communities respond.” As LIV continues to expand into new regions, Gedicke’s focus seems to remain the same: create something people want to spend time with, something that feels relevant to their community and something worth keeping.
