IDM to launch digital-only publishing arm Anila Azhar
Independent Digital Media, the former digital division of the Federal Publishing Company, is set to invest millions of dollars in the launch of a new digital-only publishing arm.
The new initiative, whose name is being kept a closely guarded secret, will see Marguerite Kramer, ACP’s former online editorial director, lead the launch of the new online publisher.
Independent Digital Media was re-branded in December last year, as the digital arm of Michael Hannan’s Independent Print Media Group.
As part of FPC it produced several lifestyle websites including Vogue.com.au and Taste.com.au. Following the sale of FPCto News Limited, IDM was launched in December.
By June this year, IDM will inaugurate its web publishing arm with a free beauty portal – the first in a series of six or more lifestyle focused websites in the coming year.
Kramer who was responsible for launching Harpersbazaar.com.au, Madison.com.au and Gourmettraveller.com.au, has been appointed to the role of general manager of web publishing at IDM, but Michael Gethen, chief executive at IDM, said the company will recruit an editor-in chief to each site.
“The overall strategic plan is to launch a series of websites over the next couple of years, and we will be investing several millions of dollars in it,” Gethen said.
The news comes just three weeks after Pacific Magazines folded its online title Red Zero after 18 months in the marketplace. Redzero.com.au was closed after its advertising partner Target abandoned the two-year project six months early, deciding to spend its cash in paper-and-ink magazines.
However, Gethen claimed Redzero.com.au failed to recognise consumer trends.
“That was a really interesting exercise in custom publishing for a major advertiser by traditional publisher. But, it didn’t really recognise the way audiences are consuming online media now, in terms of its format and publishing cycle,” he said.
Gethen added: “We have done the research and looked at the opportunities at the publishing space online and we have come up with half a dozen categories of interest that we think there are some really good market positions to be built into. Our sites will be category-centric sites that provide people with a range of tools and professional editorial content and user-generated content.”
The websites will be free with an ad model offering a mix of display advertising, listings and e-commerce. However, Gethen would not be drawn on the details. Marketing plans for the launch of the new beauty portal will seea heavy emphasis viral marketing and word of mouth.
However, media agency executives are sceptical of the publishing business’ success, stating the market is too cluttered.
Lisa Giacosa, head of digital Australia at OMD, said: “It could be a challenge simply because the beauty category in the digital space is already so cluttered. Previous work was with very well established brands including Vogue.com.au. Style and sticky content will ultimately dictate whether or not it would be a success. It is interesting to go straight for that market, but in saying that, there is a niche within the beauty category that has not been catered for, namely the prestige and luxury arena, but it is not solely beauty.”
Adam Peruch, head of trading at Ikon said while the success of the sites would depend on content, it may be hard to draw consumers away from hard copy magazines.
“If it manages to feature stories which attract the target market, and be a reference point for females, it could work,” he said.
“But, if the content is not sticky than I can’t see how women will go to the site, andby-pass mags.”
