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What luxury-focused magazines can gain from tablet versions

October 14, 2011

Robb Report's mobile Oct. issue

Lifestyle magazines such as Robb Report, VIVmag, Elle, Town&Country, Veranda and Vogue have discovered the benefits of tablet versions of magazines, not just for themselves but for the brands within.

Affluent consumers are more likely than others to have tablets, which gives luxury brands and publications an automatic advantage. Furthermore, luxury brands can include extra content such as commerce capability and videos to make their ads more interesting, while increasing time spent on the magazine.

“Digital advertising is both measurable and targetable,” said Laura Woolston, marketing manager at the Velti Mobclix Exchange, San Francisco.

“It gives advertisers control over the audience they are trying to reach and they are able to measure performance metrics that are most important to them,” she said. “This type of control and insight does not come with traditional advertising.”

Driving sales
Automaker-, fashion- and lifestyle-focused luxury magazines can all benefit from mobile versions.

Most consumers equate sitting back with an iPad or other tablet to reading a book or magazine – that is, they do it when they want to relax. In other words, it is a lean-back experience.

Therefore, consumers spending time on their tablets can automatically just tap into the digital version of a magazine.

Both publishers and the brands that have ads inside magazines will benefit from this, and many companies have realized this.

For example, Audi took out a six-page interactive ad in the October issue of Robb Report for its A8 model that features a video, a slideshow and multiple tap-for-more-information icons (see story).

Audi ad in the Robb Report app

All six pages contain links to the site, local dealers and the A8 iPad app.

Meanwhile, VIVmag displayed advertisers such as Christian Dior in its March issue that allowed users to watch videos and shop for the Miss Dior Cherie fragrance (see story).

Dior’s ad in the VIVmag app

Miss Dior Cherie video found in-app

In addition, users could employ the click-to-buy links for products from Marc Jacobs, Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

Aptly said
If consumers know that their favorite brands will be advertising in the digital version of a magazine and have extra content to share, there is a good chance that readers will come back to the magazine in the next mobile issues.

Publishers can make this step easy for readers. For instance, the Robb Report app sends push notifications that alert consumers when the next issue is ready to be downloaded.

Most of the time, publications will allow consumers who are already print subscribers access to the mobile version by simply entering their subscription number found with the print edition.

If brands do not want to develop an entire app for the mobile version, some use apps such as Zinio that allow consumers to browse through a variety of magazines and download them with a subscription or one issue at a time.

Magazines in the Zinio app

Mobile versions of magazines provide an opportunity for brands to blend the physical abilities of print with the modern tablet platform.

“It is important for luxury brands to focus on quality to cater to their target markets,” Ms. Woolsten said. “They should take full advantage of the exceptional hardware and software capabilities of the iPad – quality display, sensors, audio and video – to ensure that products shine.

“Brands should also invest in user experience,” she said. “Bringing luxury into the app experience is key to correctly portraying a luxury brand.”

Final Take
Rachel Lamb, associate reporter on Luxury Daily, New York

Rachel Lamb is an associate reporter on Luxury Daily. Her beats are apparel and accessories, arts and entertainment, education, food and beverage, fragrance and personal care, government, healthcare, home furnishings, jewelry, legal/privacy and nonprofits. Reach her at rachel@napean.com.