• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, January 5, 2012

Parenting.com Partners With AOL For Content, Ad Sales

Bonnier’s Parenting Group and AOL Inc. have announced a strategic sales alliance that brings Parenting.com content to AOL, which they hope will provide contextually relevant, scalable marketing opportunities for advertisers seeking to reach moms online. The partnership is intended to grow Parenting.com’s audience and AOL’s reach in the parenting category, with links to Parenting.com articles featured on the AOL home page and across multiple Lifestyle channel properties.

Beginning in the first quarter of this year, Parenting.com’s child development and family lifestyle content will be integrated across AOL properties -- with direct links to Parenting.com promoted across AOL.com, Huffington Post Parents and the AOL Family channel reaching a combined audience of over 12.5 million users, according to the companies. Also, the Parenting Group is collaborating with AOL on an integrated digital advertising program using media assets from both brands, including premium online ad inventory from Parenting.com.

Women’s Health, Gilt Groupe Curate Online Sale

More magazines are getting involved in e-commerce. Women’s Health is curating an online sale hosted by the Gilt Groupe beginning Jan. 6. The online sale will feature items chosen by Women’s Health editors, and will also offer visitors the chance to buy subscriptions to the magazine and special-interest publications created by WH. After a 24-hour promotional period on Gilt’s women’s interest section and Facebook page, the sale will continue on Gilt’s main site for another month.

 MPA Plans Digital Conference

“MPA Digital: Swipe” -- the magazine industry organization’s conference on digital publishing spotlighting tablets, e-readers, apps and mobile devices -- will be held March 20 at the Grand Hyatt New York. The conference will also spotlight the best magazine media apps and feature practical advice for publishers grappling with the possibilities and issues of publishing for e-readers, tablets and other devices and leverage mobile for advertisers.

The list of panels include “Fire and Reign: Can the Kindle Fire end iPads reign as the world’s most popular tablet?”; “How Social Magazines Can Help the Magazine Business” and “What’s Your Type? Find the Right App Strategy for Your Brand."

Muscle & Fitness Opens Online Store

Elsewhere in magazine e-commerce, Muscle & Fitness has launched an exclusive e-store at MuscleandFitness.com, selling products in the fitness and sports nutrition categories. The e-store offers over 4,000 products from brands, including MuscleTech, BSN and BPI. It also hosts a Muscle & Fitness membership program offering members samples of five products per month, as well as members-only offers such as free T-shirts, workout gear, and discounts at the store.

Fitness Hosts Workouts with 24 Hour Fitness

Fitness is partnering with the 24 Hour Fitness chain of health clubs to host customized workout sessions with online and experiential components. Readers can download a free seven-day guest pass to 24 Hour Fitness and then participate in the co-branded “Best Body Ever” workout class by signing up at www.fitnessmagazine.com/bestbody. The customized workout plan, featured in the January issue of Fitness, was designed by 24 Hour Fitness gurus Ingrid Owen and Zen Nguyen. A list of participating 24 Hour Fitness locations in available on the magazine’s Web site.

MSLO Names New Execs

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has appointed three new business development executives, along with a new finance and operations executive for its publishing and digital unit. Russell Brown has been named senior vice president for consumer products licensing; Charlie Tiersch has been named vice-president for business development; Colleen Nowers, assistant vice president for business development; and Claudio Goldbarg is senior vice president for publishing and digital media operations. Both Tiersch and Nowers were formerly with NBCU.