News Flash From the Cover of Esquire: Paper Magazines Can Be High Tech, Too

News Flash From the Cover of Esquire: Paper Magazines Can Be High Tech, Too
By TIM ARANGO
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/business/media/21esquire.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

On the third floor of the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown Manhattan rests a tribute to Esquire's glory years - a collection of 92 covers from the 1960s and early 1970s that have become, in the museum's words, "essential to the iconography of American culture."

That illustrious history hangs over the magazine's effort to celebrate its 75th year. Its attempt to add to the annals of museum-worthy covers includes a nod to the digital age: an electronic cover, using admittedly rudimentary technology, that will flash "the 21st Century Begins Now," when it appears on newsstands in September.

"I hope it will be in the Smithsonian," said David Granger, Esquire's editor in chief, in a recent interview while showing prototypes of the cover - an early version has a cord sticking out that attaches to a battery pack.

If it does wind up in the Smithsonian, it will need a power source; on its own, the magazine will run out of juice after 90 days. Mr. Granger knows some will see the cover as a gimmick - but he says he thinks the technology behind it, which has been used for supermarket displays but never embedded in a magazine, speaks to the possibilities of print.

"Magazines have basically looked the same for 150 years," Mr. Granger said. "I have been frustrated with the lack of forward movement in the magazine industry."

Pointing to the prototype sitting on a conference room table, Mr. Granger said, "The possibilities of print have just begun. In two years, I hope this looks like cellphones did in 1982, or car phones."
The company that produced the cover, E Ink, has a track record of innovation - its technology is used in Amazon.com's e-book device, the Kindle. E Ink, a private company based in Cambridge, Mass., counts Hearst, Esquire's parent, as a major shareholder.
"In 2000 or so, we went to Cambridge to see if they could demonstrate the technology," Mr. Granger said. "They were doing store displays, so it was premature for a magazine."

Two years ago, at a Hearst management retreat, Mr. Granger again raised the idea. This time it would be possible, he was told, if Hearst invested seed money to create a battery small enough to fit in a magazine.
"This is really the 1.0 version," said Kevin O'Malley, Esquire's publisher. "Imagine when the consumer walks by a newsstand and sees that it is alive."

Digital technology holds the promise of making the dissemination of information much easier and cheaper - no paper, no trucks - but this experiment by Esquire was the opposite.
"The whole chain had to be reinvented," said Peter Griffin, the deputy editor. "The interesting thing is it has almost nothing to do with the normal way of putting out a magazine."

First Esquire had to make a six-figure investment to hire an engineer in China to develop a battery small enough to be inserted in the magazine cover. The batteries and the display case are manufactured and put together in China. They are shipped to Texas and on to Mexico, where the device is inserted by hand into each magazine. The issues will then be shipped via trucks, which will be refrigerated to preserve the batteries, to the magazine's distributor in Glazer, Ky.
"We are trying to combine a 21st-century technology with a 19th-century manufacturing process," Mr. Granger said.

All of this, of course, is expensive. Which is why it was necessary for Esquire to find a sponsor. In stepped Ford Motor, which will have an advertisement on the inside of the cover that will use the same technology to promote its new minivan-sport utility vehicle, the Flex.

"We wanted the marketing plan for this vehicle to include motion as much as possible," said Usha Raghavachari, communications manager for S.U.V.'s for Ford North America Marketing. "We had a desire to make our marketing launch as unique as the vehicle. This makes our print plan a little more energizing."

Esquire has exclusive use of E Ink's technology for use in print through 2009, and Mr. Granger said he hopes to come up with new ideas for it. "This is probably just a limited view of its use," he said.
The electronic cover will be used in only 100,000 copies that go to newsstands - its overall circulation is about 720,000.
What Esquire is doing harks back to a big splash National Geographic made in 1984 when it introduced holography to the mass market by placing a hologram of an eagle on its cover.
Holograms did become widespread in things like greeting cards, even if they did not upend the publishing world.

"Part of the iconic DNA of the magazine is our covers," said Mr. O'Malley, Esquire's publisher. "I fully expect that in 25 to 30 years, this cover will be in a museum."

BoSacks Speaks Out: Magazine-Style Life, Made Manifest

BoSacks Speaks Out:

I'm sending this article out because of it's an examination of out of the box thinking. I think the demonstration of advertising/advertiser cooperation shown here, can be applied by a small magazine as well as a large magazine. We all have a magic blend in our cauldron of readers, content and advertisers. How we use that mixture tells the tale of our success. A creative use of this power is demonstrated in the article below.

Any magazine can perform as the Hearst titles have done below. Take your advertisers, and get them unique exposure to your readers in creative ways. It's good for everybody.

Someday I will tell you all the details about the jamborees my first newspaper used to hold. It was a brilliant mixture of our advertisers (bars) and our readers (College Students), and the local bands they wanted to hear, coordinated by the newspaper that they read. It was a win-win for everybody involved.


In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative original thinker unless you can also sell what you create. Management cannot be expected to recognize a good idea unless it is presented to them by a good salesman.
David M. Ogilvy


Magazine-Style Life, Made Manifest
By C. J. HUGHES
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/realestate/09post.html?_r=1&oref=slogin


NEW YORK brokers can sell new condominiums with little more than a mock kitchen and bath, tucked into a sales office, and some floor plans. But they don't deny that buyers are won over more quickly with actual apartments, especially if furnished.

In the last few years, design magazines (and their advertisers) have been increasingly happy to help out, sponsoring the decoration of units in exchange for short-term branding rights.

One developer-publisher cross-promotion is taking place at 10 West End Avenue, a new condo between 59th and 60th Streets developed by the Manhattan-based Apollo Real Estate Advisors.

There, four 18th-floor two-bedroom units, with two baths and 1,200 square feet of living space, have been transformed into showcases for designers and editors at a quartet of Hearst publications: O at Home, Country Living, House Beautiful and Veranda.

The group has crammed each condo with a photo-spread-worthy medley, including porcelain chandeliers, spa tables, canopy beds and leather-topped desks, styled in the tastes of imaginary inhabitants.

For example, the dark-wood dining-room furniture and thickly fronded plants in Veranda's apartment are supposed to evoke the lifestyles of a jet-setting actress and her husband, a banker.

Throughout the fall, the condos will be the settings for a series of charity fund-raising events, which may double as open houses, said Kelly Mack, the president of the Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, which is handling sales.

Unit prices start at $1.6 million, Ms. Mack said, though for an extra charge, buyers can keep certain furnishings.

In a year and a half, about 90 percent of the building's 173 units have sold, she said, though 13 others are still on the market, with three-bedrooms from $3.2 million and four-bedrooms from $5.7 million.

"It's incredibly helpful to the sales process to show how buyers can live in a space," Ms. Mack said.

Another Hearst title, Esquire, along with its advertisers, will also sponsor a makeover, at 111 Central Park North, a new 19-story condo at Malcolm X Boulevard in Central Harlem. The magazine is commandeering one of a pair of penthouses, a 4,000-square-foot triplex with an additional 1,700 square feet of terraces.

One room will gain curved corners and a projection screen to mimic an airplane's interiors, courtesy of Lufthansa. Versace, working with the designer Campion Platt, will fashion the living room, with its 22-foot ceilings.

Over all, 20 percent of the 48 units are available, including Esquire's penthouse, which is listed for $8.5 million, according to Louis Dubin, the president of the Athena Group, the building's Manhattan-based developer.

Most are three-bedrooms, with two and a half baths and 1,900 square feet of space, and start at $2.1 million.

"This is a much better way to get people up here than a wine-and-cheese party," Mr. Dubin said.

Having that much repeat foot traffic, though, can take a toll on the elevators and floors, according to Donald J. Trump, who in 2003 played host to Esquire's first show condo, at Trump World Tower, at 845 First Avenue.

That four-bedroom condo, with 5,000 square feet of space and five and a half baths, sold for $17 million the same year, though Mr. Trump plays down the role the cross-promotion played.

"I don't really know if there's any bounce," he said. "In the end, the building and the market determine what happens."

Meet the Future Leaders of the Magazine World

Leadership appears to be the art of getting others to want to do something you are convinced should be done."
Vance Packard (American Writer, 1914-1996)



Meet the Future Leaders of the Magazine World
Soon the Top Publishers Will All Need New Chiefs; Here Are the Candidates
By Nat Ives

Published: June 04, 2007

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Ann S. Moore isn't leaving her post as Time Inc. Chairman-CEO until 2009, but the company has already started courting at least one possible successor: Susan Lyne, president-CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.



It's springtime for succession planning at the big magazine companies. The top executives at Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (Jack Kliger, 60), Conde Nast Publications (Chuck Townsend, 63) and Hearst Magazines (Cathie Black, 63) are all older than Ms. Moore, who turned 57 last week, and certainly advanced enough for prudent companies to look ahead. And while it's too early to call any races, each company is eyeing its stable of options.

Who will become magazines' next leadership class represents a fascinating question, not just because the grading and grooming have already begun -- making the process a decent spectator sport. Their makeup is also a big deal because, after a few years in which publishers have had to make many tough decisions, the next batch of CEOs will have to confront challenges the business probably can't even anticipate.

"One of our top priorities is succession planning," said a spokeswoman at Time Inc. "One of Ann's primary concerns is making sure there are a number of smart, competent, versatile and well-trained executives in the management ranks."

There are also well-trained executives outside the ranks -- even outside magazines -- to consider. Aside from Ms. Lyne, for example, it's easy to see the appeal of someone such as Beth Comstock, now president-integrated media at NBC Universal, to any magazine company trying to move definitively beyond the printed page. Then there are folks such as Dennis Publishing's Stephen Colvin, who launched Maxim just as multimedia strategies were exploding, giving him experience building multimedia brands from the ground up.

The publishers declined to discuss any contenders or forthcoming C-suite scenarios. Ms. Lyne, through a spokeswoman, would not confirm any overtures. But based on conversations with industry executives and partners, here's a look at likely contenders for the top slots at the publishing giants.

Time Inc.
At Time Inc., the country's biggest magazine publisher, the clear heir apparent is John Squires, the company's only senior exec VP. But other executives, such as Exec VP Michael Klingensmith are well-regarded, too.

Barring any unforeseen developments, the decision will rest with Jeffrey L. Bewkes, Time Warner's president-chief operating officer and the expected successor to Chairman-CEO Richard D. Parsons in May 2008. Mr. Bewkes already had a hand in snatching Randy Falco from NBC Universal Television Group to run AOL last November. And Mr. Bewkes isn't necessarily going to honor the standing of an "heir apparent."

"Jeff Bewkes is going to put in a guy who he knows," said one longtime industry player, echoing the sentiment of several others.

Mr. Bewkes will probably consult with Patricia Fili-Krushel, Time Warner exec VP-administration, who helped with Mr. Falco's hire. Several people familiar with Ms. Fili-Krushel, former CEO of WebMD Health and ABC Television Network, said she may wind up a candidate herself. "She doesn't have magazine experience," one said, "but in today's multimedia world, I'm not sure it's necessary."

Hachette
Mr. Kliger, Hachette's chairman-CEO, signed a five-year contract extension in early 2004, so he could leave his post as early as two years from now. And like Time Inc., Hachette has a leader-in-waiting in Philippe Guelton, exec VP-chief operating officer since April 2003.

In addition to being French, an asset with French parent Lagardère, Mr. Guelton has seen the sort of international assignments that often suggest grooming. He moved to Japan in 1997 as VP-HFM Asia and managing director of Hachette Filipacchi Japan.

But Mr. Guelton was installed by Gerald de Roquemaurel, chairman of Hachette Filipacchi Medias, parent of the U.S. division. Mr. de Roquemaurel was removed last September amid disappointing results.

"I am not so sure that Philippe Guelton is a lock," said a former Hachette executive, suggesting the company has chosen a new path.

Hearst
Hearst is probably the publisher whose future is hardest to make out. Cathleen P. Black, president of Hearst Magazines, said through a spokeswoman: "I absolutely love my role at Hearst and hope to be here for a very long time." The spokeswoman declined to discuss Ms. Black's contract.

But whenever she does depart, contenders for her post include Michael A. Clinton, the well-regarded exec VP-chief marketing officer and publishing director, and John P. Loughlin, exec VP-general manager. There's also a chance for Steven R. Swartz, exec VP at Hearst Newspapers since 2001. Not only is he familiar with Hearst Corp.'s upper management, he was founding editor of SmartMoney magazine in 1991 and became the title's CEO.

Conde Nast
When Charles H. Townsend succeeded Steven T. Florio as Conde Nast president-CEO in January 2004, he committed to at least five years and probably 10. He's had a good run so far, but his minimum stay is up in 2009 -- and the high-power, high-gloss private publisher has plenty of candidates ready to step up.

They include David Carey, president of Conde Nast Business Group; Richard Beckman, president of Conde Nast Media Group; John Bellando, chief operating officer and former chief financial officer; and Mitchell B. Fox, group president-publishing director.

Several insiders and observers rated Mr. Carey as the odds-on favorite, particularly if Portfolio magazine is a success. Mr. Carey also commands respect within the company and among other publishers, too, which matters because Conde Nast wants to retain the talent it's got.

But another person wondered whether Mr. Carey's talent for detail might complicate his ability to think big. "Every time something is broken, they give it to Richard to fix," this person said. "When a publisher is struggling, they assign Richard to work with him. ... He is their go-to, not just for obvious, highly visible rainmaking, but for problems, too."

Others knocked any Beckman ascent, calling him a polarizing figure within the company. "Beckman is the Hillary Clinton," one said. "Too many negatives."

Mr. Fox scores low on inspiring loyalty but resembles Mr. Townsend, who wasn't very well-known at the company before he got the top job. "Mitch doesn't do politics that much or that well," an observer said. "But remember, Chuck sat in the background for years."

Hearst newspaper to publish on e-paper

HearstSeattle newspaper to publish on e-paper



US newspaper publisher Hearst has announced that it will trial versions of the Seattle Post Intelligencer on electronic paper within the next two years.

The 120 year-old company, which dates back to William Randolph Hearst's proprietorship of the San Francisco Examiner in 1887, will pioneer flexible colour LCD displays from LG Philips to deliver real-time daily news.

Articles carried on the electronic newspaper will be today's, rather than yesterday's, claim Hearst officials.

They hope to run the trials in other cities where Hearst publishes daily newspapers. The company owns 18 newspapers, 29 TV stations, 18 magazines and numerous websites in the US.

The electronic display will be a colour tabloid size (A3) screen the thickness of card, so that readers will be able to roll up the screen and carry it.

Turning the page, i.e. refreshing the screen with a new page image, will involve touching a pressure-sensitive control at the page edge.

While the screens will be made by LG Philips, they use technology developed by E Ink, a company in which Hearst invested when it was spun out of MIT a decade ago.