Zinio’s New Initiative Has Publishers Seeing Green
Monday, September 29, 2008
Chad Hollingsworth

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Many magazine readers have tried to picture themselves relaxing on the beach with their favorite titles...that they are reading on a digital reader. So far, it has been a tough thing to imagine, but Zinio hopes to change that.

Zinio’s Chairman and Owner, David Gilmour, is hoping that The Read Green Initiative is successful in raising consumer awareness about the benefits of reading digitally. The program does not say print mags are bad necessarily, but it does offer consumers an alternative, more environmental-friendly way to read their favorite publications. With The Read Green Initiative, Zinio is designing a program with numerous publishers to offer 50 million free annual subscriptions to electronic versions of over 200 publications (one free subscription per person).

Mr. Gilmour talked about the environmental concerns of publishing known as, “The Three P’s: paper, printing, and postage (and transportation),” along with mentioning the fact that, “Twelve billion magazines are published per year, and two billion are returned unread and unpaid for.”

One way to help decrease these numbers will come with digital readers entering the market soon which will enable the viewing of Zinio’s suite of digital publications. Consumers will have the luxury of vivid colors, battery life in the range of 40 hours, and the option to have hundreds of magazines at their fingertips. Magazines are also available to readers in 40 countries the day they are published, saving postage and time that consumers wait to receive magazines in the mail.

Jeanniey Mullen, Global EVP and CMO of Zinio, said, “The ideas are focused on consumers and featuring technology where consumers are.” Ms. Mullen and Kathryn Waters, Director of Marketing for Viv Magazine, also described an initiative where, “Consumers will be able to expand on advertisements at the end of magazines on their iPhones and shop directly from there.”

When asked about the support received from the publishing business, Mr. Gilmour pointed out the numerous titles that have been made available by publishers and referred to Zinio’s willingness to get involved by stating his philosophy: “Don’t stand back and don’t be afraid to change the method of cooperation.” Hopefully, this fearless approach will inspire readers to become involved in The Read Green Initiative.

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