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Native Advertising Esquire Church and State

Native ads override print's “church and state mentality”, says Hearst’s group publishing director

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By Jessica Davies, News Editor

September 11, 2013 | 3 min read

Publishers can circumvent the “church and state mentality” that exists in the print world by embracing native advertising on tablets, according to Hearst group publishing director Amanda Turnbull.

Speaking to The Drum after the launch of Esquire’s first weekly tablet edition on 5 September, Turnbull said the magazine publisher is looking to explore co-creation opportunities with its advertisers.

“We are very keen not to inherit that church and state mentality that exists in print. We feel very strongly that the ad must add as much value to the user’s experience as the content does. The ad must do what the content does – it must add information in a timely and relevant way.

“We want to work as a partner with our advertisers to help them create these concepts. Our own editorial designers will also design the ads, so it is all complementary, like a co-presentation,” she said.

Hearst launched the first weekly tablet edition for Esquire on 5 September as part of plans to tap into a wider audience for the brand. Readers can buy it for 99p through Apple’s iTunes store after an initial 30-day trial option which starts from 5 September.

After that consumers can pay £2.99 for the monthly, or combined subscriptions bundles with quarterly, bi-annual and annual packages at £4.99, £9.99 and £19.99 respectively.

"A lot of magazines' digital editions are essentially just PDFs under glass. We are developing an ecosystem of products here and our monthly print product is at the heart. With our digital platforms we want to increase our frequency and touch points with this audience. So we’re taking advantage of the tablet’s extraordinary technology to leverage three of the five senses - touch, reading, hearing.

"The whole concept is based on the fact that regardless of platform men still crave advice, although they are probably not allowed to admit it these days. The advice we are giving them is actionable – you can book it, buy it, try it. All these AB men are particularly time-poor but cash-rich and media-savvy so the idea is you give us your time and we give you back the week," she said.

Hearst is hoping to generate 100,000 downloads by the end of the year, and will extend the product to smartphones next year while considering other titles it could extend the model to.

Turnbull told The Drum there are plans to launch a loyalty scheme or "Members Club" in November, called Esquire Plus, giving members access to additional, exclusive content. This could include exclusive screenings to films reviewed in the editorial, and chances to meet directors, or exclusive gigs.

The tablet edition, which is completely bespoke from the print version, is designed to meet how its readers use their tablets, providing more video and ecommerce opportunities. The new app opens up more opportunities for Esquire to work with entertainment advertisers as a result, according to Turnbull.

“100 per cent of the content is unique to this platform, we are not repurposing anything. Frequency is what’s key. The challenge is to create that sense of immediacy and urgency – to encourage the audience to act quickly on what is being advised or recommended for example through the content” she added.

All films, music, books and DVDs recommended by Esquire Weekly will be available in a unique Esquire store on iTunes.

Native Advertising Esquire Church and State

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Hearst Magazines UK

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