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Conde Nast's GQ iPad issue lets advertisers serve interactive ads

Conde Nast's GQ April issue for the iPad is giving advertisers the option of making their static ads more interactive.

Braun is promoting its Series 3 men's razor via a click-to-video ad that promotes the product's minimal skin irritation feature. GQ plans to test different prices and a variety of advertising approaches for digitizing its magazines.

?All of our advertisers from the magazine are on the iPad version including five premium advertisers, Lexus, Gillette, Burberry, Armani Exchange and Braun who have additional functionalities such as videos or link-backs,? said Perri Dorset, executive director of communications for Condé Nast, New York.

Here is a screen grab of the Braun advertisement within the iPad issue:

Once consumers tap to watch the video, this is what they see:

Digital issue
GQ already has an iPhone application, which in January sold more than 15,000 copies and almost 7,000 the month before.

The iPad version of GQ will have various functions such as photos, videos, optimized views and a library. These features will also be available for advertisers.

The issue will highlight  an interview with Rielle Hunter, John Edwards?s "other woman," boxer Manny Pacquiao, an inside story on the CIA bombing, GQ Guide to New Rules of Personal Finance and Penny-Pincher?s Guide to Better Style.

GQ Rules will require visitors to register in order to see fashion tips, which will help Condé Nast with its consumer data in order to narrow its marketing strategies.

GQ has made back issues available on the iPad for only $1.99 which is available at the GQ App Store. Issues as far back as December 2009 are available.

Condé Nast hopes to meet consumers' technological demands with this iPad application. The company will analyze how large of a revenue stream it will get with the digitized content and what that will represent.

In addition to applications and videos, the iPad offers the option of holding the device vertically for reading the articles or turn it horizontally to swipe through the digital version which is an exact replica of the print version.

Virtual news stand
Condé Nast plans to launch iPad applications for Wired, Glamour, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker this summer based on the results of this first launch. The reason these magazines were chosen were for their demographic range.

GQ is men, Glamour represents women, Vanity Fair consists of a dual audience and The New Yorker was chosen for its unique periodicity, which means more news or text-heavy content meant for a slightly older audience.

Currently, Wired will be developed internally from a digital perspective. The test phase means that the company will sell the magazine through not only iTunes, but non-iTunes formats. This would mean that Condé Nast would not have access to its consumer data which is important for it marketing initiatives. 

?I think the iPad reaches our core demographic that wants to be a part of this growing trend without giving up our core magazine reader,? Ms. Dorset said.