Marketer v Media

Can The iPad Save Traditional Media?By Doug Worple and Steve Kissing

2

OverviewThe iPad is the latest—and arguably most compelling—reason for marketers

to back further away from traditional media companies and engage consumers

directly. Previously, brands needed print and broadcast media to reach their

consumers efficiently and effectively. This is no longer the case. That’s because with

technologies like the Apple iPad, brands are more capable and empowered than

ever to go it alone when it comes to creating and disseminating content. As such,

marketers who think like media executives stand to gain share and improve loyalty

for the brands they serve.

In this whitepaper, we’ll examine the tremendous opportunities and upside of the

“marketer as content provider” model. We’ll do so by focusing primarily on one

medium—magazines—to illustrate our point of view, which just as easily could be

applied to newspapers, televison and radio media.

3

Goodbye Glossies. Hello “Glassies.”As has been well reported, traditional print magazines have been on life support for years

now. The plug has even been pulled on a host of once-popular titles such as Cookie, Cosmo

Girl, and O at Home. Nearly 400 magazines closed shop in the first half of ’09 alone. Still

others, such as PC Week, have migrated to a web-only format. And even for those print

magazines still kicking, many do so with anemic heartbeats. Pick up virtually any once-hefty,

ad-filled glossy, and you’ll find yourself holding a weight-reduced version

of its former self.

But the industry is now all abuzz over a bright light seeming to grow

brighter by the day. It’s not the shine of cherubs and angels on the other

side of publishing life, but rather a glow nearly as miraculous and certainly

far more practical: the Apple iPad. It’s on this device where the glossies

of old shine brighter than ever with pages backlit under touch screens,

creating a new nickname for the old medium: “glassies.”

Thanks to the iPad, and the other tablets on their way,

such as the Dell Slate and the HP Streak, the digital

magazine’s future is, indeed, bright. So are things

really looking up for the magazine industry? Well, not

entirely. That’s because the smartest, most creative,

most popular digital magazines aren’t likely to be

those from old school players, but new and yet-to–be-

concepted magazines created by entrepreneurs as well

as marketers for the brands they serve, just as television

content is increasingly being produced independent

of the long-term industry players and being served up

directly to consumers via YouTube, Hulu, et al.

4

But, first things first: Why does the iPad and its coming competitors have magazine

publishers and content producers, as well as magazine fans and advertisers, bubbling over

with optimism? Even more so than the web has or could, the iPad is particularly suited to

taking magazines to an entirely new level. Here’s why:

Colorful, super-sharp images and crisp-looking copy

have long been the hallmark of magazines and a big

reason for their broad, long-standing appeal. The iPad’s

high-resolution, back-lit screen only makes the magazine

experience even more dramatic and emotionally resonate.

And even the new “wrapper” looks great, as the iPad’s

design is as beautiful as any magazine cover—ever.

The iPad’s light-weight, thin body, its horizontal

orientation and its touch-screen combine to create a

magazine reading experience far more “natural” than

reading on a computer. In addition, the tablet’s portability

adds to this natural experience by allowing for much

easier and comfortable reading in bed and on busses,

in coffee houses and on planes and trains. Magazines

are read mostly for leisure on a weekly or monthly basis. As such, they feel right at

home on a device that’s neither as physically or psychologically heavy as our laptops

and desktops, which are often associated with all sorts of work stress and distractions.

That’s why the iPad has been described as a “lean back” versus a “lean forward” device,

such as a laptop. The iPad’s impressive ten-hour battery life means there’s a lot of

leaning back to be had with just one charge.

5

Perhaps most importantly, the iPad not only makes for a “natural” magazine experience,

but a “super-natural” one, too. The tight integration of video, music, social media, and

custom apps breathe entirely new energy and unlimited opportunity into the magazine of

yesteryear. Consider just two examples: Book reviews can now include an audio excerpt

from the work—read by the author; and how-to articles can include augmented reality

experiences allowing, for instance, a DIY’er to see how the table he’s thinking of building

will look in his own living room.

Of course, the inclusion of video will likely be the most dramatic way in which magazines

enhance their traditional approach for the tablet-driven world. For example, people

profiles, long a magazine staple, can now include video of the subject doing his or her

“thing,” be that singing, fly fishing or dog whispering. The London Evening Standard,

speaking with Joan Sola, president of Zino Global, which creates digital magazines

for major publishers, reported that many magazines have already begun asking their

photographers to shoot video as well as stills.

Before going further, it’s worth pausing to make an arguably obvious point: the Version 1.0

iPad will certainly get better. There’s already talk of future versions including picture-taking

and multi-tasking capabilities, to name just a couple. Some of these changes will be inspired

by competitors’ tablets. For instance, the HP Slate will be Flash compatible, which the iPad

is not. The Dell Streak, with its 5-inch screen (the iPad’s is 9.7 inches) won’t be for everyone,

but its ultra-portability (and its anticipated Kindle app) will make it the better choice for

many. Business Review USA reports that ARM, a maker of tablet processors, expects 50

iPad competitors to emerge yet this year.

6

Why Marketers Shouldn’t Rely On Magazines To Make The Most Of Digital Magazines The consumer love affair with magazines (more than 12 billion are printed every year in

the U.S. alone) means brands should rejoice at the industry’s iPad-inspired resurrection

and re-invention. At the very least, this development opens up new and interesting ways

to advertise to consumers. But there’s so much more to iPad-delivered magazine-like

experiences to set marketers hearts to racing and minds to concepting. More on that in just

a bit, but first a few words about traditional advertising in digital magazines.

When it comes to the promise of digital magazines, what holds true for the editorial content

holds true for the advertising content: It can take a giant step forward. (Remember a

few decades back, when pop-up ads in the middle of print magazines were considered

breakthrough? We have come a long, long way indeed.) More robust advertising means

more compelling and engaging advertising—and there’s data to support that claim as

it relates specifically to digital magazines. For instance, consider a study conducted by

Smarter Media Sales of more than 5,000 people already engaging with digital magazines.

Called “The Case for Advertising in Interactive Digital Magazines,” this piece of research

revealed that 70% percent of the respondents were more likely to ignore web-based ads

than those in digital magazines. And 82% said they found digital magazine content more

engaging than the same content found on websites. (Recall the difference between “leaning

in” and “leaning back.”)

This said, to view digital magazines as just another really cool media from which to buy

space to insert your ads is to miss much grander opportunities.

Magazines can now be created and distributed without the huge investment in capital

equipment and the like. For savvy marketers, this begs the question: Why still rely on

someone else’s magazine when marketers can so easily and at less than eye-popping

expense create their own, a dozen, even? The answer becomes even more obvious when

you consider how the iPad comes with built-in distribution and e-commerce: Apple’s app

and iTunes store. To date, more than 125 million people have used their credit cards at the

store, resulting in 12 billion downloads so far.

7

There’s another reason why marketers don’t necessarily want to lean on established

magazines as their ticket to digital magazine nirvana: They may not have the chops to get

you there. This comment from Allan Hoffman, a columnist with the New Jersey Business

News, which sits near the world’s publishing headquarters, New York City, sums up this

tablet sentiment well: “Millions of consumers will have an all-purpose computing device they

can hold in their hand and display soon-to-be-invented ideas of what books, magazines

and newspapers will look like. It remains an open question whether slow-moving media

organizations will have the business acumen, as well as the creativity and resources, to

deliver wow-inducing publications.”

But if there’s anyone who does have the expertise, the know-how and the “right to win”

when it comes to creating those “wow-inducing” experiences it’s marketers. We’re the

ones who have again and again amazed people with great creative in the

print, TV, radio, mobile, and online worlds. And what is a digital magazine

if not, in essence, an aggregate of all those media types—and then

some? Excitement is already building within the advertising industry

regarding how tablets, and the magazine experience they can

enable, could launch yet another creative renaissance. We

believe that’s quite possible, likely even.

Tim Bajarin with PCMag.com put it this way:

“The iPad could give rise to a new creative self-

publishing crowd that could, in turn, become

competition for the established publishing

industry.” We believe marketers who

embrace magazines will be the stiffest

competition of them all. Traditional

magazines may soon find

themselves being bit by the

very hand that had been

feeding them forever.

8

The iPad And Digital Magazines Aside, Brands Don’t Need Media Companies The Way They Used To. We have so far put our focus on the iPad

because it’s timely and, with all things Apple,

super sexy. But let’s put the iPad aside for a

moment, and see that it’s just the latest in a

trend that has been developing for 75 years, long

before Steve Jobs was even born.

Perhaps the biggest watershed advancement in

the history of brands creating their own content

was the invention of the soap opera by Procter

& Gamble in 1933. Other examples include

Hallmark’s television movies and, more recently,

the 30-minute infomercial. But those innovators

still relied on traditional media channels to

disseminate their content. But thanks to the

internet, relying on media companies to create

and even disseminate your content is already

feeling old school. That’s because no media

company owns the most powerful, far reaching

and creatively inspired medium of them all:

digital. You don’t need NBC to get your brand-

inspired sitcom “out there.” You don’t need

Reuters to spread your brand news. And you

don’t need Newsweek Magazine to provide

insights into how your brand can help improve

people’s lives. When it comes to media, these

days, it’s: have brand, have digital, will travel.

The Agency Model Changes Too.

As marketers think and act more like

media companies, so must the advertising

agencies that serve them. Here at Barefoot

Proximity, we’ve been changing the make-

up and structure of our staff to reflect

the new realities of content creation and

distribution—which includes traditional

advertising, but is increasingly including

web videos, feature articles, Facebook

posts, tweets and much more. So, while we

still have copywriters, account executives

and creative directors, you’re just as likely

to meet one of our agency’s editors, video

producers, script writers, online community

managers, and others who don’t have

traditional agency titles or responsibilities.

Copywriters don’t necessarily make good,

let alone great, feature article writers, no

more than traditional designers can create

a stellar digital magazine, no more than

a VP of account management can serve

as an executive publisher of a website

property. But regardless of titles and

responsibilities, what matters most when it

comes to building a top-notch agency team

these days is a strong drive to think of even

better ways to bring brand and consumer

together, with—and most definitely

without—traditional media.

9

The Opportunities Available To Marketers Who Think Like Content Providers.While not right for every brand, our point of view is that many could benefit from creating,

curating and even distributing their own content. This is not to suggest that advertising and

partnerships with established media companies have no place in the marketing mix. They

do. But there are clear benefits in the “marketer as content provider” model. Let’s quickly

review some of them:

A tightly targeted approach: Your digital magazine, weekly webisode or email newsletter

can speak to any slice, large or small, of your consumer base that makes economic and

strategic sense.

A closer relationship with customers and prospects: People love engaging, helpful and

entertaining content. And if you embrace the right overriding philosophy—meaning your

content is about informing and entertaining the consumer not hard selling him or her

with self-serving content that overpowers and cheapens the experience—your brand is

sure to score points. Better still, you’ll be able to do this on an on-going basis.

The creation of a community whose “club house” is your brand, not someone else’s.

Imagine if, say, Runner’s World Magazine was owned not by Rodale’s but by New

Balance. Or if “Extreme Home Makeover” was owned not by ABC, but Home Depot.

This is the promise of the “marketer as content provider” model. Your brand can be

the authoritative voice in a particular space. (Again, assuming your content isn’t self-

serving drivel.)

More in-depth and timely data about relevant consumer interests, trends and needs. No

longer will a media company stand between you and your consumers. You’ll have direct

access to how users are, or are not, engaging with different types of content, as well as

the ability to survey them directly about whatever you desire to know.

The ability to rally brand champions. Those who interact with your content are bound to

be among your most engaged and interested consumers. Your content plays can be a

10

tool for not only deepening their passion for your brand, but also soliciting their

help in persuading and recruiting others to join the fold.

Three Quick ExamplesHere are three examples of brands being led by marketers (and their agencies) who

think like media companies and who engage directly with their consumers.

Home Made Simple

Our first example is one of our own clients, Home

Made Simple. It is a media brand with multiple

touch-points. It includes established media, but the

bulk of the content is brand-created and distributed

which our firm manages. The aim of Home Made

Simple is to provide a medium for five Procter &

Gamble homecare brands (Swiffer, Dawn, Febreze,

Mr. Clean and Cascade) to connect and engage

with their consumers by providing ways to make

their homes and home lives more satisfying.

Home Made Simple’s helpful—and very soft

sell—content engages millions of people each

month through an online newsletter and website, magazine inserts, educational seminars via

a national craft store chain, and even a weekly TV program on cable channel TLC. Twitter

and Facebook are also utilized to help build and strengthen community. In addition, a Home

Made Simple book, which debuts in September, 2010, was written by our firm, and will be

published by the highly regarded St. Martin’s Press.

The ROI for this program has been off the charts. A key reason for this, we believe, is

because of the aforementioned soft sell approach. Our mantra on Home Made Simple

is: “It’s not about the brands, so it can be about the brands.” If content were too brand-

focused, consumers would lose interest and Home Made Simple would become Home No

One Cares.

11

Kraft Recipes

This is an excellent example of a brand using its

popularity and credibility to bond with consumers

directly via a robust website, as well as email and

direct mail. Kraftrecipe.com is a virtual treasure

trove of recipes of every imaginable type. The

design is clean and simple, and the photography is

mouth watering.

Embracing best practices, Kraft builds community

by inviting consumers to rank and comment on the

recipes they try. But they go a step further by also

encouraging consumers to share and swap their favorite recipes.

Consumers can also get their food-related questions answered via message boards,

view helpful videos, as well as subscribe to Kraft’s email newsletter and its print

magazine, Food & Family.

One of the most interesting and helpful apps on the site allows visitors to type in the

ingredients they have on hand at home in order to discover recipes that work with

those items, saving one a last-minute trip to the grocery store. Smart. Very smart.

Kraft could, of course, spend the dollars they have invested in this program and buy

more traditional advertising, but instead they have cut out the middle man. And we

have no reason to believe that any one misses him.

Man Of The House

Over the past couple of decades, men’s roles have

been changing significantly. Married men with

families spend more time at home and manage

more home and childcare responsibilities than our

fathers did. (This includes a greater role in shopping

for the family as well.) As a result of these role

changes, today’s dads often find themselves in

unfamiliar territory. Barefoot Proximity recognized

this trend—as well as the fact that no one on or

12

offline publication was helping guys navigate their new roles. Lots of other publications

speak to the younger male who has yet to marry and start a family. But no media, we

believed, was doing a great job reaching a critical mass of dads by offering a broad

spectrum of content to help them with all they are expected to do these days: from chores

and cooking, to health and grooming, to parenting and relationships. That’s how our firm

came to concept and create ManOfTheHouse.com, which launches in June 2010.

As with Home Made Simple, the articles and video content on ManOfTheHouse.com

are being created by our staff as well as some of the most popular and well-read daddy

bloggers out there who we recruited. Several Procter & Gamble brands, including Gillette,

have signed on as content sponsors, and we expect other, non P&G, brands to sign on

soon. (And, yes, we are preparing an iPad app for ManOfTheHouse.com.)

So, as you can see, we as an agency are practicing what we preach, by thinking like a media

company, finding white space and capitalizing on it.

There’s Always A But.Of course, nothing good comes without challenges and potential drawbacks. Such is the

case here. Deploying the “marketer as content provider” model offers tremendous upside,

but there are some watch-outs, some tough questions a marketer should ask him or herself:

Are you committed to creating and curating relevant, timely and captivating content on

an on-going basis? This is a major undertaking and can’t be left to just junior staffers

or your efforts will fail. Think of it this way: There’s already an over-flowing abundance

of poorly concepted, poorly prepared and poorly executed content. No one’s looking

for more.

Can you find suitable white space for your content? Taking ESPN head-on with general

sports-related content would be like trying to beat Shaq at a game of one-on-one. Good

luck, right? But if, say, track-and-field athletes are a ripe market for you, there’s plenty of

room to run.

13

Can you comfortably adopt and adhere to a philosophy that puts the consumer and the

content first, and your brand second? Many marketers give lip-service to the power of

the soft sell, but can’t seem to resist any and all opportunities to force brand messaging

and imaging into the content.

Do you have a higher-order purpose or cause embedded in or existing right behind your

brand that provides the consumer-relevant⎯and wanted⎯reason for your content to even

exist and attract community around it? If you’re, say, a manufacturer of paper cups,

you might not be able to gather enough people who really care to gather around your

content. However, if you adopt a cause, perhaps clean drinking water, your content can

have greater power and reach. Another way to manage this sort of situation is to team

up with other brands, as we have done with Home Made Simple and Man of the House.

So, in the case of the paper cup manufacturer, if they teamed up with other party-centric

brands, they could create a media platform focused on seasonal celebrations, as but

one example.

SummaryTraditional media has historically been a gatekeeper

between brands and their consumers. But thanks largely

to the internet and ever-evolving digital technologies,

such as the iPad, the wall supporting the gate has

eroded, leaving it dangling on one hinge, wide open.

Marketers who seize the moment and think and act like

media companies, will stand to gain both market share

and profit. It’s time to storm the gate. And we’re happy

to help you.

14

About the Author

Doug Worple is the founder and CEO of Barefoot Proximity and the chief

architect of the firm’s transition from a traditional agency model to one

focused on content. He identified the white space opportunity for the firm’s

ManOfTheHouse.com property and several other content plays now in

development. He has earned many creative honors and has been featured

in Fast Company, Advertising Age and The Wall Street Journal. He can be

reached at dworple@barefootproximity.com

Steve Kissing is a creative director and content creator at Barefoot Proximity.

He has written whitepapers and trade magazine articles on a host of digital

topics ranging from interactive public relations to the role of social media in

presidential politics. He is also a columnist with a traditional, general interest

magazine—which is why he’s glad he has a day job. He can be reached at:

skissing@barefootproximity.com

© 2010 Barefoot Proximity