Traditional Home Launches Spring Issue of TradHomeMag.com
April 23, 2012
Traditional Home launched the next issue of TRADhome today on tradhomemag.com. TRADhome premiered in spring 2011, and it generated 25 million page views and 170,000 unique visitors. The new issue is focused on “2012 New Trads,” the brand’s signature list of designers to watch. The issue is available from Zinio and can be downloaded to any desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device. Click here to download the issue.
Magazines and Digital Circulation
April 17, 2012
With new technology like the iPad and other tablets, magazines are offering digital
copies of their content. The question is, how many consumers are taking advantage
of the content magazines are offering digitally?
There were an estimated 1.46 million digital subscriptions last year, and since
then, numbers have grown to 3.29 million according to publisher’s reports. This
makes for a 125% increase, but these subscriptions continue to only represent
1% of total magazine subscriptions. This means that print still accounts for almost
all of magazine subscriptions, and the digital market is growing, but not as fast as
anticipated by some. All of these numbers come from publisher’s reports as well.
Tablets continue to become more popular, so we will definitely continue to see
growth in digital copies. Subscribers who use tablets to access magazine content are
unique in that they typically purchase just one issue at a time.
However, companies like Next Issue Media (www.nextissue.com), a joint business
venture formed by the five leading U.S. based publishers, are making it easier
to subscribe digitally to one or all of your favorite titles. The company recently
launched an all-new tablet newsstand and app that features 38 of the world’s most
popular titles with pricing plans starting at $9.99 per month.
Overall, magazines publishers will continue to enhance the consumer magazine
experience and make their content accessible to subscribers – whether they pick up
a printed copy or the digital version.
Case Study: Sears
April 11, 2012
Click to Enlarge Custom Content Marketing Spend
April 9, 2012
Custom content marketing is a great way to get consumer attention and make an advertisement personalized. 26 percent of advertising budgets are going towards the use of custom content marketing, with a total of $23.6 billion spent last year.
The top mediums used in custom content marketing from a recent survey are as follows:
· Print: 87 percent of companies opted for this method
· Websites: 82 percent of companies using custom content use a website in their marketing
· Video: 52 percent – up 15 percent from last year
· Email: 71 percent – up five percent from last year
Overall, custom content marketing is a strong way to advertise to consumers. If your company is looking to create a customized piece, If your company is looking to create a customized piece, Meredith Print Advantage’s experts in format consultation, manufacturing and mailing can help. Contact us today!
Next Issue Redefines the Digital Magazine Experience, Introduces All-New Tablet Newsstand, App and Price Plans
April 4, 2012
Next Issue Media, a joint venture formed by five leading U.S.-based publishers – Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp. and Time Inc., today announces the launch of its all-new tablet newsstand featuring the world’s top titles, designed specifically for Android™ tablets. No other offering delivers the combination of a catalog of top-tier titles, a choice of unlimited access plans, a consistent magazine reading experience and a commitment to interactive content.
The Most Popular Magazines Available
Next Issue offers the world’s most popular titles with more being added all the time. The catalog of digital magazines includes Better Homes and Gardens, ELLE, Esquire, Fortune, Glamour, GQ, Parents, People, Real Simple, Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, TIME, Vanity Fair, Wired and many more. There are 38 titles available now, and the catalog is expected to expand later this year. However, the company’s focus on new titles will remain on quality and mass appeal, not quantity.
Unlimited Access Plans
Customers have unlimited access to as many magazines in the Next Issue newsstand as they want, starting at just $9.99 per month. Now they can easily access and discover more great stories, writing and photography within the entire breadth of the catalog.
A Consistent Reading Experience
No need to navigate separate apps for each magazine. Now customers can browse, manage and read all their favorite titles from a single app in one consistent and easy way. For example, customers can quickly flip through an entire magazine using the animated carousel. Once they choose what to read, they navigate using the same simple, intuitive commands across all titles. They can also access an entire library of magazines in the cloud any time they are connected, while easily managing what they choose to store on their tablet.
Enhanced Digital Editions
All Next Issue magazines are custom-designed for the tablet experience and include enhancements such as videos, bonus photography, interactive features and links to more information online.
“This is a game changer for customers,” said Morgan Guenther, CEO of Next Issue Media. “We’re bringing it all together. The most popular magazines, a great reading experience, interactive content and unlimited access to our entire catalog – with lots more to come.”
“Next Issue has delivered an extraordinary digital magazine experience to customers in an easy to use app,” said Steve Sachs, Executive Vice President, Consumer Marketing and Sales, Time Inc. “The breadth of the catalog will include their favorites, while providing the opportunity to discover new magazines.”
Availability and Requirements
Next Issue is available in the United States on tablets running Android version 3.0 (Honeycomb) or later. An iPad™ version of Next Issue is expected to be submitted to the Apple App Store Approval Process in the coming weeks.
Go to www.nextissue.com to sign up and then download the free Next Issue app. The app is also available for download from the Android Market.
Pricing
Next Issue offers the following price plans:
· Unlimited Basic: Includes titles published monthly and bi-weekly for $9.99 per month
· Unlimited Premium: Includes all titles in the catalog, including weeklies such as Entertainment Weekly, People, Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, TIME for $14.99 per month
· Individual magazine subscriptions range from $1.99 to $9.99 per month
· Individual magazine issues are available from $2.49 to $5.99 per issue
30-day free trials are available for all subscription plans and many print subscribers can add digital additions of the same titles for free or a nominal cost.
Today, the Next Issue Unlimited Basic catalog includes: All You, Allure, Better Homes and Gardens, Bon Appétit, Brides, Car and Driver, Coastal Living, Condé Nast Traveler, Cooking Light, ELLE, Esquire, Essence, Fitness, Fortune, Glamour, Golf, Golf Digest, GQ, Health, InStyle, Money, Parents, People en Español, People StyleWatch, Popular Mechanics, Real Simple, Self, Southern Living, Sports Illustrated Kids, Sunset, This Old House, Vanity Fair and Wired.
The Next Issue Unlimited Premium catalog includes those in Unlimited Basic plus all weekly titles such as Entertainment Weekly, People, Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker and TIME.
Multimedia Challenges
April 3, 2012
Marketers already know that there are multiple channels to use to connect to consumers. This makes it both very easy and difficult to get a customer’s attention. So while consumers seem to always be distracted with various forms of media, it is also to a marketer’s benefit since they get more than one opportunity to reach their audience.
This is the age of multitasking; consumers will sit in front of their television or computer but still have another screen in front of them, like a tablet or a phone. More consumers are watching TV with their laptop on their lap, simultaneously surfing the web or working on something.
Marketers need to be aware of this multitasking, and in turn, use it to their benefit. By using multiple channels to reach customers, marketers can try to cut through the clutter and find a way to really make their message heard. This might be by using a television commercial, as well as an online ad or viral video. Direct mail is also a great way to reach customers when they are not as prone to multitasking.
The digital age we live in means that marketing changes all the time. Marketers need to be flexible and educated on the trends so they can continue to stay top of mind for their consumers.
Case Study: Kraft
March 28, 2012
Shopping with Mobile Barcodes
March 26, 2012
Barcodes are becoming more popular as consumers are learning more about them and smartphones are becoming more mainstream. These codes can be used in many types of advertising, from a direct mail piece to a magazine to a billboard.
Brands are using these codes not only to send consumers directly to their websites, but also to allow consumers to instantly buy an item. Consumers scan a code and the smartphone will bring up a page that allows the consumer to buy the item right then. This makes it that much easier and simpler for the consumer to shop.
Placement is key to getting these campaigns to work. Some stores are even placing codes right in the brick and mortar stores, giving consumers the option to purchase through their phone, especially if the item is out of stock or not offered in the store, or is large enough where it would be easier for the customer to get it shipped to their home.
There are many different ways to use mobile barcodes, and creativity and convenience is key. If your company is interested in doing a direct mail piece with a barcode on it, the USPS is currently offering a discount on those pieces. Contact Meredith Print Advantage for details on that.
2012 USPS QR Code Discount
March 20, 2012
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has recently approved another QR code promotion effective for certain First Class and Standard Mail mailings between 7/1/12 until 8/31/12. Unlike last year’s promotion, eligibility is complicated, much more restrictive and requires pre- registration.
The discount will be a 2% deduction upfront on postage statements. Eligible pieces
are first class presorted and automated cards, letters, and flats and standard mail
automated letters and flats.
A full-service IMb barcode is required and each piece that is mailed must have a
QR code somewhere on the piece. The QR code must lead to one of the following: a
webpage to buy a product or service, a personalized URL leading to unique content
for the recipient, and all webpages must be optimized for mobile.
Pre-registration must occur 24 hours before mailing date, with registration
beginning 5/1/12.Contact Meredith Print Advantage to see if your project will qualify and let us guide you through the process.
