Horizon Media Named Media AOR For Readly

Already popular in the UK and Sweden, Readly is a subscription based magazine app that provides access to hundreds of magazines – including global editions and back issues – for up to five users for $9.99 a month.

This month, Readly launches in the U.S. and has named Horizon Media its U.S. media agency of record. The New York-based shop has been awarded communications planning, activation and digital creative duties for the Swedish-based brand. 

The company is reportedly set to spend 100 million euros ($127.5 million) on marketing in the U.S., UK, Germany, and other European countries over the next three years.

The launch campaign is digital-specific, focused on mobile, search, and social outreach to drive advocacy, awareness, and adoption. 

Horizon's various divisions are all collaborating to support this brand launch. Horizon Media is working with creative agency The Builder’s Arm who handles creative for Readly in the UK and the U.S.

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Treehouse, Horizon’s creative practice, has developed multiple creative initiatives for the various magazine categories available on the platform. And components of the campaign will be executed programmatically via Horizon’s hx trading platform. Meanwhile, other agencies handling media for the international brand include Tre Kronor in Sweden and iCrossing in the UK. 

"Readly is loosely called the Spotify for magazines by those on the tech scene,” said Eva Kantrowitz, EVP, Managing Partner at Horizon Media. “The all-you-can-eat model has been implemented for other industries, greatly transforming the way people consume content. Readly is now applying this successful approach to magazines, while providing publishers with a new revenue stream. We’re excited to work with an international and incredibly entrepreneurial brand that has a better solution for magazine readers.” 

Readly has aggressive plans for the U.S. market. In August, the company hired Michelle Garcia as Vice President of Marketing and Blake Pollard as Vice President of Content in North America. Garcia has been working in the U.S. media industry for over ten years, primarily within Time Inc., where she held various positions driving marketing strategy and growing strategic partnerships. Pollard has worked with top publishers over the last ten years to deploy successful digital content initiatives, most recently leading LibreDigital’s digital periodical distribution program with the likes of Google, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. 

The company’s international expansion plan is being overseen by Mats Rönne, who was named Global CMO in June. Rönne was formerly CMO at Skanska Nya Hem and global brand manager at Electrolux and Ericsson. 

Readly’s digital magazine reader has been available in the U.S. market since this winter and currently offers more than 150 titles in the US and over 500 titles worldwide. Readly is in the final contract phase with up to 15 publishers that would represent close to 150 new titles, effectively doubling the number of U.S. publications offered to subscribers. 

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