• The Wall Street Journal, Friday, May 15, 2009 9:30 AM

Tough times are making some magazines look beyond the standard format and experiment with manifestations of what a magazine can be. Their common goal is to offer readers and advertisers experiences that Web sites and digital devices can't match.

The magazine T-Post, for instance, sends its 2,500 subscribers a new T-shirt every six weeks. An article is printed on the inside of the shirt and art related to the article is printed on the outside. The idea is that the owner of the T-shirt will tell people about the story printed on the inside.

Another magazine, Visionaire, is a book that uses unusual materials and formats, such black-and-white photos that turn to color when exposed to the sun. Visionaire publishes 3,000 to 5,000 copies two or three times a year; a four-issue subscription costs $675. Editions are sponsored by brands such as Louis Vuitton, Krug Champagne and Lacoste, and are introduced at fashion parties.

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