What ASBO Magazine does

ASBO Magazine is a UK-based independent publication covering music, fashion, and youth culture, targeted at 18-34 year-old creatives and culture enthusiasts. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Croydon, the magazine is operated as the flagship project of The D Foundation (UK Charity Commission number 1101179), a registered charity whose mission is to widen participation for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds seeking careers in the creative sector. The publication has produced 23 main issues plus annual graduate fashion editions through 2026, featuring cover artists and designers such as Enter Shikari, Nova Twins, Papa Roach, Kid Bookie, ALT BLK ERA, and The Hara, alongside emerging graduates from UK and European fashion schools.

The core product is a bi-monthly national print magazine distributed across the UK with a readership described as 'tens of thousands,' supported by a WordPress-based digital platform at asbomagazine.com, an Instagram presence, and an e-commerce shop at shop.asbomagazine.com for issue and merchandise sales. The technology stack is deliberately lightweight and consumer-grade: WordPress for content management, Google Analytics for traffic analysis, Google Adsense for programmatic display advertising, Jetpack for site functionality, and standard Google services (Fonts, reCAPTCHA, Maps) plus YouTube and Instagram embeds for content distribution. There are no proprietary AI/ML systems, no APIs, and no SDKs disclosed.

Revenue is generated primarily through quote-based advertising placements sold via [email protected], offering brands access to the publication's youth-creative readership in a tangible, collectible print format, supplemented by direct-to-consumer sales of issues and merchandise through the online shop. The magazine also produces editorial extensions such as 'The Lifeboat Playlist' series and festival coverage (Primavera Sound, Truck Festival) to sustain audience engagement. As a charity-owned operation with no external investors, funding rounds, or acquisitions, ASBO's commercial scope is constrained by its non-profit parent structure, positioning it as a mission-driven media outlet rather than a venture-scale media business.

Name

ASBO Magazine

Legal name

The D Foundation

Website

https://asbomagazine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ASBO Magazine is a UK-based bi-monthly print and digital publication covering music, fashion, and youth culture for 18-34 year-old creatives. Operated by The D Foundation charity, it showcases emerging talent and sells advertising to brands targeting this audience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Music and Fashion Magazine

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)

Keywords

• Independent print magazine
• Youth culture publication
• Music and fashion editorial
• Emerging talent platform
• Creative industry media

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising: The magazine generates revenue primarily through advertising placements, offering brands access to a highly engaged readership of 18-34 year olds in the UK's youth creative culture sector. The publication provides tangible, collectible media that brands can be embedded within.
2. Shop/Merchandise: ASBO Magazine operates an online shop (shop.asbomagazine.com) selling magazine issues and potentially merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ASBO Magazine publishes a bi-monthly print magazine and an associated digital platform covering music, fashion, and youth culture in the UK. The publication showcases and supports emerging creative talent (artists, designers, musicians, and writers aged 18-34), operating as the flagship project of The D Foundation, a UK-registered charity. The company also runs an online shop selling issues and merchandise.

Product overview

ASBO Magazine operates as a multi-platform independent publication consisting of a national bi-monthly print magazine (the flagship product), a digital online platform (asbomagazine.com) providing music reviews, fashion features, and culture articles, an e-commerce shop (shop.asbomagazine.com) for merchandise and issues, and editorial content series such as The Lifeboat Playlist. The publication operates under The D Foundation, a UK-registered charity, and focuses on showcasing emerging creative talent in fashion, music, and culture for an 18-34 year old audience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASBO Magazine (Print Publication) A national bi-monthly print publication serving as the flagship project of The D Foundation, showcasing and supporting emerging creative talent in music, fashion, and culture for young adults aged 18-34 in the UK.
• ASBO Online Platform (Website) Digital platform at asbomagazine.com featuring music reviews, fashion features, culture articles, artist spotlights, and graduate fashion coverage, with dedicated Music and Fashion sections plus ongoing editorial coverage.
• ASBO Shop E-commerce store at shop.asbomagazine.com for purchasing magazine issues and merchandise.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Miami Fashion InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019ASBO Magazine collaborated with Miami Fashion Institute for the Class of 2019 graduate collections showcase. The collaboration swapped traditional runway polish for a raw, editorial aesthetic that captured the rebellious spirit of emerging designers. The transatlantic fusion aligned South Beach vibrancy with UK street edge, creating a cultural bridge between Miami talent and British underground styles.
• The D FoundationcoreOthersASBO Magazine is the flagship project of The D Foundation (Charity number 1101179), a UK-registered charity dedicated to providing opportunities for young creatives. The foundation supports widening participation for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain skills and employment in the creative sector.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Face: UK-based independent magazine and digital platform covering music, fashion, and culture with a focus on emerging talent. Comparable in editorial positioning, print-plus-digital model, and youth-culture target audience.
• So Young Magazine: UK independent print and digital magazine covering music, fashion, and youth culture, with a strong emerging-talent positioning. Comparable to ASBO in editorial angle and 18-34 audience focus.
• Loud and Quiet: UK independent music magazine with a print edition and a strong digital review and interview platform. Comparable in its focus on emerging UK and international musicians, though narrower than ASBO on the fashion side.
• Crack Magazine: UK independent print and digital magazine focused on music and youth culture, with bi-annual print issues and a strong digital presence. Directly comparable to ASBO in cadence, scope, and the 18-34 music-first reader.
• Dazed Media (Dazed Magazine): London-based independent print and digital magazine covering fashion, music, and youth culture, targeting a similar 18-34 creative audience. It is the most established direct UK analog to ASBO in editorial scope and demographic.
• Notion Magazine: UK independent music and culture magazine publishing print issues and online content, covering emerging artists and fashion. Directly comparable in scope (music + fashion + youth culture) and target demographic.
• Hunger Magazine: UK independent fashion and culture magazine with a strong youth-culture and emerging-talent angle. Overlaps with ASBO in covering fashion, music features, and a similar print-plus-digital editorial mix.
• i-D Magazine: Iconic UK-origin independent publication focused on fashion, music, and emerging creative talent. Closely comparable to ASBO in editorial mission (spotlighting undiscovered creatives) and target audience of young fashion and music enthusiasts.

Emerging players

• It's Nice That: UK independent media platform covering creativity across design, art, fashion, and emerging talent, with both editorial and a job/events board. Comparable to ASBO's emerging-creative editorial mission, though stronger in design than in music.
• DIY Magazine: UK-based independent music publication with a print edition and large digital platform focused on emerging UK and international artists. Overlaps with ASBO in the music and emerging-talent space, but has a larger digital audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ASBOMagazine
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asbo-magazine

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASBO Magazine