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Esquire, as seen through the lens of the Netpage app.
The December issue of Esquire hits newsstands Nov. 20, and the Hearst-owned title is calling it its most interactive print experience “ever.”
Using an iPhone app called Netpage, readers will be able to scan every photo, ad and article to pull up PDF replicas on their phones, which they can then save, share and, in some cases, shop. It brings many of the multimedia features offered by Esquire‘s iPad edition to print; scanning the cover will even bring up the animated version that has become the hallmark of the iPad edition.
Unlike other 2D-barcode and augmented reality apps, Netpage doesn’t require the placement of barcodes or watermarks to trigger scans. Instead, it’s able to recognize images and pull up high-resolution duplicates on users’ phones. Readers will then be able to choose whether they want to save a specific object — like a photo of a watch, or a side column — or the “Editor’s Clipping,” which might be a full page or entire article. They can then share it via e-mail, SMS Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Readers can clip full articles as well as recipes.
This isn’t the first time Esquire has dabbled with smartphone integration — the company has incorporated augmented reality on its covers and in its pages in various one-off issues — but this one is intended to become a permanent feature of the print edition. David Granger, Esquire‘s editor-in-chief, says he has been working with Netpage for the last two years to develop the experience, which will be available in all Esquire issues going forward.
It’s a somewhat surprising investment given the relatively low level of engagement Esquire‘s AR experiments have triggered in the past: Granger says Esquire‘s augmented reality cover featuring Robert Downey Jr. in 2009 produced around 70,000 interactions, while others have produced response levels “just north” of the 10,000 range. For context, Esquire‘s circulation is around 700,000.
Nevertheless, Granger has faith that a “high percentage” of readers will come to use the Netpage app, “especially as it becomes customary” in later issues. Netpage, for its part, has ambitions to become the standard add-on for every print magazine, and is already working with other Hearst titles to develop integrations similar to Esquire‘s.
When questioned, Granger didn’t appear too concerned about making Esquire‘s premium print content available so freely online, given that most of its is already available without a subscription on esquire.com. (Interestingly, he mentioned the crossover between print and web readers is less than 10%.) For now, Esquire will be focused on making the Netpage add-on a great user experience, and will look to monetize the content through subscription and couponing offers at a later time.
Click-to-purchase buttons appear when certain products are scanned.
What’s unique about the December issue is that it’s shoppable. Esquire has partnered with Made Collection to curate the “Great American Things Collection,” which lives on madecollection.com/esquire. Products from the collection that are clipped using Netpage will have a “buy” button that will link to the storefront. The buy button will also appear if a reader shares a clip with a friend or to a social network. Esquire will not be taking a cut of sales.
I asked Granger whether he still thinks Esquire will move further into retail. “I’m concerned after my previous experience [with J.C. Penney and Clad],” he admitted. The two had developed a co-branded site in 2011 thatwas shuttered in just three months. “Online retail is moving too fast; whatever I build will be past by the time I get there. Partnering with Made to do a store or other one-offs is what I’m more interested in for right now,” he said.
