New On-Product Magazines to Change Media Mix

In a debut that may forever change the world of print media, the first On Product Publishing creation - a small magazine titled iLove that will be attached to a 600 ml bottled water targeting females 18-25 - will hit the market in early 2006, reports Gizmag.

Two years ago, Australian entrepreneur Joanna Wojtalik developed the now-patented idea to produce a small magazine that distributes via grocery channels rather than traditional magazine channels and fits onto a fast moving consumer product. Wojtalik’s company, Modern Media Concepts, plans to release a magazine for children and a men’s magazine on iced coffee in the second quarter of 2006, according to Ferret.com.

Though the concept of a large circulation, pocket-sized magazine is not new, the grocery channel distribution is expected to help the magazine make a major impact on global publishing. The small size makes the magazine better suited for in-store product/brand recall, redemption vouchers and interactive campaigns.

Of the response from advertisers, Modern Media Concepts CEO Alex McKinnon told Gizmag, “it’s the progressive innovative marketers who have been the first movers, though we expect as the distribution channels develop and circulation increases, we’ll see the major marketers coming on board.”