• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, February 25, 2010

Zinio Executes First Digital Ad Buy For Kia

In a first for digital magazines, Zinio's new Publisher Advertising Network is executing its first network advertising campaign, with ads for carmaker Kia Motors America's new 2011 Sorento CUV appearing in multiple magazines from different publishers. Together with the interactivity and measurability of digital magazine advertising, the new Zinio network gives digital magazines the added advantages of greater scale and ease of ad buying.

The Kia Sorento ads are running in the digital editions the March and April issues of 45 magazines owned by 15 different publishers, according to Zinio, which launched its new Publisher Advertising Network earlier this month. The Kia ad network buy covers titles in the business, men's lifestyle, news, sports and technology categories, including Car and Driver, Esquire, PC Magazine Digital Edition, PC World, Popular Science, SKI Magazine, SmartMoney, VIVmag, and Yoga Journal. The Zinio ad buy is part of a larger campaign that also features print, outdoor and television ads (including a Super Bowl spot).

Altogether, Zinio offers consumers digital editions of about 50,000 magazines and books, delivered to subscribers via email or mobile download, which are compatible with PCs, laptops, and the Apple iPhone. Although Zinio editions are compatible with most of the new generation of e-readers, the company is positioning itself as a lower-cost alternative for consumers who want digital magazine content but don't want to buy a dedicated e-reader device.

Dow Jones Wants Rest of Smart Money

News Corp.'s Dow Jones & Co. is in talks to buy the half it doesn't own of personal-finance magazine SmartMoney from partner Hearst Corp. SmartMoney includes the flagship monthly magazine, the Web site SmartMoney.com and a custom-publishing division. Hearst oversees business operations, such as circulation and marketing, and Dow Jones handles editorial operations. The 18-year-old magazine has a monthly circulation of more than 800,000 copies, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal, plans to integrate SmartMoney's edit staff into its own news staff.

Wenner Joins MPA

As Wenner Media joins with other big magazine publishers in planning a marketing campaign touting the strengths of magazines as an advertising medium, the owner of Rolling Stone is also joining the Magazine Publishers of America, the industry organization with long experience executing these kinds of campaigns. Wenner, which also publishes Men's Journal and Us Weekly, was for many years a notable standout after leaving the MPA in 1990. Wenner's return helps offset the loss of Hachette Filipacchi, which departed the MPA in a surprise move last year, as well as American Media.

The Advocate Launches TV News Show

The Advocate, which covers political, social, and cultural issues affecting lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people, is launching a new TV newsmagazine show, called The Advocate On-Air. The show, hosted by Thomas Roberts and with contributions by Advocate editorial director Jon Barrett, will be broadcast on here! TV. Episodes will also be posted on Advocate.com.

Paul Greenberg Named Digital Prez, Time Inc. Lifestyle

Time Inc.'s Lifestyle Group has named Paul Greenberg president of digital operations, effective March 15. Greenberg previously served as executive vice president and general manager of TV Guide Online, handling the company's digital media strategy for TVGuide.com, which saw its audience grow from 3 million unique visitors per month to 14 million unique visitors per month over his three years there.

Active Interest Media Acquires Equine Titles

All equine titles and online properties published by the Source Interlink Media and by Horse Media Group were acquired by AIM: Equus, Horse & Rider, Practical Horseman, Dressage Today, Arabian Horse World, Discover Horses and EquiManagement, and the online properties Equisearch.com, Equine.com, HorseBooksEtc.com and DiscoverHorses.com. The magazines Spin to Win Rodeo, Trail Rider and the online properties MyHorse.com, HitchUpMagazine.com and HorselinkMagazine.com are also included in the purchase. The total audience offered by the new group is over 700,000 readers and 600,000 unique visitors per month. According to MRI, the sport has grown 15% in the last five years.