Custom Publishing News/Custom Content News

Texterity Releases Ground-Breaking 2009 Digital Edition Reader Survey Results, Certified by BPA Worldwide

2009-06-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

Texterity has released the results of it's latest digital magazine reader survey. If you'd like to get access to the free survey data, go to http://www.texterity.com/survey/. Below is the full press release:

(June 8, 2009) --- Texterity, Inc., a leading provider of digital publishing solutions, released its fourth annual BPA Worldwide-certified survey results in the Profile of the Digital Edition Reader. This year, both magazines and newspapers were represented. This survey is the most comprehensive profile of digital edition (also known as digital magazines, e-magazines, and e-editions) reader preferences available. The readers surveyed represented a mix of one-third consumer publication readers and two-thirds business readers. The survey polled 33,784 respondents representing 164 publications and 55 publishers of consumer, trade, professional, and association publications.

The key findings included:

Digital edition reader satisfaction rates remain high, with 90% of readers “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their digital edition from Texterity.
Digital edition readers are highly engaged with the digital edition, with 92% reading their digital edition the same week.
Over 61% of digital readers have read 3 or 4 of the last four issues, comparable to the rate for a typical print reader.

The top three reasons that subscribers cite for reading digital editions are again environmental friendliness, ease of saving, and the ability to search issues. This year’s research indicates “more convenient than print” and “more timely than print” as other important factors.

Digital edition readers engage frequently with advertisers via in-publication links or advertising overlays within digital editions. More than 91% take one or more actions when reading their digital editions; over half visit an advertiser’s website. Among business publication readers, 79% rely on digital editions to “get information to do their jobs better.”

Other highlights of the survey:

Digital readers are online enthusiasts who prefer electronic sources and see value in rich media enhancements. They have increased their use of websites, social media, e-letters, blogs, wikis, and podcasts.
The desktop (74%) and laptop (63%) computer continue to be favorite ways to read digital editions, but this year, over 25% want “smart phone” access from devices such as the iPhone, and there is a growing interest in the Kindle and other e-reader devices
Digital editions are popular across age groups and genders. The median age of the digital edition reader in this survey is 41.6 years old, and the median business reader has over 13 years of industry experience.

“Digital editions are here in a big way, and what’s new this year is the higher level of engagement and desire to read using various devices beyond the desktop,” said Cimarron Buser, SVP of Marketing and Business Development for Texterity. “We’ve learned that our consumer and business readers have similar preferences and reading styles. Video has increased in importance – 65% find it useful -- and readers specifically called out the iPhone as a mobile device of choice,” he added. “This data allows Texterity’s publishers to better communicate with advertisers and agencies in developing creative new ways to tap this growing and valuable audience.”

For a list of participating publishers, and a detailed breakdown of the survey’s questions and responses, go to http://www.texterity.com/survey/.

About Texterity

Texterity, Inc. (www.texterity.com) creates, maintains, and tracks more than 1,000 digital publications for trade, consumer, association, and niche publishers. Fast, vivid browser-based technology, powerful search and clipping, strategic consultative services to drive circulation and ad revenue, mobile delivery, SEO, audit-compliant reporting, social networking and website integration distinguish Texterity as an industry leader. Texterity provides the only true no-download solution, easily accessed on any computer, iPhone, or iPod touch. Consumer publications can be enjoyed on Texterity’s magazine service at www.coverleaf.com. Named as an “EContent 100” company to watch, Texterity is privately held and headquartered in Southborough, MA.

About BPA Worldwide

A not-for-profit organization since 1931, BPA Worldwide is governed by a tripartite board comprised of media owners, advertising agencies and advertisers. Headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, USA, BPA has the largest membership of any media-auditing organization in the world, spanning more than 30 countries. Worldwide, BPA serves more than 2,900 media properties—including over 1,900 B-to-B publications, more than 500 consumer magazines, 150 newspapers, 300+ web sites, 65 events, email newsletters, databases, wireless and other advertiser-supported media—as well as more than 2,600 advertiser and agency members. Visit www.bpaww.com for the latest audit reports, membership information and publishing and advertising industry news.

Contact Information:

TEXTERITY

Jill Baker

Director of Marketing

508-804-3069

jbaker@texterity.com

BPA WORLDWIDE
Glenn Schutz
Manager, Communications
203-447-2873
gschutz@bpaww.com

Will Google ebooks become the digital magazine standard?

2009-06-01T15:49:00.001-07:00

Custom publishers are torn between choosing among a dizzying variety of competing digital publishing formats including PDF, HTML, Nxtbook, Zinio and others. But could Google's planned foray into ebooks become the de facto standard for digital magazines?

In this excellent post, Gizmodo's John Herman parses through Google's expected ebook offering. One item about the format jumped out at me:

And the solution will be browser-based, enhanced by Google Gears. The browser eBook paradigm is an interesting one, but it seems obvious that they'll support actual eBook formats as well, and as they have in the past, right?

[QUOTING FROM THE NY TIMES] "Google's program would allow consumers to read books on any device with Internet access, including mobile phones, rather than being limited to dedicated reading devices like the Amazon Kindle. "We don't believe that having a silo or a proprietary system is the way that e-books will go,""

Well, maybe not. Offering free downladable eBooks of public domain literature is one thing, but maybe the need for copy protection has forced Google's hand here.

Google moving into eBooks (or indeed, any industry) is a big deal, but the early indications here are strange. In releasing a browser-based solutions, Google would be sidestepping virtually the entire install base of current eBook readers, banking on people reading with existing connected hardware like their PCs or iPhones, or forthcoming, easier-on-the-eyes devices like those based on Pixel Qi's hybrid screens.

Divorcing content from whatever screen you're using is BIG. (Amazon's Kindle app for the iPhone already does this by syncing the location of the last item you read in both your Kindle and your iPhone.) By using any browser, you presumably won't have to download an app or plug-in. Using Google Gears means that the content will be available whenever you are off-line. Putting your content on an open-source, cloud-based bookshelf and magazine rack allows (theoretically) shelfspace for multiple vendors with DRM and DRM-free content (such as custom publications).

Transitions are always fraught with danger. Key linkages get missed and someone falls through the cracks. The disruptive upheavals in publishing are continuing but we're beginning to see the landscape's eventual contours after the earthquakes subside.

If it isn't this specific solution from Google, the future of magazine and book publishing will be something that looks a whole lot like it.

Which technology will be the post-paper publishing savior?

2009-05-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

For a custom publishing blog, I have been fixating on display technologies a lot lately. This is because the publishing industry is so dismal right now and custom publishing is doubly so. Publishing's great hope is that a new post-paper reading platform will emerge that will allow publishers to charge for content again. Once a dominant platform emerges custom publishing can flourish.

Amazon's Kindle gets the most hype but the limitations of an expensive e-ink device (no color, no video and no robust browser) probably make it DOA for everyone but early adopters. Even though the larger-screened Kindle DX will allow magazines and newspapers to display advertising, it probably won't make a serious dent because it shares the same technical limitations as the smaller Kindle 2. $489 is a lot to spend on a large, single-use device.

So the rush is on to create a cheap, color, video-capable nettop that will also work as a low-power e-reader. Today we'll focus on the two technologies that offer the most promise.

The first is a revolutionary LCD/low-power e-reader screen from Pixel Qi. If you haven't been following the progress of this potential deal-changer, check out the very latest by Wired.com's Priya Ganapati:

"Mary Lou Jepsen is a tech necromancer who battled the odds to conjure up a product that most experts said couldn’t be built: a $100 laptop (give or take a few twenties). Now she’s back, with plans for low-cost, low-power, super-readable, LCD-based screens that will go into everything from e-book readers to netbooks and computers.

“We are creating e-paper with color and video capability, but on high volume, standard, mass production lines, so they will be available easily,” says Jepsen, founder of Pixel Qi (pronounced Pixel Chee), a San Bruno, California-based startup. The company plans to have samples of its display out within the next two months, “and we are pulling all-nighters now to get the product ready.”" (Read Wired's Pixel Qi Promises Cheap, Readable, Low-Power Displays for all the details.)

The other potential deal-changer is the rumored 10-inch Apple slate. Gizmodo's John Herman brings us up to date on the latest evidence that Apple is going to be launching something like a 9.7 inch iPod Touch in the 3Q. Check out these nuggets from Gizmodo - Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far:
"The Most Compelling Evidence

Hidden somewhere amidst all the patent-filing and reputation-staking are some legitimately convincing pieces of information:

• Steady allegatons of Apple's long, storied interest in tablets—buoyed by occasional patent filings—count for something, as does their consistent cynicism about netbooks (the only real alternative to tablets in the ultramobile computing space).
• The late 2008 patent app for a multitouch tablet interface is thorough, practical, timely and contains a plausible (if basic) mockup.
• The Wintek 9.7' panel order is the closest thing to hard evidence that we've got. It's a good bet that Apple has them, or will soon, and that they're putting them to use—but not a sure one.
• That the device has no keyboard, is moderately sized, and that it's media-centric are all ideas shared by those who've separately floated sourced tablet rumors (TechCrunch, BusinessWeek, MacNewDaily)."

I'm personally betting on Apple because this rumored "media pad" may be heavily subsidized with a Verizon data plan. This creates a lower barrier of entry that will bring in more than just first adopters. Apple also has shown that they are very good at creating an effortless content ecosystem with iTunes.

You'd think that Amazon would have an advantage in the content delivery business but Amazon's recent acquisition of Lexcycle, the company that makes the popular Stanza e-reading software for the iPhone, suggests that Amazon wants to make a bigger stand in the Apple-centered content delivery space. This, plus the rushed introduction of the Kindle DX just three months after the introduction of the Kindle 2, suggests (to me at least) that Amazon is running a little scared and they want to hedge their bets to ensure content market share.

We may find out about the Apple media pad on June 8th at Apple's WWDC conference or we may have to wait until Steve Jobs returns in "late June". Any bets on this one?

Amazon Kindle DX to feature 9.7-inch display?

2009-05-04T22:05:00.000-07:00

Engadget has the details on the new larger Kindle: Amazon Kindle DX to feature 9.7-inch display:

"We just got some basic specs on the new, decidedly more newspaper- and college textbook-friendly Amazon Kindle DX. Here's what we know: it's got a 9.7-inch display (as opposed to the current six-inch unit), a long-requested built-in PDF reader, and the ability to add annotations in addition to notes and highlights -- whatever that means. We're also hearing that New York Times will be offering a $9.95 / month subscription, a little lower than the current $13.99."

Check out the link to see four shots of the Kindle DX in action.

UPDATED: Big-Screen e-Readers May Help Save Magazines?

2009-05-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, May 6th, Amazon will be unveiling a larger screen Kindle e-reader. A number of magazine, newspaper and publishers will be speaking at the event which suggests that the e-reader will be of sufficient size to mimic the layouts of those formats. This larger size will allow magazines to display ads (that the current Kindle model doesn't).

As The New York Times reports, Big-Screen e-Readers May Help Save Newspapers:

"Publishers could possibly use these new mobile reading devices to hit the reset button and return in some form to their original business model: selling subscriptions, and supporting their articles with ads.

The current version of the Kindle has proved in a limited way that this is possible. Even though its six-inch black-and-white screen is made for reading books, Amazon offers Kindle owners subscriptions to more than 58 newspapers and magazines, including The Times, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal. (The Journal subscription costs $9.99 a month, The Times is $13.99 a month and The New Yorker is $2.99 a month.)"

But many media watchers don't believe the larger Amazon Kindle will rescue the sinking old media ship. As Owen Thomas writes in Gawker, Why the Large-Format Kindle Is Not a Life Raft for Newspapers:

"Terminal patients often suffer colorful delusions. But none is as cruel as the fantasy Amazon.com has kindled among dying ink-stained wretches, who believe a magical electronic reading device will cure what ails magazines and newspapers."

[SNIP]

"Hearst digital chieftain Phil Bronstein, the former San Francisco Chronicle editor, told Maureen Dowd that the industry's best hope was that people would live longer, so those trained to read newspapers will stick to the habit.

The obvious converse of Bronstein's feeble hope: The young will never learn to read newspapers and magazines again, having grown up reading online. Why would they switch to a product like the Kindle?

Like the libertarian wingnuts who would rather flee to science-fiction cities on the sea, escape to outer space, or cosset themselves in an online fantasy world rather than live in reality, the addled lords of print like Bronstein would rather dream of a technological rescue than face the hard work of survival.

What newspapers and magazines need to do is obvious: Build appealing websites, and sell them better. But that would require changing."

UPDATED: Wired's Dylan F. Tweney blasts the large screen Kindle, Large-Screen Kindle Won’t Mean Squat if Apple Tablet Arrives:

"Make no mistake: There are many more people who would be interested in a general-purpose tablet than in an e-book reader. Sure, the majority of them would probably use it to download bikini photos of Evangeline Lilly while watching Lost on the big screen instead of re-reading Proust.

But if the PC and smartphone industries are any guide, people will opt for a well-designed multipurpose device over a special-purpose gadget every time, even if the latter does a few things much better. Already, there are more people reading e-books on the iPhone using Stanza alone (more than one million) than on the Kindle.

We don’t know whether Apple will release a tablet or not. But if it does, its sales will make the Kindle’s million units look like a rounding error."

With Apple, Plastic Logic, Hearst, News Corp all readying e-readers, this summer should be an interesting time. Will the custom publishing industry go for web sites or still cleave to the magazine format on these new readers? We'll soon see.

Apple iPhone "Mediapad" Could Be a Kindle Killer - Business Center - PC World

2009-04-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

For a device that doesn't officially exist, the rumored (iPad, iPhone Mediapad, Super iPod Touch, etc.) is getting a lot of attention in the publishing world. Most of the hype suggests that this one as-yet-unannounced device will suddenly make books, magazines and custom publishing instantly profitable again.

PC World's David Coursey says that Apple iPhone "Mediapad" Could Be a Kindle Killer:

"Is Apple's rumored 'mediapad' entertainment device a threat to Amazon's Kindle e-book reader? I think it is, but the only people who may care are current Kindle owners, some of whom may end up wishing they had waited on their purchase.

As I have said before: The Kindle in kindling.

It is always nice when the industry rumor mill starts validating what I have been saying, namely, that rumors of a ready-to-release Apple netbook actually refer to a supersized iPod touch."

[SNIP]

"Amazon has shown that an e-book reader can find customers, provided the content is available. Amazon has the content part nailed and will, presumably, be happy to see Apple create a much larger installed based of e-book-capable hardware than Kindle ever will.

My prediction is that if Apple really does the mediapad, Kindle will go away. But, probably not until Apple can reach a $350 price for its rumored new product. That make take a while, as something makes me think the super iPod touch will cost $500 or more when/if it is released."

Are digital magazines already in a bind?

2009-04-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

After viewing a very informative seminar at FolioMag.com, Digital Editions: The Fastest-Growing Format in Magazines, I had an insight into what kind of digital magazines will succeed.

The problem with digital newspapers and magazines is that they are still tied to their physical format. The news is bound. It is gathered and printed into a volume and distributed. Today on the internet news is vast and fast. The idea of putting a finite lid on the news is ridiculous. That's why trying to replicate an archaic fixed artifact (the dead trees edition of the news) is an evolutionary dead end. Most digital magazines should just be web sites. They can be paid sites like The Wall Street Journal, but most topics require the depth and hyperlinking that only a site can produce.

There is one area where binding the news doesn't hobble it: mobile digital magazines. Although people read the news sites on mobiles, many readers would value mobile content that was bound in a package that they could sync in the morning and view offline without incurring connection charges and signal drop offs (basically the iTunes model).

Trying to squeeze even a digtial magazine's reduced/fixed content into a 3.5 inch screen is a problem that doesn't take advantage of the very things that make the mobile reading experience worthwhile. Most mobile digital magazine readers don't read as many articles as print readers do. Life's time constraints, user interface and the screen size all promote reading in short bursts.

The best chance for success for mobile digital magazines is on-the-fly customization where the reader dictates the magazine's topic areas that interest them most. They also get the most read and/or discussed stories from the web site. That content is downloaded into the phone every morning/week/month. It isn't the full magazine, it is magazine lite.

Publishers Seize on iPhone as Print's Digital Savior - Advertising Age - MediaWorks

2009-04-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

AdAge is asking:

"Can the Jesus phone resurrect print's hopes for paid digital content?

Several players, from ambitious software developers to arcane auditing bodies, are suddenly converging this spring to hasten the arrival of a long-awaited 'iPod for print.' It might just be the iPhone."

[SNIP]

"Some publishers also want to facilitate commerce -- in exchange for a cut of the revenue. "Certainly there's an opportunity on your iPhone, whether it's stuff like buying movie tickets or buying products," Mr. Schutte said. "We're just beginning to explore it." Lucky offers advertisers participation in "Lucky at Your Service" as added value for in-book advertising.

But many publishers would also like to turn iTunes into a virtual newsstand and subscription hub. It's immensely popular, and people like buying things there. What better place to try to give paid circulation a foothold in digital?

Selling magazines through iTunes might have promise, depending on execution, audience and other factors, publishers said. "ITunes is a great marketplace for entertainment, movies, music, TV, even books. Magazines are actually conspicuous in their absence," said Ryan McConville, publisher of the Bauer Teen Group, whose titles include J-14 and Twist. "If teens are already there buying Miley Cyrus records and episodes of 'The Hills,' it's not a stretch to think they could just as easily be buying copies of J-14."

Read the full article here: Publishers Seize on iPhone as Print's Digital Savior - Advertising Age - MediaWorks

Custom Publishing Industry Showing Mixed Results During Economic Downturn : Publishing Executive

2009-04-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of optimistic spin in a recent study from the Custom Publishing Council:

"A study on custom media released this week demonstrates that the custom publishing industry has remained relatively strong despite the economic downturn, with circulation, frequency and page count all steady or up in the past year. The study, 'Characteristics Study: A Look at the Volume and Type of Custom Publications in America,' was a joint effort by the Custom Publishing Council (CPC) and Publications Management, a newsletter that tracks the custom publishing industry.

Not all of the study's findings were positive, however. The study showed a 20-percent decline in spending on custom publishing. The number of unique custom titles being published also fell -- from 143,000 in 2007 to 123,157 in 2008."

Read more detail in Publishing Executive: Custom Publishing Industry Showing Mixed Results During Economic Downturn:

Gizmodo - Pixel Qi 3Qi Magic E-Paper and High-Res LCD Dual Display Becomes Real Next Month

2009-04-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested in digital magazines or content marketing for your digital custom publishing needs, the rumored upcoming Apple 10-inch iPod Touch isn't the only game in town. Also hitting the circuit will be a revolutionary 10-inch display from OLPC alumna Mary Lou Jepsen's PixelQi. According to Gizmodo (and others) Pixel Qi 3Qi Magic E-Paper and High-Res LCD Dual Display Becomes Real Next Month - Pixel qi 3qi:

"The display technology Pixel Qi has been promising is revolutionary: A high-res color LCD and low-power, reflective reader mode better than E-ink. For dirt cheap. And it's coming next month."

This will be a technology to watch. Low power for reading text, high power when you need video. All-day battery life and dirt cheap too. What's not to love? We'll discover soon once samples start hitting the review circuit. Stay tuned.

Brand Mentions Preferred over Ads - eMarketer

2009-04-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is a study that should be in every custom publisher and content marketer's back pocket. According eMarketer's article Brand Mentions Preferred over Ads:

"Want to get Internet users to visit your Website or follow your brand?

The best way to accomplish those tasks, according to ARAnet, based on polling by Opinion Research Corporation, may not be advertising.

Compared with banner ads, pop-up ads, e-mail offers and sponsored links, articles that include brand information were most likely to lead US Internet users to read—and act."

The article breaks down the demographics of who responds most to articles. Time to update your sales material.

Digital Magazines 2009 - emedia and Technology @ FolioMag.com

2009-04-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

By the way, if you haven't checked out Folio Magazine's Digital Magazines 2009 roundup, just click the link to get the best overview of the state of the art and commerce of digital magazines. There's too much good stuff there to summarize it all here. Check it out now.

Can Amazon's Kindle reignite the magazine industry?

2009-04-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

Being a major geek, I love the idea, if not the specific execution, of Amazon's Kindle ebook reader. The idea of being able to carry 1500 books in the palm of your hand and being able to read without recharging the battery for a month is a dream come true (at least for the book lover). For the magazine reader, the Kindle is something of a nightmare.

As Min's Steve Smith writes in Kindle-Izing The Magazine:

"The main point of interest, however, is the screen and the format allowed for magazine content. In both these respects, magazines suffer even under this second generation of electronic ink. The grayish 'e-ink screen' has been designed to mimic the printed text page without a battery-killing backlight, and so we get a small window onto text that never pops from the background and grayscale image rendering that is only marginally better than the first Kindle.

This is not a visual platform. Any mood-setting or informative illustrations in the magazine text either have been stripped out altogether in the Kindle versions or left a muddy mess. The only exception we have seen are the TNY [The New Yorker] cartoons, which occupy a separate section of that title in the Kindle version and render at a decent size apart from text.

The beauty of the magazine page is lost almost entirely in the Kindle and replaced by some rudimentary digital niceties. Most of the magazine content is organized at a front page by sections. Also lost is the invaluable TOC."

For custom publishers the great reading hope for the magazine industry is the rumored upcoming 10-inch screen iPod Touch that may descend from on high June or July. I am not an Apple fan boy. I haven't purchased an Apple product since the Apple IIe. (I hear they have hard drives now.) But it isn't the sex appeal of their industrial design that will make this 10-incher important to the magazine industry, it is the economic ecosystem of iTunes that may be the final deal changer in a world awash in free media. Apple has shown that if you create a seamless and easy buying experience, people will pay for what they can get for free with a little more effort. Micropayment single issue or article sales are possible, not to mention standard subscription services.

The rumored Apple 10-inch slate will also be the right screen size for both the magazine/newspaper industry and the textbook market. While Amazon is rumored to have a larger screen device on sale for the holidays, the Apple device will have a color screen that can do video, something no e-ink device can hope to achieve. The 10-incher will become a multimedia player, notetaking device, productivity tool, netbook (although Apple will never call it that) and e-reader. Obviously the eye strain of backlit reading and the power drain issues will have to be worked out over time.

Already there are cheap competitors who are trying to capture this market, just as there were other MP3 players before the iPod launched and other touchscreen multimedia player phones before the iPhone appeared. Now Apple has massive market dominance. If I were deciding how to allocate my digital magazine development budget, I'd bet on Apple over Amazon. Based on his comments about the future of emagazines, looks like Min's Steve Smith agrees.

When Time Inc.starts targeting mobile subscribers is it time for custom publishing to follow?

2009-04-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

Today there was an interesting article about how Time Inc. is letting advertisers target specific demographics of mobile magazine subscribers. The Mobile Marketer article, Time Inc. lets brands target mobile subscribers, states:

"Time Consumer Marketing Inc. has teamed up with Pathfinder Direct to introduce a database of mobile subscribers to let brands target consumers with offers on their mobile phones.

The Time Inc. Mobile Masterfile offers active subscribers who have double-opted-in through third-party sites to receive relevant text advertisements. The file consists of more than 3 million active mobile subscribers."

[snip]

"Companies can select by masterfile or by individual title with demographic and lifestyle enhancements such as age, donor, product buyer, age/presence of child, hobby, pet, owner, college student, income, net worth, political affiliation, ethnicity, language spoken, religion, dwelling type, marital status and travel enthusiast.

Matching email addresses are also available for multichannel touchpoints.

“With 14 magazines making up the masterfile, we are allowing marketers to target specific magazines for vertical offers,” Mr. Goodwin said. “If the message is more branding and geo-related, we have the 3-million-name universe to pull from"

There are a number of digital magazine formats out there but the winning strategy will be monetizing mobile. The main battleground has shrunk to a 3.5-inch touchscreen. The mobile experience is starting to more closely match the traditional magazine experience of portable reading entertainment. Time Inc.'s step here should be something the custom publishing industry should watch closely. Because custom publishers won't have a continuing subscriber base to draw on, the mobile custom magazines that will succeed will probably be half app/half how-to journalism. The good news for advertisers and custom publishing clients is that mobile readers are in a transactional mindset when they choose to read about a topic, meaning that mobile custom publications will have a more demonstrable ROI for specific niches (such as retail products) than other magazine formats.

Time Inc's two big new media pushes create a model for other custom publishers.

2009-03-20T14:30:00.001-07:00

Time Inc (itself a custom publisher) is making waves this week with two advances that could create new platforms for other custom publishers.

First up : Time Inc. begins rollout of ambitious mobile plan - Mobile Marketer - Media:

"Time Inc., the world’s largest magazine publisher, sees mobile as part of a troika comprising social networking and video that will determine its digital media future.

"Starting next week, the New York-based company will roll out a series of iPhone and WAP Web sites and iPhone applications for media properties such as Golf.com and CNNMoney.com, which is the joint portal for Fortune and Money magazines. Mobile will also be part of a test to gauge the appetite of consumers willing to pay for content."

Next up is:

Time Inc.'s Mine Magazine is a Printed RSS Feed | Sustainability | Fast Company:

"The news just keeps getting more personal. Hyper-specialized blogs, RSS feeds, and personalized Google homepages let us focus on what we care about and tune out the rest. Thus far, personalized news has been limited to the Internet, but Time Inc. is bringing it to the printed word with mine, a five-issue, 10-week, experimental magazine that allows readers to select five Time Warner/American Express Co. magazines that Time editors will combine into a personalized magazine with 56 possible combinations. Essentially, mine is a printed, expanded RSS feed. Magazines available to the program include Time, Sports Illustrated, Food & Wine, Real Simple, Money, In Style, Golf, and Travel + Leisure.

"Ads in the mine run will all be for the Lexus 2010 RX SUV--but with personalized messages for each subscriber targeting their interests."

"mine's experimental run is free, with a 36-page print edition available to the first 31,000 respondents and an online version available to 200,000 others. The online edition may not be of much interest to readers skilled in the art of Internet news surfing, but mine's printed edition brings an interesting concept to the table: the minimalization of paper waste with personalized magazines and newspapers. Instead of subscribing to five magazines, why not just subscribe to one that has everything you want inside? And instead of subscribing to The New York Times, The Star Ledger, and your hometown newspaper, why not subscribe to a mash-up of all three?"

While Time Inc. obviously has the library of content to make this happen they aren't the only ones. Imagine someone planning a trip to Hawaii. They could have a custom magazine created for them that would highlight their interests in a way that would allow advertisers to microtarget. Publishers could send a hard copy, a PDF or here's the really interesting bit, a custom iPhone-style app that would have transactional elements like coupons or entertainment booking options.

Health and financial services clients could also create similar custom content on the fly. The increased cost in printing these single issues would be minimal because the advertising would be very targeted. It will be interesting to see if mine turns out to be a gold mine.

Does the new iPhone 3.0 OS SDK, mean a profitable platform for digital magazine subscriptions?

2009-03-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of coverage today about the new iPhone 3.0 OS SDK (software development kit) and what it means for the smartphone market but what most people haven't noticed is a new in-app purchase program that will allow magazine publishers (among others) to charge subscriptions or microtransactions (such as charging 99 cents for an archived article).

As reported in InfoWorld:

"Apple rolled out some new features for the App Store at a special event being held at the company’s Cupertino, Calif., campus on Tuesday.

"Scott Forstall, Apple's senior vice president of iPhone Software, said many developers would like to see a subscription model in the App Store. This would give magazine companies a way to increase sales, while filling a demand from customers.

"Subscriptions isn’t the only new model coming to the App Store. With the release of the new App Store, developers will be able to sell products from within the app itself. That means that game developers can sell additional levels for their games and eBook developers can have a virtual bookstore inside their app for consumers to purchase books.

"Apple said the business model for in-app purchases will be the same for developers as the current model: Apple gets 30 percent of the revenue, while developers take home 70 percent."

The iPhone has the biggest handset footrpint out there. It has a relatively large screen size (4 inches) and is locking people into it's ecosystem the same way Microsoft did in the early days of the desktop OS. Does this new SDK mean that Apple will have the same 95% dominance in the smartphone space? Probably not, but 66% marketshare is large enough for a very profitable foundation.

With the rumored 10 inch screen iPod Touch coming out this summer, have we reached the tipping point for digital magazines? What will it mean for creators of digital magazine software such as NXTbook, Texterity, Zinio and others?

The big question for custom publishers: how do in-app purchases translate into direct sales for our clients? How does this new functionality change the content mix in digital magazines? Do digital custom publications become more like catalogs, with journalistic content surrounding a microtransactional purchase point? Who is doing the best job turning a digital custom publication into a moneymaker for the client? How is the new SDK going to change their game? Your thoughts?

Is Zinio's partnership with Plastic Logic the profitable future of digital magazines?

2009-02-13T16:00:00.000-08:00

Digital magazine publisher Zinio has announced a partnership with the larger-screened, would-be-Kindle-2 killer from Plastic Logic. While Amazon's Kindle 2 has been getting a lot of lustful press (I admit that I want one badly), a lot of publishers are eager to put their magazines on the larger 10.7 inch grayscale E-Ink screen from Plastic Logic. Although the reader experience isn't an exact match to a full color magazine, the large screen makes a huge leap forward.

There is a lot of debate whether these E-Ink devices are an evolutionary dead end. As Gizmodo's Matt Buchanan decribes in Giz Explains: Why There Isn't a Perfect Ebook Reader (great article, defintely worth your time), there are a lot of people who think single use E-Ink devices will be replaced by low power LCDs:

"Mary Lou Jepsen—who designed the XO Laptop's breakthrough reflective LCD screen and her new company, Pixel Qi, are reinventing the LCD again, and their display, if it lives up to its promises, could be the other way forward. In fact, she told me that she predicts that 'in 2010, LCDs designed for reading will overtake the electrophoretic display technology in the ereader market.'

She says that Pixel Qi's displays are actually more readable than e-paper, with 'excellent reflectance, high resolution for text, sunlight readability'—just as easy on the eyes when the backlighting is turned off, but with the key advantages of full color and fast refresh, for pages that update as fast as video. Jepsen says it's even possible to get a week of battery life from LCD tech, of course depending on the device the screens are embedded in. Infrastructurally and perhaps historically speaking, the odds are in LCD's favor. Even new versions will be incredibly cheap and quick to manufacture because they can be made entirely in existing factories without requiring new, specialized equipment."

Anyway, if you want to read about Zinio and Plastic Logic, the full press release is below:

Zinio LLC :: Zinio Announces Partnership with Plastic Logic to Supply Digital Magazine Content for Upcoming eReader Device:

Zinio Announces Partnership with Plastic Logic to Supply Digital Magazine Content for Upcoming eReader Device

Deal Enables Zinio Publishers, Advertisers and Partners Distribution On Next Generation Platform for Reading

SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Zinio (www.zinio.com) today announced an agreement with Plastic Logic to enable Plastic Logic to have access to its massive, global stable of digital magazines and other digital content. With this agreement, Zinio will provide all members of its broad network (including publishers and advertisers) a new channel of content distribution, sales and engagement. This groundbreaking partnership will enable publisher partners to offset current circulation losses by reaching readers in their homes, at work and on-the-go without changing one aspect of their production process.

'In preparation for the launch of our industry-leading, large and lightweight eReader, we want our customers to have access to the largest selection of digital magazines on the planet. With that goal in mind, Zinio was the obvious partnership choice,' said Plastic Logic Vice President of Business Development, Daren Benzi. '"

"With its large display and intuitive touch screen user interface, the Plastic Logic eReader is an ideal device for magazines. With Zinio, our customers will have access to many of the top consumer titles, along with previously published issues, in addition to leading business periodicals and other content."

"This release comes on the heels of a series of "evolutionary" announcements Zinio clients and partners have made in the past 30 days (See Outside Go Release, Mundial Release and Digital Elements release.).

"The time has come for digital reading to evolve," said Rich Maggiotto, Zinio's CEO and President. "When Zinio was first conceived, it was focused on providing a technology system that enabled people to read magazines on their PC. Today, we have evolved into a company focused on servicing the digital lifestyle of readers worldwide. Zinio represents much more than a technology platform, it represents access inside the world's most prominent digital consumer brands and spans other econtent, including custom content. Our innovation around the presentation and distribution of this content, in lockstep with our publisher partners, will continue at full force."

"As a Zinio publisher partner, I don't have to stay awake at night thinking about how I can increase consumer engagement and distribution while decreasing costs. Zinio does that for me. They have been a true partner to Bonnier and are laser focused on increasing awareness, distribution and sales for my titles, in a cost effective manner," said Terry Snow, Chief Executive Officer of Bonnier, which publishes such popular titles as Popular Science, Parenting and Outdoor Life. "Zinio's partnership with Plastic Logic is just one more of the great benefits of working with them. Personally, I can't wait until these eReaders come to market. This option will significantly change consumer adoption of digital content."

The Plastic Logic Reader is a groundbreaking electronic reader that features a large, thin, lightweight and robust form factor that is about the size of an 8.5 x 11-inch pad of paper and weighs less than many print publications. The Reader is differentiated by its unique and industry-leading plastic display that is based on Plastic Logic's revolutionary plastic electronics technology.

Plastic Logic plans to make its Reader available in trials and pilots with partners and key customers during the second half of 2009, followed by widespread commercial availability in 2010.

About Zinio LLC

Zinio is the global leader in digital and interactive publishing products and services, with over 1,000 digital magazine titles currently in its stable. Partnering with American and International publishers, Zinio opens opportunities for revenue growth and wider circulation. Zinio also designs marketing programs that focus on consumer acquisition and retention, cross-promotion, and driving revenue for publisher partners. Zinio is also the home of exclusively-digital women's lifestyle publication VIVmag, The Read Green Initiative, and Zinio's Industry Resource Center, a one-stop shop for relevant news, expert blog postings, research, and case studies for advertisers and publishers.

As a worldwide distributor, Zinio has offices in San Francisco and New York and Distribution partners across the globe, including London, Madrid, Taipei, and Sydney. Zinio's partners include Editorial Abril, Bonnier, Hearst, IDG, Gruner + Jahr, Hachette Filipacchi, IPC Media, Mariah Media, McGraw-Hill, Playboy Enterprises, Rogers Publishing, Wenner Media, and Ziff Davis. For more information, or to purchase any of the digital magazine-specific titles offered by Zinio, please visit http://www.zinio.com.

Website: http://www.zinio.com/

The day print died: Google & Amazon to Put More Books on Cellphones

2009-02-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that print is dying but the transition to mobile, people's third screen (TV and computer are screens one and two) is coming very slowly. 2009 is the year that will change everything. Just as the iPhone created a viable music market, mobile will save magazines. This year will mark when people's reading habits change with access to compelling content in a more convenient platform.

As The New York Times' MIGUEL HELFT reports in Google and Amazon to Put More Books on Cellphones:

"In a move that could bolster the growing popularity of e-books, Google said Thursday that the 1.5 million public domain books it had scanned and made available free on PCs were now accessible on mobile devices like the iPhone and the T-Mobile G1.

Also Thursday, Amazon said that it was working on making the titles for its popular e-book reader, the Kindle, available on a variety of mobile phones. The company, which is expected to unveil a new version of the Kindle next week, did not say when Kindle titles would be available on mobile phones."

[SNIP]

"But just as camera phones have not replaced digital cameras, smartphones are not likely to replace dedicated e-book readers like the Kindle or the Reader from Sony, analysts said. These specialized devices have screens about the size of a paperback book and use a technology that does not require backlighting, which makes them easier to read in most light conditions. They also have longer battery life.

While mobile phones are good for quick access to reading material, their backlighted screens are “terrible for long-form reading,” said Evan Schnittman, vice president for global business development at Oxford University Press. “It hurts the eyes. The pages of a book are the size they are because of hundreds of years of experience of what works best.” Still, over time, the market for reading on cellphones could grow, especially as new, more capable mobile devices become available."

In my opinion, just as we read magazines, tabloids, broadsheets and books, the screens will be both small backlit smart phones and larger E-Ink screens like the Kindle. Once we move content into the downloaded app space rather than the free surfing space, I think that the subscription economic model can re-emerge. That means the magazine reading habits of our target audience will move to a platform that custom publishers can use without horrific printing and distribution costs.

Except for very specific technology and B2B titles, the critical mass of eyeballs isn't there yet. But starting this summer with the rumored new iPhone and more students going to school with the new student version of the Kindle, we will start to see a major turnaround. The hard part for custom publishers is surviving until then.

Moving custom publications into the iPhone app space.

2009-02-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

Over at Ad Age, Rita Chang details how Lucky Magazine's Effect on Search Traffic Inspires an iPhone App.
For many, Lucky appears almost a fashion custom publication, lots of ads, little content. So it might be instructive for custom publishers to study how they have turned their print magazine into an iPhone ecommerce machine. According to Chang:

"When the shopping magazine, which catalogs the latest clothing, shoes, handbags, sunglasses and makeup, hits the newsstands, [online search] queries go up. Way up. (Yes, it turns out the youth still read print.)

So Scott Dunlap, president-CEO of NearbyNow, took his findings to Lucky several months ago and struck a partnership with the Conde Nast-owned title. Now the two are set to launch an iPhone application that brings the geo-locating concierge service to the mobile handset. Every product featured in the magazine will have a corollary in the iPhone app, which means iPhone-toting fashionistas can dial into the Lucky app and see if their nearby retail outlet has their object of their desire in stock, in their size and in the color that matches their favorite nail color.

If a user is in luck, she will get an alert directing her to the nearest retail outlet; a call-center rep can even verify that the desired product is in stock and put it on hold for the user. Once at the store, shoppers can try everything on for size. Mr. Dunlap said the pick-up rate averages 75%, with jewelry and shoes ranking as the categories most likely to be picked up."

At Lipper Custom Publishing, we have seen an uptick in the number of clients wanting to create iPhone apps. It seems to be one of the few bright spots in custom publishing these days.

Will newspapers move to Kindle or iPhone (possibly both) and what should custom publishers do about it?

2009-02-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

Over at Silicon Alley Insider, Nicholas Carlson suggests that Printing The NYT Costs Twice As Much As Sending Every Subscriber A Free Kindle:

"Not that it's anything we think the New York Times Company should do, but we thought it was worth pointing out that it costs the Times about twice as much money to print and deliver the newspaper over a year as it would cost to send each of its subscribers a brand new Amazon Kindle instead."

[snip where he goes into the math]

"And here's the thing: a source with knowledge of the real numbers tells us we're so low in our estimate of the Times's printing costs that we're not even in the ballpark.

What we're trying to say is that as a technology for delivering the news, newsprint isn't just expensive and inefficient; it's laughably so."

With Kindle 2.0 about to be introduced on February 9th, it might start to make sense for a consortium of publishers to look at a subsidized model (2 year subscription) to slash their print costs. How would this work? I think there are two models: cable TV or radio.

The cable TV model works like this a number of publishers say they will give you a hardware such as the new Kindle (or for the sake of argument it could be the new iPhone or an iPod Touch that are due out Julyish) as long as you agree to subscribe to an all-you-can-eat buffet from these publishers for 2 years.

A similar scenario might invoke the radio model where content providers are paid based on the popularity of their content and an ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) type of entity would pay royalties based on very trackable metrics. The value of this to publishers is obvious. Wire services which are widely read would get an influx of cash to cover more stories (unfortunately they will all be about Parison Hilton or Britney Spears).

Can/should custom publishers do anything to promote this sustainable ecosystem? Most don't have the will or the wallet but digital publishers such as Nxtbook and Zinio have a vested interest in promoting the health of digital magazines as a genre. If custom publishers make a committment to producing readable, engaging content that is more than just brochureware, they can help make it happen.

Is the future of custom publishing a digital magazine or an iPhone app?

2009-01-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

Over at TechCrunch, Jason Kincaid thinks that The iPhone Could Be The Ultimate Study Machine:

"In late December, Kaplan teamed with app developer Jirbo to release its first test prep application, SAT Flashcubes. The result: a quirky vocab tutor with spinning cubes that hasn’t fared very well, with a grand total of six reviews. But Kaplan isn’t putting all of its eggs in one basket: today it released its second (and more conventional) application for the NCLEX-RN exam, and have at least eight more in the works. Kaplan is the first mover (which may be key), but don’t be surprised if The Princeton Review, Barrons, and other large publishers have their own apps on the drawing board.

In the meantime, a number of smaller publishers have released their own applications, spanning everything from basic flash cards and SAT vocabulary to memorizing the amino acids (a rite of passage for every pre-med student). Many of these apps seem to work well, but they may be overtaken once the aforementioned “trusted names” start establishing a larger presence.

Test prep and study guides represent a massive market, with many teens and young adults (and their parents) willing to drop serious amounts of money on anything that could conceivably help get higher test scores. Many of these students are so driven that, with a large enough selection, the App Store’s Education section could lead"

This made me wonder if the future of custom publishing is a digital magazine or something closer to specific function iPhone app.

Consumer What Me Worry? Magazines Take Huge Ad Hit in 2008

2009-01-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

What does the consumer ad slide mean to custom publishers? It ain't good. Folio magazine details how Consumer Magazines Take Huge Ad Hit in 2008:

"Many publishers would like to forget 2008 ever happened.

Consumer magazine advertising pages dropped 11.7 percent in 2008 when compared to 2007, according to year-end figures released by the Publishers Information Bureau late Tuesday.

The drop in advertising accelerated in the fourth quarter, as pages slid more than 17 percent."

Check out this link for more details.

Can iTunes save custom publishing?

2009-01-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

In most cases custom publishers, either because of the infrequency of the publications or the advertorial nature of the content, aren't innovators. (If you've can suggest some that are, we'd love to hear it. Porn doesn't count.)

The custom publishing world is, for the most part, a background player in the ongoing tragedy The Death of Publishing As We Know It. (It ain't over until the gray lady dies.)

Mass transitions are painfully disruptive. We are seeing a big transition from paper to screen but without a sustainable business model to support it. As the NY Times' David Carr states in "Will Someone Please Invent iTunes for News?":

"For a long time, newspapers assumed that as their print advertising declined, it would be intersected by a surging line of online advertising revenue. But that revenue is no longer growing at many newspaper sites, so if the lines cross, it will be because the print revenue is saying hello on its way to the basement.

As a report by Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research stated last year, “The notion that the enormous cost of real news-gathering might be supported by the ad load of display advertising down the side of the page, or by the revenue share from having a Google search box in the corner of the page, or even by a 15-second teaser from Geico prior to a news clip, is idiotic on its face.”"

[SNIP]

"Is there a way to reverse the broad expectation that information, including content assembled and produced by professionals, should be free? If print wants to perform a cashectomy on users, it should probably look to what happened with music, an industry in which people once paid handsomely for records, then tapes, then CDs, that was overtaken by the expectation that the same product should be free.

Mr. Jobs saw music as something else — as an ancillary software business to generate sales of the iPods and iPhones. That’s not a perspective that flattered people in the music business, but it did persuade listeners to pay for their wares.

Then again, a friend in the business sent me a link to an item in TechCrunch (yes, it was also free) that described a gadget that actually might work for newspapers.

“Expect a large screen iPod touch device to be released in the fall of ’09, with a 7 or 9 inch screen,” the item suggested.

The device would allow scanning of pages with a flick of the finger. It sounds promising for newspapers and magazines. Now all we need is a business model to go with it."

Like Carr, I too am excited about a larger screen iPod touch but it feels like we have been waiting for such a Mac Tablet for about the same time as fusion and First Contact. I'm not holding my breath.

When I commute by train, I read HTML based content on my phone, but I find the small screen size (even with the iPhone-like Skyfire browser) very annoying. I love the idea of the larger-screened Amazon Kindle but the lack of additional functionality is a deal breaker. This week CES showcased truckloads of netbooks (small, budget, low horsepower Windows XP laptops) and UMPCs (Ultra Mobile PCs) that will retail for the same price as a Kindle. For many commuters, netbooks are the only choice.

Over at Slate, Jack Shafer looks at the business and technology models for newspapers and comes to the same conclusions. He says that $350 netbooks may be the technology that saves newspapers and magazines.

For custom publishers/content marketers the hard part in this netbook landscape will be getting our content in front of readers. We don't have to worry about the subscription and ads revenue model. We are measured by ROI. Zinio, Nxtbook and others have the technology handled but how will we get the opt-in eyeballs? What will make the reader click on the link to download our custom content?

Creating compelling content.

Want to get Amazon Kindle readers for your custom magazine?

2009-01-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Although I haven't checked out the Amazon Kindle's magazine rack, it appears to be quite thin. According to Carolyn Kellogg at the LA Time's Jacket Copy blog (Penguins, Kindle-ing and translation):

"People who've got themselves a Kindle can now get Narrative Magazine delivered to it; Narrative is the first literary journal available on the Kindle. So far, it's pretty easy to find -- it's the 10th magazine listed in the Kindle store, behind Reader's Digest but before U.S. News & World Report."

When I first checked out the Kindle as a platform for custom publishing about a year or so ago, publishers still couldn't give their custom magazine away for free. This may have changed. (Technically you can get around this by emailing the magazine in PDF form that Kindle users could then send to their device with often mixed results.) Maybe it is time to check it out if you want to get the attention of Kindle users.

Is content creation a losing game? What we can learn from Fox News.

2009-01-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

I was speaking to a Wall Street analyst today about the content creation business and how it was hurting/dying both in print and online. He replied "Of course it is. There's far too much supply and it keeps growing on an ever steeper curve." He's right. There are too few ad dollars chasing narrower niches of attention. This law of oversupply and rapidly dwindling demand is killing old media and taking most "new media" down too.

What does that mean for the custom publishing/content marketing business model?

First, this is VERY old news. People have been feeling information overload since the invention of movable type for over five hundred years in the west (over a thousand years in Asia). For centuries, old media worked well as threshold guardians of culture. They were the filter that everyone read and advertisers would pay for those eyeballs.

Today, everyone can be a publisher for free and even the smallest micro-niche can get some ad support (note the Google Adsense ads on this blog). The problem arises because there is so much oversupply of media it is almost as if there are no filters at all. What media and readers need is a filter of filters. Oddly enough this is where custom publishing can shine.

Custom publications, because they have a unity of editorial focus, don't have to be all things to all people (as consumer magazines do). They usually have a very targeted distribution. They are preaching to the choir. They can present a strong, confident voice on the topic that let's the reader do the analysis. Call this the Fox News approach. "We report. You decide." Say what you will about their politics, Fox News cut through the cable TV clutter to become a ratings success.

Custom publications (and content marketing) should be opinionated ("why the conventional wisdom about X is all wrong"), attack when necessary ("why going with our competition is the dumbest moves you could make"), proscriptive ("10 essential things you should do today about X"), and truth telling ("busting the myths about X"). Throw in some coupons or traceable discount programs to measure ROI and you're done.

Companies need advocates to instill passion about their products. Custom publishing is the only vehicle that can do this. Readers actually are clamoring for such a strong voice. Shouldn't companies be delivering what their customers want? You decide.

What sort of opportunity does the January magazine adv decline give to custom publishers?

2009-01-05T11:08:00.000-08:00

In reading today's NY Times' advertising column about the advertising decline at Conde Nast (As Marketers Retreat, Condé Nast Magazines Slim Down), Stephanie Clifford paints a striking difference by comparing a 2008 January Allure issue to a 2009 January issue.

"Inside the magazine it was a different story: the January 2008 issue had almost 70 pages of ads, while the January 2009 issue had 41, according to the Media Industry Newsletter, a decline of 41 percent.

[snip]

"January issues tend to be thin even in good years, and most magazines posted a decline in ad pages. But the average decline across all monthly magazines was only 17 percent, and most Condé Nast magazines fared much worse, according to analysis of Media Industry Newsletter data.

"Wired, which is usually thick with consumer electronics ads, was the worst hit, down 47 percent from a year ago to 43.6 ad pages. Architectural Digest fell 46 percent, to 63.2, from 116.8. Vogue and Lucky were both down about 44 percent."

With advertisers obviously wary of the ROI their ad dollars are getting in regular consumer magazines, doesn't it make sense to target the consumer directly with custom publications?

Are magazines following newspapers into oblivion?

2008-12-23T10:57:00.000-08:00

I just read a great article by John A. Byrne (Nieman Watchdog Showcase; The changing truths of journalism) about how magazines that want to avoid the certain death that is obliterating newspapers need to port over to the web immediately, as in yesterday. A couple of paragraphs jumped out at me:

"A recent study by the Bivings Group shockingly discovered that a survey of 50 top magazines were behind newspapers in deploying Web 2.0 technology.1 Whether it’s blogs, video, RSS feeds, or reader comments on stories, magazines trail newspapers in their adoption. “Newspapers fared better than magazines in nearly every category in 2007,” according to the study by Bivings, a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.. “In general, we have found that magazines are slower at adopting Web 2.0 trends than newspapers.”

"As the editor in chief of BusinessWeek’s online operations and the now much older kid who walked through a newspaper closing, I’m both perplexed and shocked by the magazine industry’s laggard status. We have every advantage in largely serving existing communities of readers in specific niches, from cooking and wine to sports and entertainment. Of course, I’m fortunate to work at a place that gets it—with 28 staff-written blogs, nearly 5,000 videos, plenty of RSS feeds, and a lively comment section where tens of thousands of readers weigh in with their views every month. It’s why our site now boasts double the readership of our weekly magazine: more than 10 million unique visitors monthly vs. a 4.7 million audience in print."

What is true for consumer magazines may be doubly so for custom publications that don't have the advantage of an ongoing subscriber/reader base. I've had discussions with a few custom publishers about digital magazines that require downloading a reader or plug-in. As much fun as they are, I see these digital magazines as near fatal eye candy. I've become more convinced that custom magazines need to look at becoming portals or providing ongoing content to existing portals. The currency of the day is eyeballs and any plug-in is a barrier to them.

Digital magazines take the worst elements of magazine (confined layouts, limited editorial space, etc.) and then put it on the web but stripping out the best tools the web has to offer. Most interface design experts would cringe at the old analog vestigial hoops digital magazines make readers jump through. Do you have a take on this?

Are online custom publications the only ad brightspot?

2008-10-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

There's no need to belabor the bleak general ad market but there are glimmers of light to be had in the online sector. Although print is on the ropes, online content marketing may be the best way to reach eyeballs for the near future. Check out these select paragraphs from the Sucking Sound of Ad Dollars Disappearing in BusinessWeek:

"How the dollars flow—or rather don't flow—in any downturn can shape events in ways obscured until much later. As strange as it sounds today, the tech bust that started in 2000 meant that total dollars spent on online display advertising declined 21% between 2001 and 2002. And as strange as it sounds today, many established media organizations used that decline as a rationale for deemphasizing the Web in favor of their traditional businesses—and underinvestment allowed all manner of Web-only startups to outflank them in the one medium that's still growing. While online display ads will still be up in '09, says BMO Capital Markets analyst Leland Westerfield, that growth rate will likely slow. Look for search advertising to hold up, so Google should be hurt the least.

Elsewhere, Barclay's DiClemente suggests, the slowdown's effects will move up a media ladder of sorts, starting with newspapers, magazines, radio, local TV, and then hitting broadcast and—possibly—cable TV. There's a 'high probability,' he says, that the 'advertising malaise spreads to network TV'—the one long-running medium that's held steadiest as others have fallen off.

DiClemente is forecasting a 5.5% pullback in ad spending next year, with only Web and cable TV posting ad upticks. It may be hard to conjure a scenario worse than today's, given what radio, local TV, and newspapers are currently experiencing. This has been a year in which many unthinkable things have happened—newspaper executives, for instance, mulling which days of the week they won't publish. But the coming downturn means that what once was unthinkable ... well, you better start thinking it. "

PRISM wins both APEX and Magnum Opus awards

2008-07-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

Custom publisher PRISM Media Group has recently won both APEX and Magnum Opus awards. Here are the relevant press releases:

PMG Honored in 2008 APEX Awards

Carrollton, Texas (July 14, 2008) — PRISM Media Group (PMG), one of the Southwest’s fastest-growing custom publishers, was recently recognized for outstanding work in the 20th Annual Awards for Publication Excellence — APEX 2008 — presented by Communications Concepts Inc.

PMG won an Award of Excellence for Most Improved in the Magazine/Journal category for The SOURCE, produced on behalf of the Dallas Market Center, and an Award of Excellence for Best Redesign in the Category of Design & Illustration for Facility Manager, a publication from the International Association of Assembly Managers. This year, the APEX Awards drew nearly 4,500 entries.

“We are thrilled that our magazines continue to earn commendation and such a positive response from readers and industry insiders alike,” said Richard Alfano, general manager and chief financial officer. “Our recent honors are in line with our commitment to high-quality work.”

# # #

PMG Receives Honors in 2008 Magnum Opus Awards

Carrollton, Texas (July 14, 2008) — PRISM Media Group (PMG), one of the Southwest’s fastest-growing custom publishers, recently received honors from the 2008 Magnum Opus Awards — presented by McMurry Inc. — for outstanding work in publishing.

The Magnum Opus Awards, which honor excellence in custom publishing, drew more than 800 entries from custom publishers, including several of the industry’s giants. PMG received a gold award for Best Design, New Publication, for the e-zine PPB Product Showcase, published for Promotional Products Association Intl. (PPAI) and an honorable mention for Most Improved Design for The SOURCE, published on behalf of the Dallas Market Center. The two categories were highly competitive, putting PMG’s entries in the submission pool with those from Rodale Publishing, Story Worldwide and Redwood Custom Communications, among others.

“We are very pleased that our work was recognized in the 2008 Magnum Opus Awards, and we continue to strive to reach the highest standards in excellence for our publications,” said Richard Alfano, general manager and chief financial officer. “The positive response we’ve received from our readers, peers and clients continues to fuel our progress and constant output of quality work.”

# # #

About PRISM Media Group. PRISM Media Group (PMG) offers creative and strategic solutions for a host of clients. Our award-winning staff provides a diverse roster of services, including advertising sales, design, editorial development and management, production, circulation/fulfillment and database management. PMG’s business partners include Dallas Market Center, International Association of Assembly Managers, Promotional Products Association Intl. and Energy Solutions Center. For more information about PRISM Media Group, please visit www.prismb2bmedia.com or call (972) 488-4433.

Visual custom publications: Mobile comics

2008-07-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

Media Bistro, has this little blurb about McCain, Obama Comics Going Mobile:

Editor & Publisher reports that IDW Publishing's upcoming comic books about presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain will also be available for download onto cell phones through GoComics.com.

Both IDW's 28-page print comic-biographies and the mobile version from GoComics will debut on October 8, marking the first time that a comic book is released simultaneously in print and on mobile simultaneously.

If this type of graphics-intensive campaign material can make it in the mobile space, I wonder what sort of custom publishing can make it in on phones. For a guide, you should check out the thought-provoking Texterity 2008 Digital Magazine Reader Survey.

Kindle 2.0 is an iPhone?

2008-07-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

As a geek, I'm interested in the ebook market. As a custom publisher, it is mission critical. I think that ebooks (and digital magazines) will become (for the most part) an application on an existing multifunction device (like a smartphone) rather than a dedicated standalone device. Looks like Ron Galloway at the Huffington Post, has expereinced this already:

"For months now I've been on the fence regarding the Amazon Kindle. The ease of downloading a book from Amazon in seconds, as well as the easy to read screen, have almost pushed me into the purchase camp. But I've held off because the design of the Kindle has all the grace and originality of a Glenn Frey guitar solo.

So I decided to wait for Kindle Version 2.0. Well, it's here -- and it's the iPhone 2.0.

Since the release of the new iPhone software I've been downloading lots of apps for the new phone. These new apps, more than the 3G, are what I believe is driving the huge sales of the new phone.

One of the new iApps is an ebook reader called Stanza. It will allow you to open and read pretty much any format of ebook, and it will sync with the ebooks already on your Mac (not Windows though; haven't you switched yet?). Stanza provides a surprisingly fluid and ergonomically pleasing reading experience on my iPhone. I've quickly gotten used to sitting in an airport reading a book on my iPhone. I know, I'm a geek."

To read more, check out: I've Seen The New Kindle (And It's An iPhone)

Mobilizing Magazine Content

2008-07-23T11:43:00.000-07:00

MinOnline has an interesting tidbit about how advertisers are using mobile phones to engage magazine readers. According to Steve Smith's article, :

"In the August issue of Men's Health, readers are invited to take a picture of the washboard abs in the Dolce & Gabbana (D&G) ad on page 24 and e-mail it to MH@SNAPTELL.COM. SnapTell is the mobile technology provider powering the program and shopping the idea to several major magazine publishers at the moment. SnapTell matches the incoming ad image against its image database and sends back a short message service link to a Macy's retail page for the advertised product. Every ad in the issue will return some kind of mobile asset, whether it is a text tip, a coupon, or a link to a wireless application protocol site."

What's the custom publishing/content marketing equivalent of this?

Software turns page in digital magazines

2008-07-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

Zinio and Texterity have a competitor in the digital magazine publishing business. According to Canada's Telegraph Journal, a new software turns page in digital magazines:

"A New Brunswick information technology company has launched software that will make it easier to access online magazines.

Trish Connolly, CEO of Advanced Publishing, with an online version of Vertical, a magazine on helicopters, and print versions of magazines her company had converted to online content.

The software, created by Saint John-based Advanced Publishing, will enable readers to view digital magazines online without downloading a plug-in. Plug-ins are programs that help improve the capability of web browsers and e-mail applications.

The company's existing digital magazine software, called RIDE (Rich Interactive Digital Edition), requires a plug-in called Silverlight. The new version, called Digital Anywhere, means readers can view its magazines with a simple click of the mouse."

Mygazines Offers a Look at the Future While Testing Copyright Law

2008-07-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

A new mix and match online digital magazine service called Mygazines gets a review by Paul Glazowski over at Mashable.com. Could custom publishers add their content to this service royalty-free? Is this model DOA? Here's what Glazowski had to say in his review, Mygazines Offers a Look at the Future While Testing Copyright Law:

"Want to read a wealth of magazines without spending a dime on subscriptions or one-time transactions? A website by the name of Mygazines is promising just that.

I for one can’t imagine the number of copyrights the site and/or its users have infringed upon. It must be many, no doubt. (depending on whether they’re considered independent items or part of publishers’ portfolios). But perhaps the concept of Mygazines itself, in some form or another, is something that will eventually become a sort of standard for the industry.

The way in which the website functions is quite user friendly. But even more important to note is that Mygazines’s idea of freely publishing any weekly/monthly/quarterly, irrespective of the source, will resonate with people. Simply put, the consumer space is driving in the direction of a mostly pulp-less new paradigm. And if you want to see where things are headed, Mygazines is perhaps the most overt example to date."

Read more: Mygazines Offers a Look at the Future While Testing Copyright Law

Report praises ‘relevant and informative’ customer magazines | Precision Marketing

2008-07-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

A report about the impact of custom publishing magazines (called customer magazines in the UK), shows that they have a much bigger impact than consumer magazines. This report praises ‘relevant and informative’ customer magazines according to the UK's Precision Marketing:

"Customer magazines are the most relevant and informative form of direct marketing, according to a new report.

The DMA Participation Media report 2007 sponsored by Experian reveals customer magazines generate the highest level of positive response from consumers. Over 50 per cent of consumers read customer magazines and view them positively.

The survey also reveals customer magazines to be the most passed on media, with five per cent of consumers passing magazines on to friends and colleagues, while 37 per cent file away magazines to read at a later date.

The medium was also the least ignored, thrown away, cancelled or unsubscribed.
In addition, customer magazines were found to be the second most successful channel at driving retail traffic, behind TV and radio advertising.

Customer magazines account for nearly 3 per cent of all communications received and most customer magazines are received between 8am and 4pm, with volumes peaking at 11am when titles are delivered through the mail. Almost two thirds of magazines are delivered direct to the door, a major contributor to the finding that consumers consider customer magazines to be one of the most helpful forms of direct marketing.

APA chief operating officer Julia Hutchison says: “I am thrilled that customer magazines have once again topped the survey. It reinforces what we in the customer publishing sector have known for a long time - that customer magazines are both welcomed by consumers and deliver fantastic return on investment for brands and organisations.”

The Pohly Company Receives Three Apex Awards

2008-07-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Custom Publisher The Pohly Company Receives Three Apex Awards. Below is the full press release:

"Customer engagement leader The Pohly Company has been recognized by the Apex Awards with three awards of excellence for two of its custom publications.

Boston (PRWEB) July 18, 2008 -- Customer engagement leader The Pohly Company has been recognized by the Apex Awards with three awards of excellence for two of its custom publications. The Advertiser, published for the Association of National Advertisers, received two awards of excellence for the February 2007 custom publication in two different categories: Custom-Published Magazines & Journals and Magazines & Journal Design & Layout. Inspirations, published for ECGC Distributors, received one award of excellence in the New Magazines & Journals category for its McDonald Garden Center summer issue.

The Apex Awards for Publication Excellence are sponsored by the editors of Writing That Works, the newsletter for communicators who write, edit, and manage business publications. The awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and the success of the entry in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence.

About The Pohly Company
The Pohly Company is a diversified marketing and publishing services company that specializes in customer engagement content and marketing: creating and sustaining customer relationships from acquisition through brand affinity. Services include communications consulting and market research, custom publishing, media sales and consulting, and design communications. The company works with world-class brands, publishers, and major associations, including Continental Airlines, Coca-Cola FoodService, UAW-Chrysler, Western Union, and the Association of National Advertisers. The Pohly Company is also the publisher of FuelNet Monthly, a Web-based information provider of smart marketing tools for growing businesses. For more information about the Boston-based company, visit pohlyco.com. For information on FuelNet Monthly, visit fuelnet.com."

Esquire's flashing magazine cover: Savior or Stunt?

2008-07-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of E-Ink news this week with the rumors of the new two Kindles coming in October and
Esquire's big splash E-Ink cover for their 75th Anniversary issue. Caitlin Fitzsimmons over the UK's Guardian wonders about Flashing mag covers: Saviour or stunt?:
"Getting a magazine noticed on the news-stand is no longer a simple case of a strong image and tantalising coverlines - these days it's all about holographic covers and poly-bagged flip flops.

The US edition of Esquire is now putting out a cover with a flashing cover line saying 'the 21st Century Begins Now', powered by a special battery pack. Is this anything more than a stunt?

Esquire's publisher Hearst believes the cover could ultimately end up in the Smithsonian Institute, alongside American icons such as Dorothy's ruby slippers and Neil Armstrong's space suit.

It's a bold prediction - but a flashing cover doesn't really sound that exciting, does it? Yet there are good reasons to pay attention.

Firstly, this is more a proof of concept than anything else - the flashing technology will be used on 100,000 copies out of an overall circulation of 720,000. The publisher has invested seed money to develop a battery small enough to fit inside a magazine and has exclusive use until the end of 2009."

For those of you interested in the technology, Folio has a nice short article: The Technology Behind Esquire’s Flashing Cover.

Wahsington Post: As Print Ad Pages Decline, E-Paper To The Rescue?In 2020

2008-07-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

When will digital custom content replace custom publishing? Accroding to some it already has, according to this article in the Washington Post, 2020. As Print Ad Pages Decline, E-Paper To The Rescue?In 2020: "It's a tough time for print publications. A seven-year decline in paid circ culminated in last year's 1.7 percent drop to $277 million in H107 from $282 million in the first half of 2006, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Another decline is expected for H108 as well. Meanwhile, despite growing traffic at magazine websites, the revenue figures for those digital efforts are still hard to glean collectively. But USA Today has some small hope for the industry: e-papers, electronic versions of the print property, will be big, netting mags $25 billion in revenue, according to David Renard, senior analyst at researcher MediaIdeas. However, that won't happen until about 2020, he says.

In the meantime, Zinio, the electronic/digital editions software firm, is trying to position itself as the industry's white knight. The company has given 750 magazines, such asBusinessWeek,Elle,Redbook,PlayboyandCar and Driver, the e-paper treatment. In terms of pointing to particular successes,Playboy, which saw a 3 percent decline in online revenue in Q1, is mentioned as a prime example. Since publishing a e-paper editions three years ago with Zinio,Playboyhas sold roughly 1.7 million digital issues (the charge to consumers: $19.97 for a dozen issues and $4.99 for a single issue.) So while So whilePlayboyclaims to have saved about $1.2 million from related printing costs thanks to Zinio, it hasn't helped its internet revenues at this point. Still, theUSATpiece makes at least one good argument in favor of switching to e-paper: the amount of magazines that go unsold every year is equivalent to the cutting down of 35 million trees. So, while we wait for 2020 to arrive, we can at least do something good for the spotted owl. "

I think it will happen faster than that but whether the platform is a Kindle-like E-Ink reader or a more multipurpose iPhone type device is the real question.

Any custom publishers at Comic-Con?

2008-07-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

In an article at USA Today, Has Comic-Con become a beast?, I noticed this little tidbit:

"To be sure, Comic-Con has over the years morphed into Demographic-Con, as studios and networks try to hit the vital 18- to 34-year-old audience on the big and small screen."

I've been to Comic-Con many times (including my first anniversary as my wife reminds me from time to time). I see it as a necessary trade show for those in the entertainment business to reach the public, your classic B2C.

While custom publishing usually targets an older demographic, I was wondering if any custom publishers were going to San Diego to present their wares to the over 125,000 "opinion leaders" who attend the convention. Anyone?

One clear publishing industry takeaway is to look at the mighty morphing magazine distribution system. Comics and pornography are bellwether technology innovators. (To read about adult entertainment's tech challenges check out this article at Wired: Turns Out Porn Isn't Recession-Proof.) As for Comic-Con, I think that Marvel Comic's foray into graphics-intensive mobile digital magazines might be something custom publishers would want to explore as the mobile phone becomes a more robust platform to reach younger audiences.

Sunshine adds 16 new publishers

2008-07-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

Custom publisher Sunshine Media announced 16 new publishers of locally based custom content magazines. Below is the full press release:

"Sunshine Media Welcomes 16 New Publishers

SCOTTSDALE, AZ July 3, 2008 – Sunshine Media is a leading publisher of locally focused business-to-business magazines covering high impact sectors of the economies of the United States and Canada, welcomes 16 new Publishers.

Since January 2008, Sunshine Media has tripled its recruiting efforts each month to place the best Publishers in local markets who are dedicated to helping local and regional businesses promote their products and services. The seven Sunshine Media business-to-business publications are strategically distributed to specific industry readers. Sunshine Media Publishers attend an exclusive 4-day orientation program in Scottsdale, Arizona where they prepare to join the Publisher Success Network of over 190 Publishers - also known as entrepreneurs. They focus on brand expansion, becoming industry advocates in markets throughout the United States and Canada.

“Every month I am excited about meeting each new Publisher, getting to know them and showcasing the valuable services they can begin providing to local businesses in their marketplace,” said Ken Minnitti, VP and Director of Recruiting and Development. “Each of our seven brand publications are unique to the industry sectors they serve, helping businesses grow and differentiate their products and services from competition.”

Sunshine Media’s headquarters and all-digital production facilities are located in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a state-of-the-art pre-press and Computer-to-Plate (CtP) printing, bindery and distribution facility in Tucson, Arizona. Sunshine Media annually prints over 1,000 local editions and over 3.5 million copies of its seven magazine titles. The company also produces over 1,000 separate editorial reprints reaching some four million buying prospects. Sunshine Media’s sister company is one of America’s leading health care custom publishing companies: True North Custom Publishing in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Builder/Architect -Cincinnati/Dayton Ohio
Leslie Jones
(859) 282-9088
ljones@builderarchitect.com

Builder/Architect - Northern Virginia
Jeff Smith
(571) 334-5837
jsmith@builderarchitect.com

Builder/Architect - San Antonio, TX
Evalon Cantu
(210) 367-9230
ecantu@builderarchitect.com

Builder/Architect - Alabama
Craig Howard
(706) 329-7190
choward@builderarchitect.com

Builder/Architect – Denver, CO
Maralea Staton
(303) 204-1646
maralea@builderarchitect.com

Builder/Architect – Indianapolis, IN
Cynthia (Cindy) Jones
(317) 449-0496
cjones@builderarchitect.com

Builder/Architect - Western Virginia
Nakia Palmer
(540) 314-3101
npalmer@builderarchitect.com

M.D. News - Greater Shreveport/Longview, LA
Michele Odom
(318) 458-1130
modom@mdnews.com

Doctor of Dentistry – Denver, CO
Scott Steele
(303) 681-7174
ssteele@doctorofdentistry.com

Restaurant Forum - Denver, CO
Palmer Meehan (720) 297-8580
pmeehan@restaurantforummagazine.com

Restaurant Forum - Miami, FL
Mimi Korman
(786) 382-4424
mkorman@restaurantforummagazine.com

Real Estate Executive - Northern Virginia
Angela Foley
(703) 677-7143
afoley@reemagazine.com

Real Estate Executive – Indianapolis, IN
Valentine Jideonwo
(317) 513-2059
vjideonwo@reemagazine.com

Real Estate Executive – Riverside, CA
Scott Schoettlin
(949) 400-2709
sschoettlin@reemagazine.com

Real Estate Executive - Palm Springs, CA
Maricella (Marci) McFarland
(760) 702-2558
mmcfarland@reemagazine.com

Real Estate Executive – Fairfield County, CT
Douglas Berkowitz
(203) 572-4947
dberkowitz@reemagazine.com

About Sunshine Media

Sunshine Media is a leading publisher of locally focused business-to-business magazines covering high impact sectors of the economies of the United States and Canada. Sunshine Media publications include Builder/Architect, Commercial Builder/Architect, Doctor of Dentistry, M.D. News, Real Estate Executive, Restaurant Forum and Restaurateur of Arizona. Sunshine Media also publishes SEAA Connector for the Steel Erectors Association of America, CAPG Health for the California Association of Physician Groups and NDA Today for the National Dental Association. In addition, Sunshine Media¹s sister company is one of America¹s leading healthcare custom publishing companies: True North Custom Publishing in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Visit us at sunshinemedia.com and truenorthcustom.com."

Brand Republic: Redwood wins more awards for Virgin Media custom magazine

2008-07-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

According to Brand Republic:

"Electric, the customer magazine for Virgin Media, was named as the most creative customer magazine at the Association of Publishing Agencies' awards last night.

Virgin Media was the only brand to pick up two awards at the ceremony held at Kensington Roof Gardens, which were for Best Designed Magazine (consumer) and Best Overall Creative Solution.

Electric, published by Redwood, is mailed to customers to ensure that key messages reach the company's entire customer base and is designed to enhance the Virgin Media customer experience and educate people about the extra products available."

Magnum Opus Award winners announced

2008-07-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

Custom publishing's Oscars, the Magnum Opus Awards has announced the 2008 winners [PDF link]:

AWARD WINNERS
2008
Grand Award
Print Newsletter, Internal Winner: The Walt Disney Company
Publication: Disney Newsreel
Audience: Employees of The Walt Disney Company

Print Newsletter, External Winner: Silverton Hospital Network
Publication: Healthview
Audience: Single and family residences in Silverton Hospital’s service area

Print Magazine, Internal Winner: EMC Corporation
Publication: EMC.now Magazine
Audience: Employees of EMC

Print Magazine, External Winner: Spafax Canada, Inc.
Publication: enRoute
Audience: Passengers of Air Canada, members of Maple Leaf (trademark) lounges, and select
Alliance™ lounges around the world

Other Print Publication, Internal Winner: Launch Creative Marketing
Publication: Sara Lee Innovation Training Manual (Sparking Innovation)
Audience: Employees of Sara Lee

Other Print Publication, External Winner: Imagination
Publication: Leadership in Project Management 2008
Audience: Members of PMI

Print Annual Report, External Winner: Cleveland Clinic
Publication: Quality Revolution
Audience: Staff, Employees, and Trustees of Cleveland Clinic, government and community
leaders, and physicians

Electronic Publication/Web site Winner: Channel V Media
Publication: lexus.com/magazine
Audience: Lexus owners and Lexus Magazine readers

Special Recognition
• A Word Weaver, LLC
• American Airlines Publishing
• Channel V Media
• City of Houston
• Congregation Emann-El of the City of New York
• Custom Solutions from SmartMoney
• D Custom Publishing
• Dino Publishing
• EMC Corporation
• FAA Air Traffic Organization Communications
• Fidelity Investments
• George Washington University Hospital
• Health Partners
• Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission
• Nexen, Inc.
• On Wheels, Inc.
• PATH
• Princeton HealthCare System
• Rodale Custom Publishing
• Story Worldwide
• The Joint Commission
• The Walt Disney Company
• Toyota Motor Sales

AWARD WINNERS
2008
Gold Award
• A.M. Best Company
• Action Alliance for Children
• Advanstar Veterinary Healthcare Communications
• Allstate Financial Technology – Multimedia Team
• American Airlines Publishing
• American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• APC by Schneider
• ASC Technologies
• Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
• AWHONN
• Berkshire Living Custom Publishing
• Bucknell University
• Champlain College
• Channel V Media
• City of Houston
• Cleveland Clinic
• Congregation Emann-El of the City of New York
• Consumer Specialty Products Association
• Cook & Schmid
• Costco Wholesale
• Disney Cruise Line
• Edelman
• Eight Custom Media
• EMC Corporation
• Entergy Corporation
• FAA Air Traffic Organization Communications
• Gemological Institute of America
• Habitat for Humanity International
• HCP/Aboard Publishing
• Honolulu Publishing Co.
• Imagination
• Legal Pub Services Mine Safety and Health News
• Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Meredith Corporation
• Messiah College
• Missouri Department of Transportation
• National Endowment for Financial Education
• NCCI Holdings, Inc.
• Nexen, Inc.
• NOAA Coastal Services Center
• Nyman Ink
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Oakstone Publishing, LLC
• Pace Communications
• Parthenon Publishing
• Penn State Alumni Association
• Pittsburgh Technology Council
• PRISM Media Group
• Redwood Custom Communications
• Resources for Child Caring
• Rodale Custom Publishing
• ROI Communication
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District
• SAMHSA
• Southern Progress Corporation
• Spafax Canada, Inc.
• Story Worldwide
• Texas Monthly Custom Publishing
• The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church
• The University of Texas at Arlington
• The Walt Disney Company
• UNC School of Government
• Virginia Tech College of Architecture & Urban Study
• WiesnerMedia Custom Publishing
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

AWARD WINNERS
2008
Silver Award
• A.M. Best Company
• Aetna Customized Communications Group
• Allstate Financial Technology – Multimedia Team
• American Airlines Publishing
• American Counseling Association
• APC by Schneider
• Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
• Association of Corporate Counsel
• Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association
• California Sea Grant
• Channel V Media
• Cincinnati Magazine
• City of Houston
• Costco Wholesale
• Crider Associates
• Custom Solutions from SmartMoney
• Davis & Company
• Disney Cruise Line
• Edelman
• EMC Corporation
• FAA Air Traffic Organization Communications
• Global Impact
• HCP/Aboard Publishing
• HMP Communications
• Imagination
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Journal Communications, Inc.
• King Arthur Flour
• Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Loyola University Health System
• MarketWare
• Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
• Mehigan, Belltone & Associates, Inc.
• Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter
• NC State Alumni Association
• Nexen, Inc.
• Oakstone Publishing, LLC
• Organization Management Group
• PATH
• PDI Global
• Penn State Alumni Association
• Public Relations Society of America
• Redwood Custom Communications
• Rodale Custom Publishing
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District
• SAMHSA
• Spafax Canada, Inc.
• St. John’s University
• Statmats Communications
• Story Worldwide
• Syracuse University College of Visual & Performing Arts
• Texas Medical Association
• Texas Medical Liability Trust
• Texas Monthly Custom Publishing
• The Humane Society of the United States
• The Marcus Group, Inc.
• The Walt Disney Company
• Virginia Tech College of Architecture & Urban Study
• Washington Athletic Club
• WiesnerMedia Custom Publishing

AWARD WINNERS
2008
Bronze Award
• A.M. Best Company
• Aetna Customized Communications Group
• American Airlines Publishing
• American Dietetic Association
• APC by Schneider
• ASC Technologies
• Berkshire Living Custom Publishing
• Cargill, Inc.
• Chemical Heritage Foundation
• Cincinnati Magazine
• City of Houston
• Consumer Specialty Products Association
• Costco Wholesale
• Crider Associates
• Davis & Company
• Disney Cruise Line
• Disneyland Resort
• Eight Custom Media
• G4S Wackenhut
• George Washington University Hospital
• Gibbs & Soell, Inc.
• HCP/Aboard Publishing
• Hospital for Special Surgery – Education Division
• Imagination
• Information Builders
• Institutional Real Estate, Inc.
• Kraft Foods Global, Inc.
• Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.
• MarketWare
• MHCC
• Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter
• Missouri Department of Transportation
• New York Law School
• NOAA Coastal Services Center
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• On Wheels, Inc.
• Public Relations Society of America
• Redwood Custom Communications
• Restoration Industry Association
• Rodale Custom Publishing
• SAIC – Frederick, Inc.
• SAMHSA
• SECO Energy
• Spafax Canada, Inc.
• SPH Magazines, PTE LTD
• St. John’s University
• Texas Medical Liability Trust
• The Baha’i International Community
• The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church
• The John Marshall Law School
• The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission
• The University of Alabama National Alumni Association
• The Walt Disney Company
• Time, Inc. Content Solutions
• Virginia Tech College of Architecture & Urban Study
• Walgreens
• World Literature Today
• Wyeth

AWARD WINNERS
2008
Honorable Mention
• 425 Magazine
• A.M. Best Company
• Advanstar Veterinary Healthcare Communications
• Aetna Customized Communications Group
• American Airlines Publishing
• American Counseling Association
• American Dietetic Association
• Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
• Association of Washington Business
• Central Hudson Gas & Electric
• Champlain College
• City of Houston
• Costco Wholesale
• Credit Suisse
• Disneyland Resort
• Eight Custom Media
• G4S Wackenhut
• General Dynamics Information Technology
• HCP/Aboard Publishing
• Honolulu Publishing Co.
• Hospital for Special Surgery – Education Division
• Imagination
• Institutional Real Estate, Inc.
• International Code Council
• Kraft Foods Global, Inc.
• Loyola University Health System
• Meredith Corporation
• Missouri Department of Transportation
• Nexen, Inc.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Pace Communications
• PATH
• PDI Global
• Penn State Alumni Association
• Pittsburgh Technology Council
• PRISM Media Group
• Redwood Custom Communications
• Rodale Custom Publishing
• SAMHSA
• SECO Energy
• Spafax Canada, Inc.
• SPH Magazines, PTE LTD
• St. John’s University
• Story Worldwide
• Texas Monthly Custom Publishing
• The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• The Humane Society of the United States
• The John Marshall Law School
• The Nilson Report
• The Walt Disney Company
• UNC School of Government
• UPMC
• Walgreens
• WiesnerMedia Custom Publishing
• World Literature Today

Negative reviews are positively great for business.

2008-07-10T12:22:00.000-07:00

While it assaults the instincts of many a custom publisher, for those of you producing digital magazines or custom content/content marketing web sites, here is a case for including negative customer reviews on your sites. In the Washington Post, columnist Kim Hart explores Peer Pressure in Online Shopping:

"A survey by Opinion Research Corporation showed that 61 percent of respondents said they had checked online reviews, blogs and other online customer feedback before buying a new product or service. Most respondents did this research with search engines. Of those who looked for reviews and other feedback, more than eight out of 10 said such evaluations had at least some influence on their purchases.

And according to a February 2008 study commissioned by PowerReviews, nearly half of U.S. consumers who shopped online four or more times per year and spent at least $500 said they needed four to seven customer reviews before making a purchase decision.

What does this mean for new products or services? Are consumers less willing to take a chance to purchase a relatively un-reviewed item?

Even well-known and trusted brands are subject to reviews that can have a big impact on their business. When I was searching for hotels in Seattle last month, I read the reviews for Holiday Inn, Best Western and Sheraton, even though I largely knew what to expect by these chains. Ultimately, my decision was made by price. But I'd pay an extra $20 dollars if it meant the difference between a roach-infested, noisy room and a good night's sleep."

Time: Kindle content sales doubled in two months?

2008-07-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

While custom publishers would have to pay quite a lot per magazine to get their custom content or digital magazines into Amazon's Kindle (and as such it isn't the best custom publishing platform yet), it is interesting to note that Josh Quittner over at Time suggests that Kindle content sales have doubled in the last two months:

"According to a source at Amazon, "on a title-by-title basis, of the 130,000 titles available on Kindle and in physical form, Kindle sales now make up over 12% of sales for those titles." Amazon is notoriously tight lipped about sales data, and the new line of business that the Kindle represents for the online retail powerhouse has been especially frustrating for analysts and media to parse. At a technology trade conference in May, CEO Jeff Bezos said that Kindle sales accounted for 6% of book titles sold for the Kindle and in print. So Amazon appears to be selling more e-books.

Since we're dealing with percentages rather than unit sales, it's impossible to say whether we're talking about a ton of books, or a modest number. But it's fairly certain that, given the enormous number of new books that Amazon sells, and the fact that many if not most are also simultaneously released as Kindle e-books, we're talking about a good sign for Amazon."

Folio: An Interview with the Dudes Behind MagCloud

2008-07-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

For custom publishers looking to kick the tires of the new print on demand service, MagCloud, Folio has an interview with the dudes behind MagCloud:

"FOLIO:: It’s clear that this service could be a benefit for small, indie, niche and/or ‘zine publishers. How can a service like MagCloud be relevant to larger publishers?

POWAZEK: I can think of three ways, right off the top of my head. First, it solves the back-issue problem. With MagCloud, your issues never go out of print, because they're made to order. Second, large publishers all have one thing in common: a ton of content. MagCloud could allow them to remix that content in new and exciting ways—or even enable their readers to do it themselves—and create a custom printed edition. Third, once you remove the barrier that expensive print runs creates, it lowers the threshold for success. Anyone, even a big-time publisher, could create riskier products and see if they find an audience, because creating the magazine itself is free.

And those are just my ideas. I'm quite sure that the best ideas will come out of the MagCloud community. People are already using it to make surprising, wonderful new magazines.

BOLWELL: Large publishers are as challenged as anyone to reach niche segments efficiently, and likewise have no way to do the kind of hyper-targeted publishing that digital print can provide. We hope MagCloud can help in these ways, not just to enable niche publishing to flourish, but to enable traditional publishers to experiment with and find these new opportunities."

Sunshine Media Group Appoints David McDonald as President and CEO

2008-07-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

There is something new under the sun. Sunshine Media has appointed David McDonald as President and CEO.

The full press release is below:

July 1, 2008 – In a move to support its continuing expansion, Sunshine Media Group today announced the appointment of industry leader David McDonald as the company’s new President and CEO.

Mr. McDonald is responsible for the strategic and financial direction of Sunshine Media Group operations including; Sunshine Media, a leading publisher of locally focused business-to-business magazines located in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sunshine Media Printing, a state-of-the-art prepress and computer-to-plate printing and distribution plant in Tucson, Arizona and True North Custom Publishing, America’s largest custom healthcare publishing company in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The integration will allow the Sunshine Media Group organizations to extend dynamic and customizable solutions to solve everyday sales and marketing needs for the healthcare industry and local vertical businesses through new product offerings and paramount customer service.

“David brings dedication, innovation and entrepreneurial experience and energy to the Sunshine Media Group,” said Nick Cranz, CFO, Sunshine Media Group. “His expertise and business integrity are essential to the strategic organization integration and rapid growth.”

David founded True North Custom Publishing and through his proven leadership, the company achieved significant milestones and quickly became the nation’s only full-service healthcare custom publisher specializing in 100-percent custom magazines, newsletters, and web content.

Mr. McDonald is one of the industry's most respected entrepreneurs. His background includes founding his own graphic design company, D.C. McDonald and Associates in 1988. He also served at the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA) with strong leadership talent, and was one of the founding members of the Custom Publishing Council (CPC) where he contributed significantly to the future of the organization.

Mr. McDonald attended the University of Tennessee and conducted research through Emory University and Harvard University.

About Sunshine Media

Sunshine Media is a leading publisher of locally focused business-to-business magazines covering high impact sectors of the economies of the United States and Canada. Sunshine Media publications include Builder/Architect, Commercial Builder/Architect, Doctor of Dentistry, M.D. News, Real Estate Executive, Restaurant Forum and Restaurateur of Arizona. Sunshine Media also publishes SEAA Connector for the Steel Erectors Association of America, CAPG Health for the California Association of Physician Groups and NDA Today for the National Dental Association. In addition, Sunshine Media’s sister company is one of America’s leading healthcare custom publishing companies: True North Custom Publishing in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Visit us at www.sunshinemedia.com and www.truenorthcustom.com.

The Content Marketing Handbook for Businesses - Just Released

2008-07-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

If you want to get the straight scoop on content marketing, The Content Marketing Handbook for Businesses has just been officially released.

According to the book's web site: "The book that will help businesses of any size grow revenues with simple and straightforward content marketing and custom publishing tactics."

For my money, you can't get better guides to creating effective custom content than Joe Pulizzi & Newt Barrett.

The Importance of Storytelling

2008-07-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Custom publishers often battle with client PR departments who are too fond of jargonspeak. If you're good in the custom publishing business you need to tell a story. For those of you who are banging their head against the PR wall, Simon Kelly, COO of Story Worldwide, Adweek has written an excellent Adweek column on The Importance of Storytelling:

"Stories define us. Since early cave dwellers left their graffiti in Lascaux, listening to and telling stories have moved people. Stories are powerful: They give meaning and context to what would otherwise be a collection of easily forgettable facts. Stories invoke the imagination so that listeners begin to own them almost as much as the teller. In fact, there's a growing body of research that points to the power of narrative not just as a way to engage people, but as the only way to change deeply entrenched views.

The implications of this are enormous for CMOs, who are trying to figure out how to engage the hearts and minds of an increasingly demanding and fickle audience. I may not be introducing a new idea here, but in today's post-advertising world, where interruption is dead, the only way brands can connect with consumers is through useful, relevant and entertaining content -- in other words, storytelling. Marketers and advertisers are beginning to get this; the problem is they're not practicing what they preach.

Avenue A's recently published 'Digital Outlook Report' had this to say about the subject:

'Narrative is the experience. As the Web becomes the preferred destination for brand exploration, digital experiences must become richer, deeper, and more able to tell compelling stories. If your brand experience depends entirely on pages and clicks, it's time to wonder, 'What is my story?'"

Read more here.

How pagination leads to custom magazine success.

2008-07-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Across the pond (where custom magazines are called customer magazines), CRM Today details New Research Unveils the Ingredients to Increased Customer Magazine Success:

"Currently the average number of pages for a customer magazine is 36 and the most popular frequency is quarterly.

The study unveiled a range of benefits by making some format adjustments to the customer magazine:

Frequency and pagination influence number of pick ups and percentage of magazine read: When pagination is higher than average, 63 per cent of recipients read half or more of the magazine in comparison to 47 per cent when the number of pages is lower. Sixty two per cent of those surveyed read half or more of the magazine if the frequency was more regular than quarterly — an uplift of over 10% - and nearly double the number of recipients picked up the magazine more than five times.

Pagination has a significant effect on active response: Over half of individuals surveyed (54 per cent) respond to calls to action when there are more than 50 pages - a 23 per cent increase on titles with fewer pages.

Perceived relevance and rating of magazine increases with frequency and pagination: Customers respond more favourably to customer magazines, claiming they think it is “excellent and like it a lot”, when a title has more than 50 pages and a frequency higher then biannual (28 per cent and 27 per cent respectively).

Posted titles increase reading time: The research shows that posted titles command an average of eight minutes more attention than their picked up counterparts

Magazines through the mail having more staying power: posted titles are kept for longer than picked up titles. A quarter of readers keep a posted title for over a month, while just 16 per cent keep a picked up title for the same length of time.

Greater pagination and frequency of titles generate longer reading times: the average time spent with a customer magazine is 25 minutes. But a quarter of recipients will read a magazine with more pages for longer than 30 minutes."

Based on this research, are your custom publications on the same page?

Netflix-like model to work for magazine lovers?

2008-06-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

Over at Webaware, Josh Lowensohn looks at Maghound, a Netflix-like model to work for magazine lovers:

"A site that's slipped through the cracks of our coverage is Time Inc.'s upcoming service Maghound. It's best described as a cross between a beer-of-the-month club and Netflix.

For a relatively low monthly fee, you'll be able to pick out certain magazines you want to receive, and they'll show up on your doorstep for you to read and dispose of. If you like something, you can simply keep receiving it, while replacing less-liked titles with new ones at a much lower price than it would cost to go out and buy them at the newsstand. Each plan can also be scaled up to higher tiers, meaning that you can continue to expand on your read publications while experimenting with new titles.

According to Folio Maghound is opening up for business in September, also known as back-to-school time for high-school and college students. The site's reportedly been in development for four years, all the while the company's been tweaking the distribution and billing system."

If this service takes off, there will be only one company compiling lists of subscribers (instead of each title having a mailing list). This could mean that custom publishers may have to blindly shrink wrap their publications to piggyback this distribution channel without knowing who is getting the magazines. Interesting.

King Fish Media announces 3 new appointments

2008-06-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

According to Folio Mag's People on the Move: "Custom publishing services company King Fish Media has announced three personnel appointments: Tanya O’Hara has been as senior account manager, Kristen Bourassa as graphic designer and Sandi Link as Webcast project manager."

The Quest For The Perfect Loyalty Program Email Experience

2008-06-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

The real prize in content marketing is the email address. You want to deliver custom content the user actually wants to read. Over that the Email Insider Deirdre Cook has found some answers in her Quest For The Perfect Loyalty Program Email Experience:

"On a recent work project, I was tasked with defining the “perfect” loyalty program email experience. After reviewing over 150 awards/loyalty program emails, I can safely say that no one company does it perfectly.

<...SNIP...>

Based on my observations, here are some tips to help you design a loyalty program email strategy that will cultivate the relationship and strengthen a profitable alliance.

Go for maximum exposure. Promote your loyalty/award program front and center on your home page and on interior pages. too. Integrate sign-up at every touchpoint — online and off.

The community introduction. Providing your audience with a clear understanding of all options available will empower them to control their own experience. Particularly if your company has multiple registration/email options, consider a comprehensive, password-protected preference center.

Less is more. Don’t overwhelm your audience with tedious forms to complete. Streamline all registration processes, collecting only the key information needed to develop a rich dialog.

Make it easy to join. Make the email opt-in an easy and obvious part of the overall loyalty program sign-up.

Set expectations up front. Clearly articulate the unique advantages for opting in to the various types of email streams, providing visual examples of each. And be sure to identify the mailing frequency. Doing this may reduce opt-outs downstream.

Send the welcome committee. Your new members should immediately receive an automated HTML email trigger, prominently branded with your company’s logo and program name, reinforcing the perks of belonging. Consider developing an educational stream on how they can maximize their membership.

Incent and entice. If your loyalty program includes a “bank account” of credits earned, be sure to clearly display each member’s balance. Visually communicate the information at a glance. If your program has various tiers, display members’ current status while motivating them to move to the next level by showing the additional benefits that they can earn.

Cultivate community ties. The loyalty program email strategy is a living entity, so be sure to share a quiet afternoon in the sun and reestablish the connection with your community at the start of each season. Listen to what they are most interested in and create custom content they will find relevant and helpful. When in doubt, survey and test."

New Custom Market? Discovery Bets On HowStuffWorks Payola For $150 Online CPMs

2008-06-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

Over at Silicon Alley Insider, Michael Learmonth details a great new market for custom publishers and content marketers. He notes how the Discovery Channel HowStuffWorks site is looking for custom content partners. Learmouth writes that Discovery bets on HowStuffWorks payola for $150 online CPMs:

"Discovery's digital division is relatively small and unprofitable. How to change that? A $150 CPM for online advertising can't hurt. But to earn that, HowStuffWorks CEO Jeff Arnold is trying something that competitors Wikipedia and even About.com (NYT) wouldn't do:

In addition, Mr. Arnold has started pitching custom content deals. He imagines teaming up with a hardware store chain, writing articles about power tools, adding links to tool suppliers, and creating custom versions of the articles for the advertiser’s own Web site. He estimates HowStuffWorks could earn $150 per thousand views for custom content.

Content created by and for advertisers is nothing new to the magazine publishing business, but typically a hard line is drawn between the content that an advertiser creates, or has a hand in creating (advertorial), and the content created on the other side of the Chinese wall by writers and editors (editorial)."

Any custom publishers or content marketers interested in grabbing this audience?

Kindle $2.5 billion sales estimates too rosy?

2008-06-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Over at Publisher's Weekly, Sara Nelson suggests that Wall Street analysts who have predicted Amazon's Kindle book sales will reach $2.5 billion by 2012 are E-Dreaming:

"I still had to laugh. Two-and-a-half billion dollars in just four years? The total trade book market, according to the AAP, is “only” about $9.6 billion. That seems mighty optimistic, indeed, especially if you consider that his $2.5 billion is the total sales of e-books that retail for around $10. That's a whole lotta units.

But what Weinstein didn't say—or wasn't quoted as saying—is what portion of the market the Kindle will constitute. Will the total book market be so much bigger overall that e-books will be only a slightly bigger slice than it is today (maybe 1%). I'd love to think so, but even I can't be that deluded and he that upbeat. More likely, I'm afraid, Weinstein is suggesting exactly what some book folks, secretly or not, are beginning to fear: that e-books will indeed take off—and end up cannibalizing the “regular” book market. As the “older” generation of “real” book readers dies off, the thinking goes, they'll be replaced by members of the upcoming generation, who, after all, are accustomed to (and in fact prefer) reading electronically. The total number of readers and book buyers, then, will remain about the same; it's the format that they utilize that will be different.

And what's wrong with that? Nothing, if all that you're concerned about is how far and how well content can be disseminated. But publishers (and agents and authors) have an additional concern, which is making money. And if e-book prices stay where they are, and royalty and other arrangements remain the same, authors (and agents) will be out a pretty penny if one-quarter of the market buys “content” for $10, say, instead of $20. (Even if publishers save on printing and shipping costs, the drastic reduction in unit price will negatively affect their bottom lines, too; and pity the poor bricks-and-mortar bookseller, outfitted to sell a very different product)."

What does this mean to custom publishers? If the market for straight content has an iffy business model, perhaps there's a place for subsidized custom content. Think guide books, shopping guides, training manuals and other content that would work in a portable form.

In the end, there can be only one? Could iPhone smoke the Kindle?

2008-06-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

For custom content creators there is a question looming over mobile platform space: on which platform(s) should you develop? Is it like in Highlander, a universe in which all players, both good and evil, know only one thing: "In the end, there can be only one"?

In this vein, CNET's Greg Sandoval asks "Could iPhone smoke the Kindle?":

"I wanted a Kindle. I was ready to buy a Kindle. The iPhone spoiled everything.

I'm an avid reader of digital books and for months I had my eye on the Kindle, the digital reader from Amazon, with its high-contrast screen and PC-less book downloads. Then Apple announced that the iPhone 3G goes on sale July 11.

I'm now in second-guess hell."

Sandoval briefly looks and the plus and minus of each platform and then asks readers for comments. For custom publishers looking at both platforms some of the reader comments are insightful.

For myself, I've enjoyed reading plenty of books on my phone and think mobile is the key platform because of its handiness. I think many custom publishers will also agree.

Custom Publishing-Branded Content Matchmaking Site Junta42 Match Opens for Business

2008-06-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

Junta42's unstoppable Joe Pulizzi is at it again. He's improving the custom content, content marketing business with a "Custom Publishing-Branded Content Matchmaking Site Junta42 Match"

According to Joe: "I'm excited to announce the formal launch of Junta42 Match for marketing and association professionals everywhere.

Junta42 Match is a free online service for businesses who are looking for custom publishing, post-advertising agencies and other content providers that match their specific content marketing project needs. After spending the last few months recruiting publishers, the site is now open to marketers looking for vendors to produce their custom magazines, newsletters, video projects, white papers, webcasts and in-person content events."

Check out Junta 42 Match for details.

Go, Go, Go Joseph!

Custom publishing on the cheap?

2008-06-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Over at ReadWriteWeb, Sarah Perez shows you how you can Self-Publish Your Own Magazine With MagCloud:
"Have you every wanted to run your own magazine, but never had enough money or a large enough audience to make it worthwhile? Well, if there's one thing that the self-publishing industry can cater to, it's the long tail. Now, thanks to a startup called MagCloud, even the smallest of ventures can produce their own, professional, full-color magazine and without the costs normally associated with hiring traditional publishing companies.

MagCloud is another project to emerge from HP Labs. Earlier this year, HP Labs launched BookPrep, a print-on-demand service for out-of-print books. Now, they're delivering MagCloud, a project devoted to providing small independent publishers the ability to publish digitized magazines as well as economically print on demand. Using HP's Indigo technology, the magazines are printed when ordered in full color on 80 lb paper with saddle-stitched covers."

By creating both digital and on-demand print versions of the magazines, I can see how this might help custom publishers on a shoestring. I'd love to know how you think MagCloud compares to the competition.

Does mobile custom content have a P2P play?

2008-06-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

According to mediabistro.com's MobileContentToday "In a new study, Pioneer Consulting found that, much to the chagrin of the mobile industry value chain, a significant portion of the multimedia content on mobile phones is either user-generated or existing content that the user merely transferred or is storing on the phone.

As consumers increasingly share this so-called 'user-originated content' (UOC), they effectively ignore the mobile content value chain. And, as more handsets come equipped with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functionality, they're bypassing the carrier networks as well.

According to Pioneer's 'Multimedia Mobile Content Distribution' study, this can put some $16.4 billion in potential revenue at risk by 2012, a figure Pioneer says may equal more than a quarter of the total revenue opportunity for that year."

Can you have custom content created by peers? Can anyone see how that would work in a content marketing space?

Can custom publishing think on its feet?

2008-06-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

According to mediabistro.com's MobileContentToday: "The number mobile Web users will more than triple from 577 million today to 1.7 billion by 2013, says a new report from Juniper Research. The massive growth will be spurred on by demand for mobile Web 2.0 applications as well as increased 2.5/3G adoption.

In its 'Mobile Web 2.0: Leveraging Location, IM, Social Web & Search 2008-2013' report, Juniper also warns that established mobile players will be facing some stiff competition from Web-based brands. It suggests that these entrenched companies adopt new strategies that include more collaboration with other folks in the mobile value chain."

Moving into such a lucrative mobile market will require a new kind of custom publishing: news you can use on the go. While this will be a natural for travel-related content, it will be a challenge in something like the B2B space. As Zinio, Texterity and others are moving digital magazines to a mobile platform, how custom media plays in the palm of your hand is custom content's biggest challenge for the next five years.

Gizmodo: Marvel's Comics On Mobile Phones = Win

2008-06-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

In a move that could be a harbinger for the viability of mobile digital magazines, Marvel Comics is porting their comics onto a flash-based mobile platform.

According to Gizmodo's Brian Lam, Marvel's Comics On Mobile Phones = Win: "Marvel Comics wants to port their comics to mobile phones. Seems like a perfect thing to read while you're supposed to be paying attention to what's going on around you, but sure how you're going to get through full page spreads while maintaining text readability on 3-inch screens.

...View digital distribution of our comics as an area of great growth potential...and also soon in mobile distribution...so they can read our new comic books on their mobile device...

I've been using Marvel's online subscription for a month now and the flash based player is a bit wonky at times, but overall, 10,000 back issues for $5-$10 a month isn't something to complain about.

Google tool lets advertisers scrutinize site stats

2008-06-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

For those in the the online custom content/content marketing business, if you want to slice and dice your demographics, Google has announce a new tool that lets advertisers scrutinize site stats:

According to this story by CNET's Stephen Shankland:

"Google announced a tool called Ad Planner on Tuesday that lets advertisers find Web sites whose visitors match various demographic attributes.

'Enter demographics and sites associated with your target audience, and the tool will return information about sites (both on and off the Google content network) that your audience is likely to visit,' the company said on its AdWords blog."

The site is a more specific tool than the publicly available Google Trends tool, unveiled last week, that shows relative Web site traffic for various Web sites."

Congrats to Joe Pulizzi: Custom Media Innovator of the Year

2008-06-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Junta42's Joe Pulizzi has been named Custom Media Innovator of the Year: "I was surprised and honored yesterday to receive the Custom Media Innovator of the Year award presented by American Business Media at the Union Club in New York City.

In her speech, Anne said, 'Joe has been the true evangelist for the custom media industry. Whether through his speaking, the book, the Junta42 educational site, or Junta42’s new content matching product, Joe is taking the industry where it needs to go.”"

Dynamic Media Holdings, Inc. Announces a Prestigious Custom Publishing Agreement

2008-06-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

Dynamic Media Holdings announces a custom publishing agreement. Below is the full press release:

Dynamic Media Holdings, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: DYMH) announces that it has signed a prestigious custom magazine packaging
agreement for its publishing division. The agreement with NYC Mags, Inc. is
for Dynamic Media Holdings, Inc. to produce a quarterly publication titled
SKY/SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY. The oversized, slick, glossy color
magazine will feature the Florida luxury real estate market in addition
to super luxury lifestyle articles. Readers will learn about chartering
private jets, the best exotic getaways, great fine dining, fabulous jewelry
and much more. The publication features opulent properties that sell
upwards of 15 million dollars. The magazine will be available at the posh
SKY/Sotheby Florida Auctions and given away to its exclusive customers.
Dynamic CEO Bruce Schoengood says, "We are thrilled to be associated with
such a renowned and quality organization and we are committed to producing
magazines of the highest standards. This is a great addition to our custom
publishing division and we are confident it will open many doors in the
prestige custom publishing market."

About Dynamic Media Holdings, Inc.

Dynamic Media Holdings, Inc. will continue to aggressively expand as it
plans to introduce several new sunscreen hair products to the marketplace.
In addition to it publishing, graphics, advertising and web development
divisions, the company is executing a strategy of using its core magazine
products to springboard and launch a diverse array of ancillary products
thereby maximizing its product branding and potential. "It is a very
exciting time and opportunity," CEO Bruce Schoengood states. "We plan to
initiate a comprehensive strategy to the marketplace launching cutting-edge
websites with a strong online presence as well as penetrating the
traditional brick and mortar sectors and avenues." Visit
www.dymholdings.com for more information.

ABOUT SUN & STYLE

SUN & STYLE hair and scalp spray is an exciting new hairstyle and sunscreen
product that will be uniquely marketed to men who have male pattern
baldness, thin or thinning hair. SUN & STYLE is the only sunblock hair and
scalp product to be marketed directly to men with thinning hair. Our unique
product, with SPF 15 sunblock and UVA and UVA broad spectrum sun
protection, when applied, will allow you to style your hair and leave it
completely natural looking and manageable and still protect your scalp from
the sun's harmful rays. Other sunscreen products, when sprayed on the hair,
will make hair oily, gooey, unmanageable or rock hard. We are confident
that this marketing and advertising strategy will make SUN & STYLE stand
out, fill a huge market void and create a unique and successful new product
that will appeal to millions of men.

As recently announced, SUN & STYLE will introduce its new sunscreen hair
spray product, for active women. Very often, active women who are exposed
to the sun will burn their part lines and exposed areas such as on the
crown of their heads. Having a broad spray sunscreen or thick lotion is not
a desirable option for sunburn protection. SUN & STYLE has developed the
perfect solution for women. To be sold in small travel packs, we will offer
the SUN & STYLE sunscreen in formula-fill cotton swabs. Gently snap the tip
of the swab and the formula will flow to the other tip. Women can then
apply the sunscreen to very targeted areas, such as their part lines. Easy
to use and convenient to carry, SUN & STYLE for women, is a unique product
that we are very confident will have great consumer demand.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the matters
discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic,
competitive, governmental and technological factors effecting the Company's
operations, markets, products and prices and other factors discussed in the
Company's various filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For more information:
Investor Relations
Dynamic Media Holdings, Inc.
(732) 786-8044
Email: Bruce@dymholdings.com
Visit: www.dymholdings.com

Redwood launches new custom publication

2008-06-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Custom publisher Redwood has launched another magazine. Below is the full press release:

Aeroplan to Launch Exclusive Branded Content Magazine, Aeroplan Arrival

Montreal, QC, May 29, 2008 – Aeroplan, Canada’s premier loyalty marketing company, today announced it will be launching Aeroplan Arrival, an exclusive branded content magazine that encompasses travel, lifestyle, culture and popular Aeroplan reward merchandise. Aeroplan partnered with Redwood Custom Communications, one of North America’s leading custom publishers, to develop the magazine that will debut in mid-August with the fall 2008 issue.

“This is the latest in a series of initiatives we have developed to add value to our expanding loyalty program and to satisfy a unique and growing membership and partner base,” said Sylvie Bourget, Vice President, Marketing, Aeroplan. “We identified the need for a quality publication that truly reflects our members: urbane travellers who continually seek more — not only out of their travel experience, but more out of life.”

Aeroplan Arrival is a magazine about ideas and attainable lifestyle rewards. It will feature work by top Canadian and international writers, photographers and illustrators. In keeping with members’ top interests, travel content will be a focus. Insightful and informed articles will report on the next hot travel locales, as well as the more popular local and global destinations. Readers will also find profiles of leading-edge figures in art and design, and interesting displays of Aeroplan reward merchandise.

Highlights of the Fall 2008 issue of Aeroplan Arrival include:

A cover feature on the renaissance of Buenos Aires, captured by award-winning photographer Rob Fiocca and Montreal writer Simona Rabinovitch
A travelogue through Canada’s premier wine-and-food regions by restaurant critic and food writer Chris Johns
Q&A with Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Tadao Ando
A discussion with sharp-tongued, Michelin-starred celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey, illustrated by New Yorker artist Andy Friedman
A witty compendium of the “best” international cities for the curious traveller of every style and taste
An essay by Globe and Mail style columnist Karen von Hahn discussing how form and function work hand in hand in the design of the best contemporary products

The magazine was designed to not only raise awareness of Aeroplan’s expanding loyalty program, but it will also serve as a key marketing tool for Aeroplan’s current and future program partners. The magazine will include a robust advertising initiative for both partner and non-partner alike, and will represent an unparalleled opportunity for the Canadian advertising community, with direct and targeted access to 500,000 of Aeroplan’s high-value members. Aeroplan Arrival will be distributed in French and English three times a year and will be available online at www.aeroplan.com in 2009.

“This partnership is an exceptional opportunity to apply our unique approach to branded publishing,” said Joseph Barbieri, Redwood VP Marketing and Business Development. “Aeroplan Arrival is more than a magazine – the content will not only inform, entertain and inspire, but it will help Aeroplan achieve a deeper and more meaningful level of engagement with members. With our extensive heritage and experience in the North America loyalty program sector, it is indeed a privilege to include Aeroplan in our family of clients and to have been selected as a key partner to help drive the evolution and extension of the Aeroplan brand.”

About Aeroplan

Aeroplan Limited Partnership, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aeroplan Income Fund, is dedicated to developing and executing programs designed to engage the loyalty of its prestigious membership. Aeroplan's millions of members earn Aeroplan Miles with its growing network of over 70 world-class partners, representing more than 150 brands in the financial, retail, and travel sectors.

In 2007 alone, approximately 2 million rewards were issued to members - an average of 5,500 per day, or one reward every 16 seconds. Over 1.5 million round-trip flights were issued in 2007. Members can redeem miles for Aeroplan's industry-leading ClassicFlight Rewards, ClassicPlus Flight Rewards, and global Star Alliance Flight Rewards, which offer travel to approximately 965 destinations worldwide. More than 400,000 non-flight rewards were issued in 2007. Members have access to 600 exciting specialty, merchandise, and experiential rewards, as well as hotel and car rental rewards.
For more information about Aeroplan, please visit www.aeroplan.com.

About Redwood Custom Communications

Redwood creates branded communications programs using the power of editorial to build meaningful customer relationships and to drive our clients’ ROI. Redwood has offices in Toronto, New York, London and Tokyo. Redwood’s North American clients include Procter & Gamble, Canadian Automobile Association, Expo Design Center, LendingTree.com, Sears, Sobeys, The Principal Financial Group, The Cliffs Communities, Rexall, Mazda International and more.

For more information about Redwood, please visit www.redwoodcc.com/portfolio.

For more information, please contact:

Aeroplan

JoAnne Hayes

416.352.3706

joanne.hayes@aeroplan.com

Redwood CC

Joseph Barbieri

416.847.8548

joseph.barbieri@redwoodcc.com

Why custom publishing is more cost competitive than newspapers

2008-06-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

I read an interesting piece in Slate where Michael Kinsley takes a tongue-in-cheek look at "a brilliant new scheme for measuring the productivity of journalists".

Evidently Randy Michaels, the COO of the Tribune Co., measures the productivity of a journalist by the output of words they produce. The average LA Times reporter produces 51 pages of words while the average Hartford Courant reporter produces 300 pages of words. Quality be damned, what counts is quantity. So the more verbose a reporter, the better.

I'll let Kinsley slay this particular canard from a journalist's POV. But there's another bit that has a direct impact with custom publishers and advertorial companies. To become a more profitable newspaper company, you need to change the ad mix. Here's a bit that caught my eye:

"It has not escaped the attention of the Tribune Co. that there is a second way to reduce the need for reporters and writers—and paper and ink as well—which is to publish fewer words. According to Michaels, there should be an equal number of pages devoted to advertising and pages devoted to reporting and opinion. "What you find out is that you can take 500 editorial pages a week out of [a] newspaper and have a 50-50 ad-content ratio." Five hundred pages a week would be about 25,000 pages a year, according to reliable newspaper industry sources. If the average Los Angeles Times journalist produces 51 pages a year, as Michaels has calculated, this means that a 50-50 ratio will allow him to lay off 500 Los Angeles Times journalists, which is more than half of the current staff. Then, if he can persuade the remaining Los Angeles Times journalists to raise their productivity from 50 pages to 300 pages a year, he can dismiss five-sixths of the rest. That would leave something like 50 journalists to put out the Los Angeles Times every day. For now. As long as advertising pages continue to decline—and there is every reason to hope that they will continue to—editorial pages can be reduced as well, and more and more journalists can be let go in order to maintain the crucial 50-50 ratio of advertising to content."

A change in the ad ratio allows custom publishers and advertorial agencies the opportunity to produce more product that would get newspaper distribution. While newspapers have been producing some of this custom content in-house, with a lower headcount means that they won't have the manpower to make a custom insert. Custom publishers have always run a very lean enterprise that can compete with newspapers.

As an aside, I will say that for our custom content/content marketing clients in the world of blogging, quantity definitely wins over quality. When we blog or write articles for a client, the more we write about keywords, the better for the client. It isn't just the volume of copy but the targeting of the copy that helps move a reader into the sales funnel (or investment funnel for our financial services clients). Fresh content that targets the news has a greater chance of coming up in searches. However it is important to remember that immediacy is not about topicality but about need. Fresh custom content informs but most importantly prompts action.

That's another area where custom publishers can win over newspapers, we have the systems in place to prove specific ROI, where a newspaper with all the various missions it must serve cannot.

Penton Lays Off 42

2008-06-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

According to Folio, custom publisher Penton Media lays off 42 employees:

"Penton Media—which had recently instituted a salary and hiring freeze while its budgets were reforecast—has laid off 42 employees, FOLIO: has confirmed.

The cuts were spread across all properties and job functions, according to a company spokesperson. Laid off staffers were notified late Thursday and early Friday, the spokesperson said. The layoffs, he said, are in response to the 'same economic pressures' the industry is facing."

Custom Publishing Providers/Content Agencies Flock to Junta42 Match

2008-06-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

Junta 42 has been going gangbusters with their new matchmaking site for custom publishers. Here's their latest press release:

"Cleveland, OH (PRWEB) June 5, 2008 -- It turns out publishers know a good thing when they see it. With $56 billion a year spent on custom content, it's no wonder that content providers across the country have jumped at the chance to be a part of Junta42 Match (http://www.junta42.com/match/), the innovative new site that pairs marketers with their ideal custom publishers. Junta42 Match Founder Joe Pulizzi today announced that the site reached a major landmark: since opening to publishers less than two months ago, Junta42 Match has signed up 100 of the nation's top custom content providers.

The news comes as Junta42 Match gears up for its official launch on June 24, when the service will open its door to marketers. Free to marketing professionals, Junta42 Match will pair marketers with the publishers that meet their marketing criteria and fit their overall needs.

"The initial response has exceeded our expectations," said Pulizzi. "We're excited about launching a resource that will be truly valuable to businesses looking for help creating their own branded content projects."

Where North American custom publishers and content providers were once limited to traditional methods of new business acquisition--answering RFPs, advertising, cold calls and other self-marketing efforts, Junta42 Match is changing the game. By pairing marketers' specific needs with publishers' core competencies, Match takes the guesswork out of custom content.

Among those who will be part of the new site are custom publishers, content agencies, traditional and post-advertising agencies, interactive firms and other content experts and providers. And since providers complete detailed application forms and are screened before being granted exposure within the database, marketers are guaranteed a reliable pool of pre-approved experts.

For more information on Junta42 Match--and the online content marketing community site Junta42--visit www.junta42.com/match and www.junta42.com. Contact info[atjunta42.com for details.

About Junta42 and Junta42 Match

Junta42 (http://www.junta42.com) is the leading media site dedicated to everything content marketing and custom publishing. Presented as a business bookmarking vehicle, the site is dedicated to marketing professionals who want to attract customers through valuable and relevant content creation and distribution. Junta42 also offers Junta42 Match (www.junta42.com/match), the only buyer/seller matching site for the custom publishing & content marketing industry (now valued at over $56 billion). The service will be an audited directory of custom publishing providers, and will give marketing and association professionals the ability to match their project--a custom magazine, newsletter, content Web site, video series, etc.--to the exact qualifications of a custom publisher, content agency or other content provider. Matching services will be conducted online, allowing for ease and anonymity."

Contact Information

Kate Fleming
Junta42 Match
http://www.junta42.com/match/
212.680.0179

Printers help custom publishers avoid red ink.

2008-06-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Custom publishers looking to avoid red ink, could become much more profitable by partnering with their printer. In an excellent Folio article, Adapt or Decline, Matt Kinsman and Joanna Pettas outline the many ways custom publishing can benefit from working hand-in-glove with their printers.

Meredith cuts 60 jobs, Reed cuts 41.

2008-06-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

This is a bad time for traditional magazine publishers but custom publishing divisions are also taking a hit. Here are excerpts from a recent Folio article about Meredith cutting 60 jobs:

"Meredith Corporation has become the latest magazine publisher to reduce its workforce, today cutting 60 jobs and opting not to fill 60 open positions. Twenty of the layoffs come from its magazine business, a Meredith spokesperson tells FOLIO:.

Meredith attributes the cuts to soft retail sales, noting also that fiscal fourth quarter 2008 advertising revenues are down about 15 percent from the same quarter in 2007.

The layoffs were announced as part of a release about the publisher’s acquisition of Big Communications, a Ferndale, Michigan-based pharmaceutical and biotech marketing firm. Big Communications will operate as a division of Meredith Integrated Marketing, the company’s custom marketing unit.

Earlier this week, Reed Business Information eliminated 41 positions company-wide as part of a restructuring effort."

The '$100 laptop' may be a glimpse of the future

2008-06-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to agree that publishing is going digital but the big question is "what will be the ultimate reading platform?" In an excellent article over at Computerworld, Mike Elgan argues persuasively that the next generation of the '$100 laptop' may be a glimpse of the future:

"Trend No. 3: The eBook revolution

The Amazon.com Kindle made the world safe for wireless electronic books. As people become increasingly comfortable with reading books, magazines and newspapers on a handheld electronic gadget, they'll want to do so on their laptops, too. The all-screen clamshell functions much like a paper book, with pages on both sides. A simple gesture while in eBook mode, say, swiping your finger from the upper right corner toward the center, 'turns the page.'

The Kindle comes with a leather cover that lets you hold the one-screen Kindle like an open book, with the Kindle on the right and, well, leather on the left. Before my Kindle arrived, I assumed I would just throw away the leather cover and hold the Kindle by itself. But I, like many Kindle users, have found that holding it like a book with the leather cover is more natural and comfortable. As eBooks go mainstream, people will increasingly become comfortable with an open clamshell form factor for reading, just like a paper book. This is an eBook reader design you can 'curl up in bed with."

Microsoft's Ballmer: Print is dead in 10 years

2008-06-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

In today's Washington Post, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer forecasts the death of print in 10 years:

"What is your outlook for the future of media?

In the next 10 years, the whole world of media, communications and advertising are going to be turned upside down -- my opinion.

Here are the premises I have. Number one, there will be no media consumption left in 10 years that is not delivered over an IP network. There will be no newspapers, no magazines that are delivered in paper form. Everything gets delivered in an electronic form."

For custom publishers looking to piggyback on an existing publication's print distribution (either as an in-magazine advertorial, a shrinkwrapped supplement or as a separate mailing to subscribers) this could become a problem. Simply put, right now we know where our customers live. In 10 years, if magazines and newspapers go all digital, we may not.

Print custom publications have a flip-through factor that digital custom content doesn't. Doubt that? Think about the last time you flew on a long flight. You probably flipped through the Sky Mall magazine. If www.SkyMall.com was on a screen on the seat in front of you, you probably wouldn't have looked at it. In short, print allows serendipity.

While we have been busy very creating custom content for various web and mobile clients, today content marketing only penetrates so far. With SEO, you can rank high with your custom content, track and motivate the reader to act as part of the sales process. You get high quality sales leads. But what about the accidental prospect? Print can make that happen with the Sky Mall effect.

Advertisers follow eyeballs and if enough eyeballs move to an e-ink screen like the Amazon's Kindle or an iPhone or iPod Touch then perhaps the accidental browsing behavior will allow custom content to engage the reader. Until that day, it might be wise for custom publishers to create print magazines to get under their prospects' noses.

Our blogging blackout is over.

2008-05-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

We're back! We've been working with a large financial services client who enforced a strict blogging blackout due to various federal regulations. Although we would never write about a specific client (we don't mix names and stories), we decided to err on the side of caution until their deal was finalized.

A lot has been happening in the custom publishing world since we've been dark. Magazine publishing in general has been bleeding red ink as the industry goes through seismic upheavals that are changing the reading landscape forever. Think about how much time you devote every day to reading the Internet, that reading time has come at the direct expense of magazines. Advertising follows eyeballs and we've seen a lot of our business shift to the web where niche targeting and (most importantly) measurable ROI are the rule. On that score we're happy that we've been able to produce very successful results for our clients.

As talk of recession has hit all sectors, we notice that we have been getting lots more work from custom publishers in the one area that seems to be recession-proof: advertorials targeting the affluent. High net worth people are spending as much, if not more, than before.

We've also seen a slight uptick in our B2B clients, especially in the technology space.

That's the view from our little corner of the custom marketing, custom content world.

Chris McMurry is the 2008 Ad Person of the Year

2008-03-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

Chris McMurry won the Ad Person of he year award. Below is the full press release:

McMurry Wins More than Gold at ADDY Awards

Phoenix—McMurry, Arizona’s largest marketing communications firm, was honored in more ways than one at the 23^rd Annual ADDY Awards Gala in Scottsdale, Ariz., hosted by the American Advertising Federation Metro Phoenix. The company won awards for its marketing solutions, and its CEO, Chris McMurry, was named Ad Person of the Year.

“We are constantly redefining what marketing communications can and should be, and the Ad Person of Year honor—at least to our staff—reflects, in some ways, our peers recognizing that our business model and approach to business is a really good thing,” McMurry says. The J. Terry Groener Ad Person of the Year award honors an individual in the local advertising community who contributes to the betterment of the advertising industry, is an active participant in community service, and is presently active in advertising, marketing or communications.

In addition, the firm took home one gold ADDY and two silver ADDYs for work on behalf of UMOM, a Valley nonprofit organization that provides homeless and low-income families with food, shelter and tools to build a bridge to self-sufficiency. Those awards were:

ADDY Gold winner

Public Service: Collateral, Brochure/Sales Kit

ADDY Silver winner

Public Service: TV: campaign in a single medium

ADDY Silver winner
Public Service: Campaign: mixed/multiple media campaign

“McMurry has a very diversified service offering that can help clients with end-to-end marketing challenges, and the awards underscore the depth and quality of those capabilities,” says D. Stan Fields III, who recently joined McMurry as agency president after serving in leadership positions at GSK Worldwide and Leo Burnett. The campaign for UMOM is part of an $18 million capital campaign that is now nearly fully subscribed.

About McMurry
McMurry (mcmurry.com), with three offices in Arizona and New York, offers a complete line of marketing communications services to a variety of clientele, including GlaxoSmithKline, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Amtrak, CBS, Aon, CVS Caremark, IBM and OfficeMax, as well as professional resources to more than 10,000 corporate professionals. The company has specialized practices in healthcare, finance and insurance, is among the largest independent marketing communications companies in the U.S., and is recognized by the Great Place to Work Institute and Society for Human Resource Management as one of the top 10 “Best Small Companies to Work For” in the U.S.

Content marketing vs. custom publishing

2008-03-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

Over at the Junta42 blog, Joe Pulizzi answers the eternal question: "Content Marketing vs. Custom Publishing: What's the Difference?

"Had a very interesting conversation with Vince Giorgi, Vice President at Hanley Wood Marketing, during the Custom Content Conference about the custom publishing industry. As readers of this blog know, I've been constantly struggling with the differentiation between 'content marketing' and 'custom publishing.' Well, thanks to Vince, we have it all figured out.

Content marketing is the business 'practice' of delivering relevant and compelling content to a person or target audience.

Custom publishing or custom media is the 'service' that produces the content marketing effort. Publishers or agencies that provide project management, design, web and content services for an organization, are providing custom publishing services on behalf of the business.

This seems to make too much sense. Thanks to Vince, I think we have a clear separation of the two.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this. Are we off base? Is this dead on?"

If you mail it, will they read it?

2008-03-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

Michael Buller, Vice President/General Manager of Custom Publishing for The Pohly Company, writes about CVS' custom magazine on the Junta42 blog (excerpt below):

"On the surface, there’s no doubting the numbers that make a compelling case for the relevance:

* Women influence 80% of healthcare decisions in their households, wielding buying power of about $1.2 trillion.
* The initial mail list will be 500,000, picked from the 75 million people who have signed up for the CVS ExtraCare card. That list will double to 1,000,000 in 2009.
* The average reader will be a mid-50s college educated woman, who owns her own home and still works to support her family.

So there’s little doubt that the women who receive this publication are predisposed to care about the subject matter. And there’s little doubt that with demographics like this, advertisers would love to talk to this target audience. But here’s the catch: there’s no truth to the saying, “if you mail it, they will read it.”

Reaching a desired demographic is one thing; getting them to engage in the publication is another.

Based on that reasoning, I’m skeptical. More than just about any other family-friendly topic, healthcare content is pervasive – online, in print, you name it. A Google search on women’s health returns 36,500,000 results. You don’t need SRDS to see how saturated the category is ‑ just visit any newsstand and look at the women’s magazine section; you’ll be inundated with cover lines selling health stories. Cutting through that clutter to get readers to not only pick up the publication, but actually spend time with it – that’s a tall order.

I hope CVS succeeds – a successful custom magazine by anyone helps all of us in the industry – but I’m worried that the content will be so generic and/or brand-centric that it will fail to capture anyone’s attention."

Junta42 blog: To Publishers: Your Customers Don't Need You Any Longer

2008-03-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

JuntaJoe Pulizzi over Junta42 has been a busy guy lately. I don't know how he does it. He recently depressed/energized magazine publishers at the Publishing Business conference. He pointed out that businesses no longer need publishers to connect with their customers. Below is an expert:

Junta42 blog: To Publishers: Your Customers Don't Need You Any Longer: "The choice I gave them was not an easy one, but one that I truly believe has much opportunity for publishers. It is the choice between trying to grow top line revenue within a business model that used to work well, but will be challenging to grow in the future - or - giving in to the new buyer behavior and help teach traditional businesses how to become their own publishers.

Both directions have risk, but by publishers morphing into marketing services companies, they can begin to take advantage of the large shift of dollars from traditional advertising to customized content production and execution. According to Publications Management, 27% of marketing budgets now go toward the creation and execution of content. I would anticipate this number getting to 50% within the next decade.

The big reason I see this as an opportunity?: Marketers don't want to be publishers. Frankly, in my discussions with marketing professionals, the last thing they want to do is be responsible for the creation of relevant content. Almost all of them now know they have to create valuable and compelling content to stay competitive, but they really don't want to do it themselves.

This premise is one of the major reasons we launched Junta42 Match. Businesses must start creating their own media, but they lack the will and the expertise to do it right. Publishers can help them get there. Here is the link to the entire presentation from Publishing Business. "

Conversation Agent: Marketing as Context Building - 5 Ideas

2008-03-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

Custom content creators would do well to read Valerie Maltoni's Conversation Agent: Marketing as Context Building - 5 Ideas.

Putting content marketing into a social context is where I think many custom publishers lose it. They try to shoehorn their product or service into an ongoing conversation, like that annoying relative at Thanksgiving dinner who will blurt out a new seemingly random discussion topic. No matter what the current discussion, they have a bull in the china shop approach that is disruptive as it is ineffective.

I think many custom content marketing people would do well to follow her advice and to look for ongoing conversations that can dovetail with their products and services. There are already people out there who have self-organized around the need the company serves, all the company has to do is enter the discussion in a meaningful way by having a dialog where both sides listen.

Why content marketers need to hire jorunalists

2008-03-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

David Meerman Scott over at Web Ink Now has a great post (Web Ink Now: Understanding an audience and creating great content) which every content marketing specialist should read.

The part that attracted my attention was this:

"At every speech I give, I suggest one of the best ways to create great Web content is for companies to hire a journalist, either full or part time, to create it. Journalists (print or broadcast) are great at understanding an audience and developing information that buyers want to consume."

I couldn't agree more. One of the reasons we've been so successful at Lipper Custom Publishing is that we take a journalistic approach to custom publishing content. Journalistic pieces work for a number of reasons:

SERVICE: We always to try to make it engaging "news you can use" that people are eager to read (and that also dovetails with a specific sales effort).

ENGAGEMENT: One of the big hurdles custom publishing clients must overcome is the "this content is interesting because we say it is" school of content marketing. There is a huge difference between having something you want to say and producing something someone is eager to hear. The key is microtargeting your audience based on the benefit your company produces for that niche.

HONESTY: We write service based content with the ring of truth and without a hint of false PR puffery. We write many of our articles to such a high standard of seeming objectivity that they would be at home in a trade or consumer magazine. When the client company sings its own song, it is through the voice of a company representative, not the text itself. This allows the reader trust the text more.

FORMAT: People are used to reading articles. So when a PR or sales piece written by a PR flack with no journalism experience tries to ape the format, readers detect the false notes.

Web Ink Now: ANALYSIS: Value of quote in the Wall Street Journal with a link to your blog and product

2008-03-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Custom publishers can rejoice in Web Ink Now's David Meerman Scott's (right) analysis of what a Wall Street Journal mention means for your business. His results were less than spectacular. Custom content creators can use this analysis to question the value of mentions in the press and instead sell their clients on media where the client controls the message. Clients will be able to realize value by creating content marketing that is specifically designed to work hand-in-glove with ongoing sales efforts rather than the hit or miss nature of an arbitrary mention in a big name media outlet.

Here's an excerpt of Scott's analysis:
"What can we learn from this?

A hit in the WSJ and other big business publications is great—but not as great as you might think. If you get one, think about tangential benefits (like bragging rights), not actual sales. Think how you can leverage the notoriety, not just what will happen without your help to push it along. Use it to influence other media and analysts, don't just sit back and wait.
There really isn't a holy grail of marketing & PR. The closest I've found is to create something yourself and publish it online to drive traffic. That blog post I put out had more success than the WSJ. The best thing I've ever done to drive traffic is write an ebook. The case examples I write about prove this theory.
Lots of little hits are much better than one mega PR hit. Passionate bloggers drive traffic to my blog and help drive sales (thank you all!).
Mega PR hits may drive some interest with what you do, but you should really think through if it will actually drive sales.
Maybe, just maybe, WSJ readers buy books in physical bookstores instead of Amazon. Perhaps I'll see a sales bump at Barnes & Noble and other stores in March… But I doubt it."

Read his full article here: Web Ink Now: ANALYSIS: Value of quote in the Wall Street Journal with a link to your blog and product.

A Tech Rx for Doctors: The iPhone

2008-03-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Medical custom publishers looking to get into the lab coats of doctors might want to take note of an an article over at Wired.com by Bryan Gardiner . In A Tech Rx for Doctors: The iPhone,
Gardiner points to medical reference materials which are/will soon be available for the iPhone. Below is an excerpt:

Version 2.0 of the iPhone's firmware, due this June, could turn the device into an indispensable medical tool if hospitals OK its medical use.

The arrival this June of an enterprise-friendly iPhone is exciting to more than just business users. Doctors, too, are eyeing Apple's handheld and wondering if it could kill off the old-fashioned clipboard and X-ray light box once and for all.

"If you could use the gesture-based way of manipulating images on the iPhone and actually manipulate a stack of X-rays or CT scans, that would be a huge selling point," says Adam Flanders, director of informatics at Thomas Jefferson University and an expert in medical imaging.

[SNIP]

Tech-savvy doctors have been speculating about the iPhone's medical potential long before Apple shipped its first unit. But the lack of native application support has meant that, up to now, all iPhone applications had to work through the phone's Safari web browser. That's a nonstarter for most medical applications because it demands constant connectivity (either via WiFi or an AT&T cellular data network) and prevents application developers from using the device's full processing power.

Earlier this month, however, Apple released a software development kit (SDK) for programmers to create native iPhone applications. During the announcement event, Apple gave doctors the first concrete reason to trade in their Blackberries and Treos for iPhones by announcing a new partnership with Epocrates, the developer of a massive drug-interaction database for mobile devices. While Palm users have had access to Epocrates for years, the company said it is now working directly with Apple on a new iPhone-native version. When released, it will give doctors the ability to view drug information regardless of their location or the availability of a WiFi.

"The real beauty of the iPhone is that it offers a richer 3-D experience and more memory," says Michelle Snyder, vice president of marketing and subscription services at Epocrates.

But medical databases -- be they native like Epocrates, or browser-based, like Unbound Medicine's medical research database -- are only part of the iPhone's overall allure in the medical field. Physicians, particularly radiologists, are also excited about the prospect of accessing medical images directly on their iPhones.

I swear, I'm not an Apple fanboi. Apple's not a client, I own no Apple products (or stock), but I know a deal changer when I see one. Apple is positioning the iPhone as a platform which custom publishers could use. By putting business (or in this case medical) functionality, not just reference readability, in the pocket of every professional, Apple will make it an ideal platform for custom content or digital magazines. How custom publishers will create content marketing that appeals to that market is an open question. Whether it will simply be a multimedia recreation of a magazine or something that looks like an application has huge implications for how custom content creators staff up and sell themselves.

Does the iPhone SDK mean "Game Over" for digital magazine providers?

2008-03-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

According to Warner Crocker (right) over at GottaBeMobile.com, the new iPhone SDK means "it is game over" for all the other competing devices. For custom publishers who need to choose a mobile platform for their digital magazines an iPhone-centric universe gives the edge to companies like Texterity which already produces digital magazines for the iPhone. Companies like Nxtbook, which produce magazines in a Flash-based browser app will have to wait until Apple and Adobe fix the iPhone/Flash issue. Zinio won't work on iPhone either.

Although Amazon still selling out on its Kindle (with back orders taking four to six weeks to fill), I have yet to see one in the wild. I've been traveling through a lot of airports recently working on some I-can't-talk-about-them projects and I've been scoping for Kindles or the Sony Reader in their biggest target demographic: travelers. So far, nada. Not one. (I have about 10 friends with iPhones.) The Kindle is excellent for ordering and presenting books (one publisher estimated that the Kindle is selling between 5,000-10,000 books a day). But after talking to Amazon about how to port custom magazines over to the Kindle and the charges a reader would have to incur, I think for the custom publisher, the Kindle is a non-starter. (As a fiction reader, I still want one.)

Although Warner is looking at the iPhone from the mobile computing perspective, I think he could be spot on for the digital magazine market as well. Since content marketing, custom content, custom publishing or whatever you want to call it works best in the BtoB space, you want your custom magazine to be on the device that business people will have on them. With the new iPhone SDK, that new business device is likely to be an iPhone.

Here are some largish excerpts from Warner's post " It Is All Over But The Crying: Apple SDK":

Apple not only took the UMPC/MID market away, it will own mobile for some time to come, with everyone else playing catch up. The race to the top is over. Now everyone else can scramble to figure out who is number two.

Here’s why I think this. We’ve only seen teasers of what the Apple SDK will unlock for the future. And the teasers certainly make you want the entire show. The ability to have push email and sync with Microsoft Exchange is huge and will open the floodgates into the enterprise.

[SNIP]

For those that want the boutique coolness, it will be there. For those that want it for business, it will be there. For those who want to play games, it will be there. For those that want to develop and push the envelope of the mobile experience, it will be there.

Media, SMS, phone, applications, business apps, GPS, games, you name it, you’ll have it all on the iPhone, and a lot of it on the iPod Touch, both of which will fit into your pocket. What Microsoft, Intel, and VIA are working to accomplish with UMPCs and MIDs, Apple is about to deliver. Timing is everything and Apple is not only out of the gate first, but is about to enter the final turn.

Let’s face, it the UMPC platform is quickly receding. The MID platform is still to come and is unproven. Not only has Apple loaded up their devices with potential for all segments, they’ve come in under the magic $600 price point.

[SNIP]

Small, $600 or under, always connected, media and the web at your fingertips, and access to your communications. I seem to remember that as the promise of the UMPC a short time ago. UMPC, we hardly knew you.

Game over.

Post Script: As I said, game over. If Apple wanted to put the last nail in the coffin of all of its other competitors, it would steal a page from Amazon’s book. Ditch the old way of thinking about connectivity charges and user fees (or is that usury?) and offer up the versions yet to come with Amazon’s connectivity model.

Zinio sponsored survey says 80% of readers love digital magazines

2008-03-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

Digital magazine software provider Zinio has sponsored a survey that says that a whopping 80% of digital magazine readers are "very or extremely satisfied" with their experience. The readers of TheScrollLibrarian and TheClayTabletReader are expected to produce similar results as soon as the carrier pigeons return with the surveys. (The clay tablets are heavy.) Below is the full press release:

Reader Survey Unveils Key Findings in Digital Publication Consumer Adoption

Digital Magazine and Ads Expand Publisher Reach and Subscriber Base

SAN FRANCISCO, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent survey conducted by The Harrison Group in conjunction with Zinio, the leading global online publishing, distribution and retail services company, has identified key benchmarks and findings for readers of digital magazines. Beginning with satisfaction, this survey found that 80 percent of digital magazine readers are very, if not extremely satisfied with their experience. More so, one-third of readers pay more attention to ads in digital magazines versus print, citing the ability to click on a link or engage with the ad as a key benefit.

"Through this research, we have unlocked key insights relating to strategies for driving online subscriptions, highest areas of interest and engagement times with content and advertisements," said Rich Maggiotto, CEO of Zinio. "The findings within this survey should have an impact on how the publishing and advertising industries approach their digital distribution channels."

Some of the key findings shared in this study include: advantages and disadvantages of the advertising form and content in digital magazines. This study also identified the four top factors influencing the purchase of digital instead of print magazines including, in order of preference: (1) immediate delivery; (2) the ability to archive; (3) the capacity to read anytime, anywhere, online and offline, and; (4) concern for the environment. In addition, key findings around the benefits of digital advertisements over the same print presentation indicate that 44 percent of the survey respondents find digital advertisements more appealing, and 37 percent said they would be more likely to engage digitally.

"About five hours a week is given to the consumption of magazines," said Jim Taylor, vice chairman of The Harrison Group. "Consumers are consistently looking for ways to improve productivity and use the downtime of travel, commuting, and so called free time to acquire content that is known to serve a personal, business or entertainment need. For many people, Zinio preserves the magazine format and conveniently delivers their magazines anytime, anywhere."

Results of this survey will be shared in a webinar conducted in partnership with the Direct Marketing Association's Email Experience Council on March 20th, 2008.

About the Survey

The survey was commissioned by Zinio and conducted by The Harrison Group, an independent research company. 1,500 subscribers responded to the study, representing a sampling error of less than 5 percent. The response rate of survey participation was 19 percent and data was collected within a two-week period. For more information on the survey, visit: http://www.zinio.com/corporate/publishers/research.jsp.

About The Harrison Group

The Harrison Group is a strategic marketing consulting and research services firm that partners with Fortune 1000 clients to build substantial, profitable growth through superior marketing consulting and research. The Group forms lasting client relationships with some of the top brands and companies in the world including American Express, Microsoft, Cartier, Four Seasons, Gucci, Honda, LVMH, Sony and Sara Lee. The Harrison Group's core strengths have been successfully employed across consumer and business-to-business research engagements in more than 60 countries around the globe. The Harrison Group was originally formed in 1996 by former directors of strategic research at Yankelovich Partners.

About Zinio

Zinio is the global leader for digital publishing products and services. Zinio provides publishers with new circulation and revenue growth opportunities through its comprehensive offerings from marketing programs that include customer acquisition, retention and cross-promotion to seamless production services, a robust e-commerce engine and extensive digital delivery, circulation and fulfillment services. Major publishing partners include, Bonnier, Hearst, IDG, Gruner + Jahr, Hachette Filipacchi, IPC Media, Mariah Media, McGraw-Hill, The National Magazine Company, Playboy Enterprises, Primedia, Rogers Publishing and Ziff Davis. Zinio has offices in San Francisco and New York with several franchisees worldwide. For more information, or to purchase any of the digital titles offered by Zinio, please visit http://www.zinio.com, http://www.textbooks.zinio.com.

Website: http://www.zinio.com/

Consumer magazines ad pages are down too.

2008-01-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

In addition to the decline in trade press we saw yesterday, Folio has an interesting look at the ad page market for consumer magazines: Final 2007 Report: Magazine Ad Revenues Grow, Ad Pages Dip. According to Dylan Stableford 's article:

Total magazine rate-card-reported advertising revenue for consumer magazines grew 6.1 percent in 2007 when compared to 2006, according to year-end Publishers Information Bureau figures released this morning. But total ad pages—considered the more telling statistic, given the unaccounted rate card discounts doled out by publishers—declined about a half a percent (-0.6) over the same period.

Nine of the 12 major advertising categories—comprising more than 85 percent of the $25.5 billion of total magazine ad spending—showed increases. Eight categories bought more ad pages in 2007 than in 2006. Drug companies spent the most on advertising in magazines, according to PIB.

The takeaway for custom publishers? See if you can get Britney Spears to have a meltdown while talking about your product.

Is Trade Publishing a Canary in a Coal Mine?

2008-01-16T17:38:00.000-08:00

Over at the minsider Blog, Jeremy Greenfield asks: Is Trade Publishing a Canary in a Coal Mine? It points to a steady decline in ad pages for trade press. What does that mean for custom publishing? Are advertisers simply moving ad dollars to the Internet or are they not advertising at all? The breaks down the sectors that are hurting the most. This might tell your sales department where to concentrate their sales efforts to find the best prospects for custom media or content marketing Here's the full post:

I had lunch on Monday with the Steve Cohn (EIC of min), and the editor, publisher, and president of a very big, very well-known, and very old gentleman’s magazine at a restaurant in the McGraw-Hill building. Of course, we talked about their magazine, the Giants game, and consumer-side gossip. But one topic of conversation that kept on coming up was the state of trade publishing in 2008. We talked first about BusinessWeek and the plight of the weekly in general. Then we talked about M&A in the B2B space, and then, finally, the topic of whether trade advertising would be strong in 2008.

Alan Greenspan famously said while chairman of the Federal Reserve that he need only look at the price of scrap metal to determine where the economy was headed. The scrap metal business is a commodity based on several commodities: essentially, the profit that scrap outfits make is dependent on the price of various metals around the world as well as the price of oil, electricity, and various other commodities. Therefore, price of scrap can be a good indicator for the economy as a whole–scrap goes up, economy doing well, scrap goes down, who knows. (I got this from The New Yorker…see John Seabrook’s article “American Scrap” (abstract) in the 1/14 issue for more. You should also read Ken Auletta’s “The Search Party” (complete article) in the same issue–it’s about Google’s lobbying efforts in Washington.)

Like scrap, trade publishing can be a good indicator of how the economy as a whole is doing. When I look at our exclusive min’s b2b Boxscores and see that the building and construction category is down as a whole about 10%, well, that indicates something to me. Just for fun, I’ll give you a quick run down of how all of our categories are doing (change is in ad pages year-to-date through November 2007, Source: IMS/The Auditor, except Business/Horizontal, which is provided by min):

Advertising & Marketing: +1.66% (A strong year in advertising has bolstered some of the big books in this category)

Automotive: -2.32% (More on this category in this week’s min’s b2b)

Banking & Finance: -.60% (Something tells me that some books in this category will be hit hard in 2008)

Broadcast Video: -19.5% (This category has been hit hard by cable network carrier saturation. More in this week’s min’s b2b)

Building & Construction: -9.46% (This one’s obvious…and is being bolstered by commercial construction)

Business/Horizontal (Jan-Dec, Source: min): -9.13% (More on this category in this week’s min’s b2b)

Computing: -22.96% (But, in related news, most of the books here are just killing online…so I hear)

Developers Technical: -3.77% (Some books in this category are seeing a resurgence in print)

Electronic: -8.54% (Internet)

Engineering & Manufacturing: -6.88% (This year’s decline is part of a long-term trend in this industry–not as much in the way it markets: the big boys are still holding their own)

Fashion & Design: -7.22% (While the graphics/design books are doing well, the fashion trades aren’t as much)

Food: Retail: -2.22% (While life has been tough on the supermarket industry this year, the convenience store/petroleum industry has benefited from high gas prices and innovations in basic business practices and store services)

Food: Service/Restaurants: +.82 (A few books that have had several bad years in a row are coming back)

Food: Processing: +3.66 (More on this category in this week’s min’s b2b)

Government: -10.54% (Gov IT books are computing books this year)

Healthcare: -3.32 (Pharm)

Pharmaceutical: -5.16% (Pharm)

Telecommunications: -12.40% (Wireless books are hard hit in 2007)

Transportation: -9.76% (Oil prices and Pacific port overcrowding have squeezed Pacific and air marketing budgets–Gulf is up)

Travel/Lodging/Hospitality: -3.29% (Travel agent books are bringing an otherwise healthy category down)

OVERALL: The min’s b2b index of 300+ trades is down 8.17% in ad pages through November 2007. I smell gas.

Mark Logic to Host B2B Publishing Webinar on Maximizing Content

2008-01-16T12:17:00.001-08:00

According to this press release, Mark Logic is hosting a B2B Publishing Webinar on Maximizing Content. Details below:

What:  Mark Logic® Corporation, provider of the industry's leading XML
     content server, will hold a webinar on January 22, 2008, dedicated
     to helping publishers maximize the value of online content.  This
     webinar, titled "Online Content: Three Strategies to Keep
     Advertisers and Readers Hooked in 2008," will feature insight and
     best practices from leading market watchers and publishers.

     As advertisers increasingly shift their valuable dollars from print
     to the Web, publishers must be prepared to deliver the online
     products and services advertisers want. At the same time, Web users
     are becoming more reliant upon blogs, social networks, and RSS feeds
     to supplement or replace traditional media. This webinar will
     examine emerging strategies to help you create content that is
     relevant, valuable and available where your readers already are and
     where your advertisers want to be.

Who:   Silvio Galea is development manager at Harvard Business School
     Publishing (HBSP) where he is responsible for driving the
     development of HBSP's next-generation, content-driven applications.
     Prior to HBSP, Silvio was an independent consultant working on a
     digital publishing startup and helping organizations make the
     transition to a Web 2.0 presence.

     Paul Gillen is a writer and content marketing consultant
     specializing in technology and new media. He advises business-to-
     business marketers on strategies to optimize their use of online
     channels to reach buyers cost-effectively at different stages of the
     buying cycle. Paul is a veteran technology journalist with more than
     23 years of editorial leadership experience. He was founding
     editor-in-chief of TechTarget and was editor-in-chief and executive
     editor of Computerworld.

     John Siefert is vice president and publisher of
     InformationWeek/TechWeb.

     The event will be moderated by Matthew Schwartz, reporter with BtoB
     media Business, and hosted by Mark Logic Corporation.  Mark Logic is
     uniquely positioned to help publishers unlock the value of their
     content to drive agile publishing business models that speed the
     delivery of new information products.

When:  "Online Content: Three Strategies to Keep Advertisers and Readers
     Hooked in 2008," will be held on Tuesday, January 22 at 2:00PM
     Eastern/11:00AM Pacific.

     For more information and to register, visit
     http://www.bulldogsolutions.net/MarkLogic/MLG01222008/
     frmRegistration.aspx?bdls=13436

About Mark Logic Corporation

Mark Logic Corporation is the provider of the industry's leading XML content server. Mark Logic works with providers of information products to accelerate new product creation, deliver products through multiple channels, integrate content from different sources, repurpose content into multiple products, build custom publishing systems, and mine content to find previously undiscovered information. The company holds two patents on the innovative technology in MarkLogic Server which enables companies to load, query, manipulate, and render XML content using the W3C standard XQuery language. Designed for high performance and scalability, MarkLogic Server can deliver millisecond response times against multi-terabyte contentbases. Mark Logic is privately held and backed by Sequoia Capital and Lehman Brothers. For more information, or to download a free trial copy of MarkLogic Server, go to www.marklogic.com or visit the Mark Logic CEO blog.

© 2008 Mark Logic Corporation. Mark Logic is a registered trademark and MarkLogic Server is a trademark of Mark Logic Corporation. All rights reserved. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

TireLogic becomes a digital magazine

2008-01-15T16:08:00.000-08:00

More and more trade publications are becoming digital-only magazines. The latest trade that's slowly merging into the digital-only lane of the info superhighway is Goodyear's TireLogic. Although the computerless (are there any tire retailers who still don't have a computer?) can still get the dead trees edition, making the decision to go digital was easy according to this article in TireReview:

Goodyear has taken its TireLogic truck industry customer magazine to the digital world.

According to Steve McClellan, Goodyear vice president of commercial tire systems, fleets, owner-operators and commercial dealers will benefit from the now interactive e-magazine.

“TireLogic’s mission remains the same: to keep truck operators up-to-date on tire issues, with ideas to lower their cost-per-mile and to manage a cost-effective tire program,” McClellan said. “A digital magazine is more accessible for fleets and truck operators, so they’ll never miss a copy.”

The e-magazine is available for free by registering at goodyearoffers.com/tirelogic. The current Winter 2007/2008 issue is already available for downloading.

Goodyear cautions that those who previously received TireLogic in the mail will be required to register online, but once registered they will automatically receive each new issue by e-mail. Those without computer access can still receive printed copies. (Tire Review/Akron)

Can custom content creators fly with the Super-users?

2008-01-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

In a post titled Grazers V. Super-Users, Nxtbook's Marcus Grimm takes Dan Blank's post and provides additional insight specifically for digital magazine creators. For custom publishers and content marketers allowing Super-Users to create content is threatening but as Grimm points out, it is also essential.

Dan Blank has written a great post about the variety of media we’re all consuming and the differences in how we react to it:

It’s a fascinating distinction because it crosses the line of
“content-creators” and “audience.” Super-users may create as much
content as they consume. Grazers may be similar to traditional
audiences, but even less engaged as they stream through massive amounts
of media, constantly filtering.

There’s an interesting challenge for magazine publishers here - and particularly publishers of digital editions - as most traditional magazines are formatted for grazing, as Dan defines it, and aren’t naturally hard-wired for interaction. Why does this matter? There’s at least two reasons:

1. By not encouraging interaction, magazine publishers are missing out on creating a "stickier" brand and because web analytics will continue to move more in the direction of engagement, stickiness will continue to be more important.

2. When people interact with your content, they post links to it, and links are the currency of the Web. It’s the simplest way to generate more traffic to your content and also makes your digital edition content that much more yummy with Google.

Simple ways to build interact inside your digital edition:

1. Make sure you’re promoting the RSS feed of your digital edition, which is free with Nxtbook Media.

Why this works: Those who use RSS readers are much more inclined to be Super-Users.

2. Post links to your digital edition content on forums.

Why this works: Ditto #1. While there are "lurkers" and grazers on forums, that’s also where the Super-Users can be found.

3. Blog about (and obviously link to) your digital edition content.

Why this works: Ditto #2

Making Money with Digital Editions

2008-01-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

Over at Nxtbook Media, Marcus Grimm tells how three publishers are Making Money With Digital Editions:

Three of Nxtbook’s top customers took to the webinar stage today and gave detailed accounts of how they’re making money with digital magazines. Thanks to Todd Christenson from Hearst, Graham Kilshaw from ITEM Publications and Allan Brown from Graduate Prospects for three incredibly entertaining and informative presentations.

The audience didn’t disappoint, either, as dozens of questions kept the panelists on their toes.

If you missed the action, don’t fret. Just follow this link to view the archived webinar. Aside from the fact that our sponsor logo points to the good folks at Crown Peak, we’d call the event a smashing success. And just in case the faulty link confuses you, this is how to get to our home page. :)

Pace has banner year

2008-01-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

Pace Communications has had a banner year according to it's latest press release:

PACE COMMUNICATIONS HAS BANNER YEAR WITH RECORD NUMBER OF AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATIONS AND NEW HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS

Greensboro, NC (January 4, 2008)—A leader in creating custom content, Pace Communications had a record-breaking 2007, with new client acquisitions, awards, and personnel growth. Over the course of the year, Pace launched several new publications and gained new contracts to produce publications for a wide variety of B2B, technology and travel clients, including Southwest Airlines, Syngenta, Wachovia Education Finance, Wachovia Securities, Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Listingbook.com and California State Automobile Association.

“These are exciting times—we brought on some fantastic new clients in 2007, and we are looking forward to taking their communications programs to the next level,” said Craig Waller, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Pace Communications. “We are seeing growth in custom publishing take off because it engages consumers on a deeper level and provides measurable results. It is exciting to be a part of the record-breaking growth in this market.”

In addition to winning significant new business, Pace has been investing in digital platforms—2007 saw the acquisition of a digital agency, Pixels, now Pace Interactive. As well as providing Web presence for existing clients, Pace Interactive launched new projects for Listingbook.com and took the lead on The North Face’s online magazine, www.exploreepic.com.

As a result of new client acquisitions, the Pace family has been expanding rapidly, with company growth of 20% in 2007 and an employee pool now 250 deep with some of the most significant talent in the publishing and advertising industries.

While Pace has captured new business, it has continued to win accolades for its existing publications from the industry experts. In 2007, the company was honored with over 100 awards, including ten Folio: Ozzie and Eddie Awards and eighteen Custom Publishing Council Pearl Awards, more than any other custom publisher.

Consumers and advertisers backed the praise of publishing experts by giving Pace publications their reading time and their advertising dollars, respectively. According to MRI data for Fall 2007, inflight magazines regularly get more time with the nation’s top earners, and leading the pack is Pace-published United Airlines’ Hemispheres magazine. Hemispheres now boasts an audience of 2.2 million monthly readers with the highest median household income, $123,233, of any national publication. As the nation’s most affluent print title, Hemispheres beat out business stalwarts The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Fortune and Forbes, as well as leading travel, epicurean, women’s and men’s magazines.

“As traditional boundaries in the media world break down, our expertise in creating media-led communities for organizations is becoming more and more sought after,” said Waller. “We have a company full of leading writers, designers and strategists who create engaging and award-winning programs for our clients. When you add our expertise in generating advertising sponsorship revenue, Pace becomes a stand-out business in a flourishing category.”

Pace’s clients also include Delta Air Lines, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, US Airways and Wachovia Wealth Management.

About Pace Communications
For more than thirty years, Pace Communications has been a leader in customized content. With dedication to excellence, Pace helps leading corporate clients develop successful branded editorial strategies and achieve unparalleled marketing and communication prominence. Our staff of more than 200 professionals consistently produces award-winning work in a variety of media, including magazines, Web, catalog, book, video and e-commerce. Founded and owned by Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, the current chair of the American Red Cross, Pace is based in Greensboro, N.C.

Custom content: What's always sexy and recession-proof.

2008-01-15T11:54:00.001-08:00

Lately several people have written about the trends in custom publishing and content marketing. Regardless of the medium, print or online, custom content success is all about one SIMPLE thing:

Custom creators succeed when they convince their client's customers to buy the client's product. In a word: Sales.

That's it. Everything else is vanity. Thought-leadership? Nice, but ultimately it has to translate into ka-ching.

After working with seven movie studios, I learned the only unforgivable Hollywood sin: Not making money. Custom content is the same. If you can make your client money, you are always sexy and recession-proof. In fact, your sexiness increases in a recession because people are looking for a rainmaker.

Too often custom publishing looks pretty but doesn't seal the deal. As more custom publishing moves online and into the realm of content marketing, content creation has to work hand-in-glove with sales. In this nanosecond metric universe, custom content creators must demonstrate ROI every minute. Custom publishers who can't may soon find themselves with a slight case of extinction.

We've found the most effective way to do get the biggest bang for a client's buck is micro-targeting a variety of pains the client's product can solve. Readers are hip to the sale and study after study has shown that they don't mind it. For many custom publishers the problem with their content (and why they are losing clients) isn't too much sales copy but not enough.

Whether you are a custom publisher or an advertising agency, if you want your custom content creation to succeed, you need to have an answer when your client screams: "SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!"

Is the "Content Marketing Revolution" already here?

2008-01-15T11:02:00.000-08:00

Junta42's Joe Pulizzi over at the Content Marketing Revolution blog has a number of posts custom content creators should read. In reverse chronological order:

In his most recent post, (eMarketer CEO: Turning Ads to Content Most Important Transformation for 2008), Joe takes a look at eMarketer's CEO Geoff Ramsey's thoughts about advertising changing from an interrupt-driven model subsidizing free content to what Joe and others are calling "content marketing":

Ramsey goes on to state:

"As a result, advertisers and their agencies who want to engage with today’s consumers will have to start turning their ads into content. Ultimately, they will need to be able to produce content that is so compelling, relevant and entertaining that consumers will seek it out and want to share it with others. The new ad model is about creating great content and finding clever ways to embed it in the fabric of communities and content platforms where consumers are hanging out and actively participating."

Amen brother! Ramsey's last paragraph is essentially what we call content marketing.

Today's buying environment, and into the future, creates a number of opportunities for businesses, as well as threats to those who aren't willing to alter their marketing.

Businesses cannot speak "at" customers, but must engage in a dialogue that connects customers with the brand.
Trust is built through communication (like marriage). Since customers are set up to distrust you, no matter who you are, valuable and relevant content and communications that help them feel better about themselves or perform better in the world will generate the trust you need to sell products and services.
Content should be the backbone of your entire marketing plan. You should be sending a message to your customers that helps them, even if they don't buy a product from you. You can still disseminate this message through traditional marketing, but lead your customers to the content water.
There is a clear opportunity for content providers that can help companies communicate better with their customers. As we've discussed many times, businesses are not set up to create consistent and ongoing content, they are set up to sell products and services. That's where partnering with an expert content provider or custom publisher can really make all the difference.

In another post (Seth Godin: "Content Marketing is the Only Marketing Left" and 10 New Marketing Lessons), Joe raises the all important point:

Content marketing is not easy because you actually have to listen to your customers and know what their challenges are. You cannot solve your marketing woes through buying advertising space. You must make a connection to your customers, and get new customers, by focusing on their true pain points and healing them with information (okay, a bit over the top, but true none the less).

Finally, if you haven't had a chance to read some Joe's insights into content marketing, he has provided a great place to start (Most Popular Content Marketing Articles: A Year in Review):

2007 was a great year for content marketing. At the start of the year, most marketing professionals had never heard of the term. 12 months later, content marketing, the practice and the industry, are gaining speed. More and more marketing professionals are understanding the concept of selling - without really selling - through valuable and relevant content creation and marketing.

To cap off the year, I've included the top 5 articles from the Junta42 blog, as well as the top viewed and rated articles from Junta42. Enjoy! (NOTE: Analytics courtesy of Google Analytics.)

Top Content Marketing Articles from the Junta42 blog

42 Content Building Ways to Attract and Retain Customers (1,251 views)
Definitely caught the most traction. Includes just about every type of medium to get your custom publishing message to your target audience.
Stop Shouting Features: 5 Tips for Launching a Marketing Knowledge Program (894 views)
Discusses the importance of focusing on the customer...and how to set up "listening posts" to acquire knowledge about your customer base.
Want Customer Loyalty? Create Customer Wins with Content (815 views)
Based on a Jack Welch article where Jack proclaims the idea of making yourself indispensable to buyers. Our take is to do that through content.
myFord Magazine Special Issue Spells Disaster (359 views)
I've always loved Ford, but I couldn't let this latest issue of myFord magazine go by without making some constructive criticisms.
How Poor Marketing Kills Great Content (344 views)
Most marketing professionals think that creating online content or custom publishing editorial/content is the toughest part. It's not even close...marketing is tougher by a landslide.

Highest Rated Articles on Junta42 (combination Promote's, Page Views, and Time)

Are Corporations the New Kings of Content?
A Folio magazine article that discusses why corporate media will overtake traditional media in the coming years and decades.
8 Tips to Making Your YouTube Video Go Viral
Excellent David Meerman Scott post with a case study from Blentec that's worth the read.
The Five Pillars of Content Marketing - The Ultimate Definition
A first crack of many to try to put the practice of content marketing into an industry definition.
Attention Marketers! Hire a Journalist
A case for why businesses should be hiring writers to help take their content initiatives to the next level.
Free eBook on How to Turn Prospects into Customers with Content Marketing
A 30+ page eBook that is worth the read for anyone interested in launching or refining their content initiatives.

Most Viewed Articles on Junta42

Media Gets Social (404 views)
Consumer content creation is the big deal online these days. There are at least 30 million blogs online, podcasts galore, as well as nearly 100 million photos available via Flickr. All sorts of new web tools have been developed to enable this new social media, as it is being called.
Are DVRs Killing the Commercial? (397 views)
With DVR penetration on the rise and a decreasing consumer response to TV commercials, the time is ripe for companies to explore new forms of online marketing.
Pump Up Your Brain (337 views)
According to Nobel prize-winning chemist Linus Pauling, the best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas. This applies to inventions or developing content.
11 Ways to Promote Your Website (330 views)
From writing articles, news releases and blogs to giving speeches, marketing your content and other tactics can drive traffic to your site.
The Viral Garden & the MySpacing of Facebook (313 views)
Brennan White at Pandemic Labs discusses the current state of Facebook and responds to concerns that Facebook is committing all the mistakes that Myspace committed.

Conde Nast snags three titles

2008-01-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

According to Media Week:

Condé Nast’s contract publishing division has secured a trio of deals to publish customer magazines for Maybourne Hotel Group, jeweler Boodles and mobile phone manufacturer Vertu.

Future Plus gets WorldStore's customer magazine

2008-01-14T15:12:00.000-08:00

Future Publishing's customer magazine division Future Plus will be creating a print magazine for title for WorldStores, a household furnishings and electronics retailer.

According to Brand Republic:
Future Publishing has been asked to create a 32-page mini magazine for WorldStores called WorldStores Essentials, which will be distributed as inserts in the publisher's electronics and technology magazines.

WorldStores, which specialises in niche online retailing of home, garden and electronics products, said the magazine would be the first time the business had released a print title for its products, and expects a print run of around 242,000.

The magazine will be given away across Future Publishing's consumer electronics titles, which include T3, Hi-Fi Choice and Home Cinema Choice, and in targeted mailings through WorldStores' own customer contact lists.

WorldStores said it hoped the magazine would increase awareness of its brand and boost its share in the online consumer retail business.

Redwood wins Customer Publisher of the year

2008-01-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

Redwood was named APA's Customer Publisher of the year according to this article on the APA's web site:

Redwood has triumphed as Customer Publishing Agency of the Year for the second year, after 12 months in which it has to only grown substantially, but also started to transform its business into a multimedia content provider.

This was a buoyant year for customer publishing, with more pitches and launches than in any previous year. However, competition was intense, with more agencies than ever vying for clients’ budgets, particularly in the digital arena.

To experience sustained, significant growth in such a climate is tough, particularly for the market leader. Yet Redwood expects to achieve double-digit growth on both profit and turnover for 2007. This stems not only from new business worth an estimated £9m in billings, but also from incremental client business growth in print media and digital content. The latter is crucial; while Marketing’s judges rated Redwood highly on growth and creativity, it was in rising to the challenge of delivering integrated content that it truly stood out to secure this year’s award.

The agency saw its digital work grow from 3% of turnover in 2006 to 8% this year, and is projecting a figure of 15% in 2008. During 2007, Redwood won eight new pieces of digital business and 11 of its 20 clients, including Land Rover, Volvo and Marks & Spencer, commissioned web, email or film work. This, the judges felt, was particularly laudable at a time when agencies from across all marketing disciplines, including advertising, direct and design, have been competing to grab a share of the expanding digital content market.

Whoa! What a ride!

2008-01-11T17:03:00.000-08:00

It has been amazing here. Since mid-December we've done 20+ advertising campaigns, a white paper, articles galore, ghostwritten columns, written a book and helped launch a web site, all for new clients. That doesn't even include the work we're doing for existing clients. I've been so busy that I've had two laptops on my desk to work on various projects while the other laptop was busy.

To answer questions about our new business, some of it comes from the blog, a lot of it comes from basic shoe leather. Winning in this game is all about hustle.

As a surprise to no one, we're seeing an increase in advertising agencies contacting us for what is being called "content marketing". Some of our campaigns have doubled conversions. That's nice, but we're still trying to beat our personal best, the ad we wrote that got an astonishing 97% conversion rate).

Now I've got some breathing room and we're adding staff to take up some of the slack. More posts soon.

Sorry about the lack of posts. Lipper Custom Publishing is skyrocketing through the roof!

2007-12-24T07:14:00.000-08:00

For those readers who have wondered if I have fallen off the face of the Earth, I've become a victim of my own success. Lipper Custom Publishing is now working with a record number of custom publishers and advertising agencies providing them with custom content for their online efforts. As a result of our increased business, we're adding staff starting in January. That means more time for me to blog in 2008.

In 2008 we will be changing Custom Publishing News to help the custom content and content marketing industries with increased coverage of content coming out of advertising agencies. To do this effectively, we need your help.

How can Custom Publishing News & Custom Content News help you get more business? Please email me.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year,
Don Lipper

Metro New York Launches Metro Film

2007-12-11T16:45:00.000-08:00

According to Media Buyer Planner, Metro New York is creating a custom publication to highlight entertainment in the Big Apple:

"Metro New York and The City of New York Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting have partnered to create Metro Film, a spotlight on the film and entertainment world of New York City, that will be published Dec. 14.
The publication will have a distribution of 100,000, and will be available through March 14.
The custom publication will feature a behind-the-scenes look at I Am Legend, an upcoming Will Smith film shot in New York, expert advice for aspiring entertainment professionals, a calendar of film events and discount opportunities for production companies from local businesses, like restaurants, hotels and transportation."

Doubledown Media launches new magazine title

2007-12-10T06:14:00.000-08:00

Custom publisher Doubledown Media has launched a new title 'The Players Club." Below is the full press release:

DOUBLEDOWN MEDIA AND LENNY DYKSTRA ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF THE PLAYERS CLUB BUSINESS AND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE BY AND FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES

Magazine's Goal is to Provide Athletes with Post-Career WealthNHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly,Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Brown, MLB Legends Ron Darling and John Kruk to Serve on Players Committee

New York, December 5th, 2007 — Doubledown Media, LLC, announced its newest magazine launch, The Players Club — a magazine by and for professional athletes launched in partnership with New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies All-Star outfielder Lenny Dykstra. The Players Club will be focused on providing athletes with the resources to make well-informed financial and lifestyle decisions.

Dykstra, a member of the 1986 World Champion New York Mets, who has since emerged as very successful businessman and influential financial columnist on theStreet.com, says the Players Club is about financial security, both through advice in the magazine and customized financial products geared specifically toward athletes.

“For the first time a player will have the ability to have guaranteed, recurring cash-flow for himself and his family,” said Dykstra. “This way, when a player retires at 35 or even younger, he will have the ability to continue to support his family, while still enjoying a comfortable lifestyle.”

The Players Club will have a circulation of 20,000, with copies sent directly to athletes in the ten major sports including: baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer, professional tennis, golf, NASCAR, Formula I and others. Agents, team management, team offices and financial advisors will also receive the magazine.

“Players helping players is something that has been needed for a long time, The Players Club makes a lot of sense,” said NHL Legend Wayne Gretzky, who is part of the Players Committee. The Players Club will debut in April of 2008, to coincide with the opening of Major League Baseball. Pre-sold advertisers include Mercedes Benz and AIG.

Randall Lane, President of Doubledown Media, publisher of Trader Monthly, Dealmaker, Private Air, Corporate Leader and The Cigar Report, noted that professional athletes fit perfectly into Doubledown’s model of reaching affluent affinity groups.

“Hedge fund managers, investment bankers, CEO's — each of these individuals has risen to the top of a very sharp pyramid and made sacrifices to get where they are,” he said. “For athletes, the competition to be at the top is even tougher, coupled with a career that is, by definition, much shorter than that of someone in traditional business. The brilliance of The Players Club is that it's going to help them enjoy their fantastic earnings and show them ways to make sure that they'll continue to live well even when their playing career has finished.”

Tim Brown, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1987 and went on to a storied career with the Raiders, is a member of The Players Club's Players Committee.

“When you're playing football you have this wonderful fantasy that it's going to last forever, and you'll retire when and if you decide to,” Brown said, adding, “And then comes the injury that ends your career, and you have to figure out how to pay your bills.”

About Doubledown Media: Doubledown Custom Media is a division of Doubledown Media, LLC, publisher of Trader Monthly, Dealmaker, Private Air, Trader Monthly Europe, Corporate Leader and The Cigar Report.

INTERVIEWS WITH PLAYERS CLUB PLAYERS COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR DOUBLEDOWN MEDIA EXECUTIVES CAN BE ARRANGED.

Rachel Pine
Doubledown Media, 212-672-5171
rpine@doubledownmedia.com

The economics of e-ink custom content

2007-12-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

Several columnists have been writing about the economics of e-ink for newspapers and magazines.

Editor & Publisher gives you the short overview in "E-Ink May Prove Profitable in The Future ":

"The costs of an e-paper are mostly fixed because circulation is not an issue. The devices are simply a new delivery system for old content, which eliminate production and distribution costs. The building and general and administrative costs at the paper would shrink with the e-paper being the only version. The staff, like in the hypothetical paper could also be cut in half. Advertisers may be more interested because the ads are still displayed in the same manner they are in the regular print newspaper because the e-paper screen is the size of a tabloid paper. Ads could also target specific audiences."

While The Guardian's Roy Greenslade is "Dreaming of future without print..." where he details exactly how a newspaper would save money switching to e-ink only.

Bill Richards, a former Wall Street Journal and Washington Post reporter, has carried out an interesting exercise designed to show that electronic newspapers could be a commercial possibility.

It is based largely on his belief in the qualities of Amazon's new wireless electronic book-reader, Kindle, which is said to be able to deliver text with the same clarity as print on paper. Let me not detain you with the details of that, however. There are other e-readers around too. The point is that Richards heralds this development as a path to a non-newsprint future (as does Poynter Institute's media business analyst, Rick Edmonds, here). Richards claims that analysts have ignored the potential impact of e-ink technology, an innovation that offers "new delivery systems for old content."

Now for the basic financial argument. It is generally thought that online revenues are far too small to fund a news operation. He writes: "During the most recent quarter, newspapers' online revenue rose only 21%, year-over-year, and print ad revenue dropped by 9%. By such metrics, the continuing gap between online and print revenue appears to make the Internet a poor bet to replace print any time soon. Or maybe not."

[SNIP where he details Richard's model and assumptions that show an electronic newspaper could be quite profitable. Read the detailed version here.]

"I don't think e-readers are cheap enough yet to convince people to buy them in sufficient quantities. On the other hand, I think we could see e-readers rather like digital TV boxes. Eventually, perhaps, everyone will have to have one. Until they do - well, unless they do - advertisers are unlikely to come on board."

Meanwhile over at The Editors Weblog, Microsoft has helped a Danish newspaper create an eletronic hybrid that hopes to eliminate that last pesky remnant of journalism: journalists.

The Jutland Post has created a hybrid print and online edition of the paper to prepare for what it believes to be the future of digital newspapers.

They call it the JP2, created in partnership with Microsoft; it is an e-paper with live feeds that automatically update the featured content on the platform.The JP2 is similar to the New York Times Reader and the Daily Mail’s e-paper, with a feed linking the Post's content management system with the JP2."It [the feed] connects with the articles automatically, so we can generate the JP2 without any journalists or production staff. That means we are able to distribute the whole newspaper or different parts on any given platform in any different way," says Jan Nicolaisen, director of electronic media at the Jutland Post.

While this sounds like a glorified feed reader with a newspaper-like interface, it points to a potential model for custom publishers where once distribution is totally digital, custom publishers can aggregate content from a variety of sources and package it to service the client. But under this scenario then where does the custom come in custom publishing? Will clients be satisfied to piggyback on other people's content or will they need to create custom content to target their message?

GVIC Announces Acquisition of JuneWarren Publishing

2007-11-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

Canadian custom publisher JuneWarren Publishing has been bought by Glacier Ventures. Below is the full press release:

The Board of Directors of GVIC Communications Corp. ("GVIC" or the "Company") (TSX:GCT)(TSX:GCT.C) is pleased to announce that GVIC has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of the assets of JuneWarren Publishing Ltd. ("JuneWarren") based in Edmonton, Alberta, effective January 1, 2008.

The JuneWarren operations include oil and gas related a) magazine publications and related custom publishing initiatives, b) directory and atlas publications and c) charts and maps. The primary publications are Canadian Oilfield Service & Supply Directory, Oilweek, Oil & Gas Inquirer, Oilsands Review, Alberta Construction Magazine and Canadian Oilfield Gas Plant Atlas.

JuneWarren's publications complement GVIC's Nickle's Energy Group, which publishes the Daily Oil Bulletin, the Canadian Oil Register directory, New Technology Magazine (which focuses on technology in the oil industry, the Rig Locator and The Profiler (an oil industry theme based magazine).

The merger of the JuneWarren and Nickle's businesses will provide a significantly expanded information business with which to serve Canada's oil and gas industry. A number of synergies exist including the opportunity to provide enhanced online product offerings with deeper and richer content, new products for the oilsands and other areas, greater advertising service and effectiveness, and improved distribution, amongst other opportunities.

The acquisition allows GVIC to further develop its strategy of growing through two core segments: 1) the business and professional information sector and 2) the local newspaper and trade information sector.

GVIC acquired the JuneWarren assets for cash and preferred shares.

GVIC's combined daily and community newspaper group offers distribution of more than 1.3 million copies across B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. GVIC's trade information group consists of the largest agricultural publication group in Western Canada, approximately 45 print and online trade magazines published by the Business Information Group, and the Business In Vancouver Media Group. GVIC's business & professional information group includes Specialty Technical Publishers which publishes regulatory & compliance information; CD Pharma Interactive Medical Productions which develops electronic interactive continuing medical education programs for doctors; Fundata which provides investment fund related electronic and print information and analytics to the Canadian and global investment community and a wide variety of Canadian newspapers and media; and a variety of directories, specialty websites and electronic information published by the Business Information Group.

Shares in GVIC can be traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GCT.

About the Company: GVIC Communications Corp. is an information communications company focused on expanding across North America through both internal growth and the strategic acquisition of information communications companies that provide essential information and related services through print, electronic and online media. GVIC is pursuing this strategy through two core business segments: 1) the business and professional information markets and 2) the newspaper and trade information markets.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may not be historical and may constitute forward-looking statements reflecting financial performance. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are based on management's estimates, beliefs and opinions on the date the statements are made. GVIC assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances should change. Additional information on these and other potential factors that could affect GVIC's financial results are detailed in documents filed from time to time with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the form or content of this release.

For more information, please contact

GVIC Communications Corp.
Mr. Orest Smysnuik
(604) 872-8565