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Esquire taps voice-recognition to bring lifestyle content to life

Hearst Corp.'s Esquire magazine has rolled out a mobile application that uses a reader?s voice and an interactive question-and-answer session to serve up personalized content.

Esquire?s app uses the magazine?s fashion, grooming and drink personalities to help readers find their perfect look or cocktail. The Talk to Esq app works with iPad and iPhone devices, and is powered by Volio.

?Over the last few years, since we did our e-ink moving cover in 2008 and our augmented reality issue in 2009, we?ve become a little laboratory for cutting-edge media ideas,? said David Granger, editor in chief of Esquire, New York.

?In this case, Volio came to us and asked if we would be game to let our readers experience something entirely new,? he said. ?We thought it was cool, and I hope we can both do more editorial iterations in the future and get some of Esquire?s advertisers to think about making use of it.?

Mobile match
The app?s homepage is sectioned off into three pieces of content where readers can get help on finding their perfect outfits and hair products or mixing up a new cocktail.

Esquire?s fashion director Nick Sullivan, drinks columnist David Wondrich and grooming expert Rodney Cutler dole out advice to users via pre-recorded messages.

Once readers click on a section, they are prompted to answer a few quick questions by speaking into their devices.

For example, Mr. Wondrich asks readers which type of liquor they like, and Mr. Sullivan learns more about the type of event that they are dressing up for.

The app also uses a handset?s built-in camera to pull the consumer?s face into the picture next to the personality to build on the idea of users having a one-on-one conversation.

Using sound recognition, the app serves up personalized drink and style recommendations.

If readers do not answer the question in a set amount of time, a button at the top of the page lights up to let readers select their answer from a list of common answers.

Once the question-and-answer session is finished, readers can share the content via Facebook and Twitter.

Additionally, there is a link to Hearst?s Web site where users can subscribe to Esquire.

The app is being promoted in Esquire?s April print magazine and on Esquire.com

IPad subscribers can toggle back and forth between April?s digital edition and the Talk to Esq app.

Readers can get style advice via the app

Interactive reading
Esquire has quite a few mobile initiatives going on.

Last year, Esquire worked with Netpage to mobilize every piece of content in its December issue through a combination of image recognition, augmented reality and patented technology (see story).

Additionally, the magazine placed QR codes on its February issue to bring the cover to life (see story).

There are also big differences in how Esquire readers consume content by devices.

?The consumption of any of our editorial on smartphones is a hasty information grab ? of all the ways in which people experience Esquire, the phone seems to me the least fulfilling,? Mr. Granger said.

?I still think print is where readers experience the most gratifying convergence of words, ideas, design and photography, and it?s the place where people are most likely to give themselves to a story,? he said.

?IPad is catching up though, and I have to say that the magazine ? while funny in print ? is even funnier on iPad because of its versatility. And we?re seeing that they spend just about as much time with the iPad version on average as the print, which is fantastic as mobile and desktop consumption is often done with such haste.?

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York