Universal Studios is using digital magazines to market the ?Little Fockers? movie ? a new form of marketing for the movie studio.

Through the Zinio iPad application, users can download the free Little Fockers magazine, watch the trailer, see video highlights and meet the cast.

Mobile Marketer?s Giselle Tsirulnik interviewed Jeanniey Mullen, chief marketing officer of Zinio, New York. Here is what she said:

How is Universal Studios? Little Fockers movie ad a great example of what?s possible for brands in terms of advertising with Zinio?
What they did was brilliant.

Working with Zinio, Universal?s Little Fockers leveraged existing assets used in traditional Web marketing and turned them into a branded guide inside the application.

It is running in the featured section for everyone who opens up their Zinio iPad application.

Traditionally on the Web, brands have had to serve experiences in short sound bites.

Zinio enables a full surround brand experience that enables fans to engage on multiple levels.

And, since it is targeting digital reading fans, it is reaching content junkies and allowing them to explore brands in new ways.

The Little Focker's magazine within the Zinio iPad application

After watching the trailer, consumers could learn more about the cast

Here is what happens if a user taps on Ben Stiller (Greg Focker)

What are some of the advantages of advertising on iPad, in terms of the unique features of the device?
The iPad is still in the early days of exploration so we are still unlocking opportunities and testing new ways to push the envelope. 

In general, the iPad offers Zinio a big beautiful canvas to display magazine ads, not just how they have been, but it goes way beyond with interactivity and high definition imagery.

These are not banner ads or print ads.

Additional benefits include social connection and commerce enablement.

Now, you can be compelled by the ad, explore more than just a static page, blog from it, buy from it and even share it. And this is just the beginning.
 
How is the Universal Studios ad indicative of where mobile advertising is going in 2011?
Magazines have always been leaders in providing a more engaging relationship with readers.

Zinio is focused on evolving to an even greater level of engagement across mobile by delivering magazine stories and advertising optimized to the device readers are experiencing it on.

What we see Universal Studios doing is certainly a sign that innovative media is being embraced and tested. I think we will see much more of this in 2011.

Can you talk about why you feel Universal?s Little Fockers ad is a unique and different way to promote a movie?
Universal Picture?s Little Fockers ad is unique because it?s featured on the iPad?s largest magazine newsstand and you can dive into each character of the movie along with the trailer.

As mentioned above it?s the first time a digital ad is not required to be served in a small format or in smaller snippets.

It will also capitalize on the holiday and the tremendous amount of new users expected for Zinio on the iPad.

Final take
Here is the trailer that consumers are connected to within the Little Fockers digtal magazine within the Zinio iPad application
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