The DDI Story - Publishing Timeline

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iPublishing Timeline

Domination Directory International's premiere issue was printed in the spring of 1984. Published sporadically at first, it wasn't until issue #6 (fall of 1988) that DDI began a twice per year schedule. During these early years DDI advertised mistresses from both North America and Europe in one combined edition. The premiere issue was only 48 pages, eight of which were in color, and the cover price was a mere $7.00. There was certainly no reason to separate U.S. and Canadian mistresses from European mistresses at that time. Splitting a 48-page magazine would have left us with two pamphlets, not two magazines! To be perfectly honest, the first few issues of DDI were amateurish by today's standard.

The print quality was poor, the graphic design was less than expert, and many of the dominas sent cheesy snapshots instead of proper photographs. Also remember that this was before desktop computing or the all powerful Photoshop! Fortunately, as DDI issues came and went, the graphic quality improved and mistresses took increasing care in the photos they sent. DDI's page count expanded and the number of mistresses wanting to advertise grew and grew. Early issues featured the complete title, Domination Directory International, spelled out on the cover. The recognizable DDI logo everyone knows today wasn't adopted until 1994 with issue #17. By then the magazine was 80 pages thick and still accepting ads from mistresses on both continents.

Year 1995 was a big turning point for DDI. Our founding publisher recognized the growing need for expanded distribution in Europe, in part because of the increasing number of advertising requests from mistresses in England, Holland, Germany,

Belgium and France, but also because the United Kingdom was at that moment ripe for a new breed of mistress-contact magazine. In years past, English mistresses survived upon the distribution of phone box cards in London or small, poorly printed personal ads in booklet-sized contact mags sold "under the counter" at sex shops.

In '95 DDI's founding publisher joined forces with the publisher of Massad magazine in Holland to create an exclusively European edition of DDI. It was in the spring of that year that the first Euro DDI appeared on sale throughout the U.K. and much of continental Europe. The magazine had been split in two—a North American edition, which carried on with the sequential issue numbering from DDI's beginnings, and Euro DDI, which began fresh with a premiere issue. Publisher concerns about whether there would be an adequate number of mistresses to advertise in two distinctly separate editions of DDI were unfounded. As regular DDI readers know, both editions flourished immediately.

Another major step in DDI's progress occurred the same year when the more established North American edition reached 100 pages in size and switched from twin wire, or saddle-stitch binding, to the more sophisticated and expensive method of "perfect" binding. This book-like appearance for DDI, started with issue #22. It had an immediate impact upon advertising mistresses, DDI readers, and competing publishers alike. The readers and advertisers loved the improvement and patronized DDI in ever-increasing numbers. Competing publishers were unwilling, or unable to keep pace. It was also in 1995 that DDI's founding publisher took 100% control of the magazine's distribution. Prior to '95 DDI was sold only in sex shops, on adult newsstands, or by mail-order. After '95 DDI started appearing in more mainstream and prestigious retail locations such as Tower Records, Borders Books, and other non-adult venues. This was a huge boost to the magazine's sales and prestige.

DDI's North American edition went quarterly with issue #29 in the spring of 1998. It has been published four times per year ever since and has continued to grow. Euro DDI, on the other hand, was published three times per year. With issue #14, in the year 2000 it, too, expanded from saddle-stitch binding to the more sophisticated "perfect" bind, setting it apart from other European contact magazines.

The latest and most important happening in DDI's 20-year history occurred March 31, 2003. The exciting contents of DDI's North American and Euro editions were once again merged into one magazine. This momentous decision was based on several factors: 1) mistresses from each respective edition of DDI wanted to advertise in the other edition as well; 2) the Internet made time efficiency and centralized ad content paramount; 3) print and shipping cost savings allowed us to pass substantial savings on to both our readers and advertisers. Before the merger, a North American and Euro edition of DDI cost $31.90 or £20.00 respectively.

Now, with the merged, 200-page world edition of DDI, readers get the same quantity of content as both of the old editions, but at a 33% savings! Mistresses now get 100% worldwide distribution coverage without concerning themselves about the "other" edition of DDI!

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