Sandow

Founded in 2003 by Adam I. Sandow, SANDOW set out to transform the traditional publishing model. Sandow, an entrepreneur since his university days, had previously founded and sold a national consumer magazine and was a principal at the wedding media company The Knot, contributing to its IPO in 2000 before establishing his namesake company. His early career in publishing shaped his strategy to build businesses on top of established media platforms, a model that has defined SANDOW's trajectory.

The company operates as a multi-faceted holding company, primarily targeting the design, materials, and luxury industries with a blend of content, tools, and integrated solutions. Revenue generation is diversified across several business units. A core component is its media division, which includes prominent publications like *Luxe Interiors + Design*, *Interior Design*, and *Metropolis*. Rather than relying solely on traditional distribution, the company utilizes innovative channels like MediaJet, a network of newsstands at private jet terminals, to reach affluent consumers directly. Advertising within these targeted publications provides a significant revenue stream. Another key income source is its subscription-based services. For instance, *NewBeauty* offers the TestTube subscription box, a beauty sampling service that provides members with full-size products quarterly. This service was an early entrant into the subscription box market and has proven to be a substantial revenue generator.

SANDOW's portfolio extends beyond media into high-value services. The SANDOW Design Group encompasses a range of brands tailored to the architecture and design (A&D) industry. This includes The Agency by SANDOW, a boutique digital marketing agency providing strategy, media planning, and content production for brands within the A&D space. ThinkLab, a research and strategy firm acquired in 2018, offers market intelligence to the design community. Furthermore, the company acquired Material ConneXion in 2011, a leading materials consultancy with a vast physical and digital library of advanced materials. This division assists Fortune 500 companies in discovering and implementing materials for product development, operating on a subscription-based access model for its database and providing consulting services. Recent acquisitions, such as the 2023 purchase of digital design platform Design Milk, have further expanded its digital footprint and reach within the design industry.

A significant venture launched by Adam Sandow in 2019 is Material Bank, a separate but related entity that functions as a marketplace and logistics platform for material samples for the architecture and design industry. This platform allows designers to order samples from hundreds of manufacturers and receive them overnight in a single box, streamlining a previously fragmented and time-consuming process. Material Bank generates revenue by charging suppliers listing and service fees, while remaining free for designers.

Keywords: design media, luxury publishing, material consultancy, architecture and design services, digital marketing agency, subscription box model, brand licensing, content strategy, market research, design industry intelligence, innovative materials database, product sampling, affluent consumer marketing, B2B media, strategic acquisitions, media-driven commerce, design events, professional resources, interior design trends, architectural materials