Digital Marketing Final

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Readers need to be offered more than a digital version of the printed magazine

The product presentation needs to be very innovative & fresh

Readers could be reluctant to subscribe if the app is too expensive

Can be expensive if numerous issues are planned

Often have a large download size

What are the Benefits of Magazine Apps for the Hospitality Industry?

• Creates added value for the guests, another experience
• Takes the personalization of the guest's stay a step further (if the hotel knows the guest reading preferences it can download the specific app, if available, on the room tablet)
• Reduces paper costs and is an eco friendly practice (e.g: Sofitel Luxury Hotels with Sofitel Kiosk, a magazine app offering a selection of magazines + newspapers to the guests)

• Showcases the hotel facilities for the guests and the public
• Gives the opportunity to gain exposure and therefore attract a wider clientele
• Can act as a digital concierge if the hotel magazine is about the local area, attractions, etc… (eg: with embeded videos of the concierge actually guiding them through the things to do during their stay)
• Could convey exclusivity by making the magazine app only available to clients of the hotel → (would create a community based on a certain lifestyle that the hotel represents)

Conclusion

Even though they had a rough start, magazine applications are expectd to be a hot digital trend for 2012. With tactile tablets selling like hot bread, magazine apps are going to have more readers moreover these applications represent a great opportunity for the hospitality industry to interact with consumers for several reasons.

First of all, being in a multimedia era, the hotel clients have high expectations in term of technologies in the hotel they stay in. Therefore, having a complimentary tablet for them to read magazines on would show that the hotel is in its times and would give them an extra service to enjoy their stay even more. Moreover, the eco-friendly dimension is good for both the hotel and the consumers, who are more and more seeking for an eco way to travel.

Second of all, for hotel chains or single properties to have their own digital magazine would be a great way to interact with the public. Showcasing the hotel, providing digital concierges, extra content about the location, etc..., would give extra exposure and would build a relationship between the hotel and its clients; magazine apps would serve as marketing/communication/sharing platforms.

Nonetheless, even if hoteliers are starting to see the benefits of such applications, few are adopting the magazine apps. Because having complimentary tablets for each rooms can be expensive as well as creating its own application, today, hotels are not taking full advantage of what such platforms can offer.

Hopefully 2012 will be a year in which they will prove us wrong.

To start, let's have a look at what is a magazine app (here WIRED magazine) and what does it involve.

Market Overview

Market Overview continued...

The Tablet Market

The Magazine Apps Market

article about magazine apps sales

Expanding touch tablets market: from 2010 to 2011 the market grew by 150% !

Apple has 57,6% of market shares

Android has 39,1 % market shares

+ other little players

Started out in may 2010

Today: most publishers are working with Apple for subscription deals

There is a growing number of magazine apps available (e.g: Vogue, Glamour...) and sales are improving despite a slow start (see article on next slide)

However there are only a few hotel magazine apps (e.g: Kempinski Magazine @ http://bit.ly/xGQXoF )

http://on.mash.to/e2YV5X

Advantages & Disadvantages of Magazine Apps

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Magazine Apps?

Trend which consist of converting magazine from paper to screen (on tactile tablets such as the iPad) which are then monitorized through a subscription model.

The current rise of distribution channels (Apple Newstand) and publishing software (Adobe Publishing Suite) will enable subscription-based digital magazine publishing to take off in 2012.

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Offer a multimedia brand experience to readers (interactive reading)

Allow for more content: photo series, videos and sound files can be integrated

Are lighter than hard copies

Are easily accessible

Allow the readers to share the content with their friends

This trend is an opportunity for paper magazines to reconnect with readers

Is a source of revenue (subscription + advertizing)

Magazine Apps

A Digital Trend

If the hotel has its own magazine application (hotel chain mag/ hotel mag/ wedding mag) available on tablets, it:

If the hotel proposes a complimentary tablet to its clients during their stay with magazines app which reflect the hotel target clientele, it:

Tablet content is more eco-friendly than printed one

article that support it --> http://earthday2012.com/are-ebooks-more-eco-friendly-than-printed-books/