• by Sara Guaglione , January 7, 2019

Meredith Corp. is launching a new business unit. Called the Meredith Innovation Group, the arm will include three new units: Meredith Product Studio, Meredith Voice Network and Meredith Smart Codes. They are all focused on Meredith’s proprietary consumer data and insights.

The unit will launch at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.

"These new offerings extend the value, utility and reach of our brand portfolio," stated Jon Werther, president of Meredith National Media Group.

He noted the unit will focus on enabling cross-platform experiences and extend its content to busy consumers through smart speakers and smartphones.

Meredith Product Studio uses the publisher’s first-party data and insights and editorial expertise in consumer verticals like beauty, food, lifestyle, home and parenting to help brand partners design, develop, market and sell direct-to-consumer products.

The studio also works with Meredith’s in-house creative and content agency, The Foundry, to design and create concepts for partners to reach new markets.

The Meredith Voice Network translates Meredith’s editorial articles into voice experiences for advertisers, which can be distributed on Meredith’s owned-and-operated sites, social media and podcast platforms, and smart speakers, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

The network represents an audience of more than 45 million listeners.

The Meredith Voice Network is developing a range of AI-powered voice "skills" (for Amazon Alexa applications) and "actions" (for Google Assistant applications).

For example, these skills and actions will enable consumers to access Meredith content and commerce through smart speakers, such as health and wellness topics with Shape and entertainment with "The Must List" from Entertainment Weekly.

Meredith Smart Codes is developing QR code technology for readers to use their smartphones to scan Meredith print magazine pages and connect to a range of digital experiences, as well as provide opportunities for advertisers.