Hearst Magazines UK and Zappar Announce Partnership for Augmented Reality Covers

LONDON, October 31, 2011 -

Hearst Magazines UK, Hearst Corporation’s principal UK business, and Zappar, the world’s most powerful augmented reality App, have today announced a partnership that will bring the December covers of Cosmopolitan, Company and Harper‘s Bazaar to life.

The special moving image Zappar enabled covers include a sensational ground-breaking Harper‘s Bazaar cover featuring five of the world’s top supermodels (on sale Thursday, November 3); singer Jessie J on the cover of Cosmopolitan (on sale Monday November 7) and TV presenter Caroline Flack on Company’s December cover (on sale November 10).

Consumers who purchase the magazines can bring the covers to life using the Zappar App which is available free of charge from iTunes or the Android Market Place. The exclusive content plays on the handheld device directly from each magazine cover.  

For Harper‘s Bazaar, users can watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip of the much talked about December covershoot which took place at the Savoy earlier this year as part of a short film for Duran Duran directed by Jonas Akerlund, in association with Swarovski.  The Bazaar December cover and behind-the-scene Zappar content features supermodels Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Eva Herzigova, Yasmin Le Bon and Helena Christensen as well as cameo appearances from designers Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabanna.  

Cosmopolitan readers who use the Zappar app, can watch coverstar Jessie J talking to them directly about the up-and-coming Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards (November 3 at Banqueting House). Editor, Louise Court, also comes to life on the Editor’s page, introducing readers to the December issue.

Meanwhile, Caroline Flack on the cover of Company, introduces readers to the ‘Little Black Dress’ December issue. Company Editor Victoria White introduces readers to the December issue through her Zappar-enhanced editor’s page.

Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Chief Executive, Hearst Magazines UK says: “Interacting with our readers beyond the printed page is a key part of our business strategy so we are delighted to be partnering with Zappar to bring this exciting and innovative technology to our portfolio of brands. This partnership further demonstrates the many ways in which we can enhance our brands, from apps to mobile sites, providing our readers and web users with that all important multi-media, interactive experience.“

Caspar Thykier, Managing Director for Zappar adds, “We are thrilled to be working with Hearst Magazines UK on such iconic brands showcasing exclusive content. The potential for future publishing & content delivery models using Zappar are fascinating. Being able to explore these avenues with such a fantastic stable of brands is a real privilege.”

The Zappar partnership is among a number of new digital product initiatives embraced by Hearst Magazines UK. Last week, Hearst Magazines UK made 21 of its ipad titles available on Apple’s newsstand while ELLEUK.com partnered with Nokia to promote the phone manufacturer’s latest smartphone handset.  Men’s Health and Company have launched their own mobile websites.  Men’s Health has also released the Men‘s Health Training Pro iPhone app.

To view the exclusive ‘moving images’ in the December issues, purchase

Harper’s Bazaar (on sale November 3) Cosmopolitan (on sale November 7)

and Company (on sale November 10) and download the Zappar app for free.

www.harpersbazaar.co.uk

www.cosmopolitan.co.uk

www.company.co.uk

Zappar for iPhone, iPod and iPad:

itunes.apple.com/us/app/zappar/id429885268?mt=8

For Android:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zappar.Zappar

Vimeo clips of Zapparel in action:

vimeo.com/zappar/videos

About Hearst Magazines UK

Hearst Magazines UK is the trading name of National Magazine Company Ltd, established by William Randolph Hearst in 1910, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst Corporation. The business has interests in two joint ventures. These are partnerships with some of the world’s best publishers:  

NatMag-Rodale:

A 50:50 joint venture with Rodale Inc. of the U.S., which focuses on health and wellbeing.

COMAG:

A 65:35 joint venture with Condé Nast, one of the UK’s largest magazine distributors.

Hearst Magazines UK publishes 23 magazines in the UK: All About Soap, Best, Coast, Company, Cosmopolitan, Country Living, ELLE, Elle Decoration, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Harper‘s Bazaar, House Beautiful, Inside Soap, Prima, Prima Baby, Psychologies, Red, Real People, Reveal, You & Your Wedding, and Zest. Hearst Magazines UK also publishes two magazines, Men‘s Health, and Runner‘s World and two websites - Triathletesworld.co.uk and fetcheveryone.co.uk through NatMag-Rodale.

Hearst Magazines UK also publishes 22 digital magazine and pureplay sites including allaboutyou, babyexpert, digitalspy, fetcheveryone, handbag, netdoctor and sugarscape.  

About Zappar

Zappar was launched in 2011 and founded by Kirk Ewing, Connell Gauld, Simon Taylor and Caspar Thykier, bringing together experience from the marketing and console game industries alongside pioneering technology from the University of Cambridge.

Zappar’s class-leading marker-less image recognition technology provides the broadest spectrum of AR applications on mobile across devices including delivery of film, audio, 3D animation, gaming interactivity and streaming data in the field of vision.

Zappar provide a full service offering with in-house creative and technology resource to deliver bespoke platform and content solutions.

To find an image or object that is Zappar powered log onto www.zappar.com or look out for the Zappar logo.

Notes to Editors:

Apple requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch (4th Gen), iPad 2 Wi-Fi and iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G. Requires iOS 4.2 or later.Android requirements: Currently compatible with Samsung Galaxy S range, HTC Desire / Google Nexus One & Sony Xperia X10. Zappar works on many other Android 2.1 + devices.

For more information, please contact:
Robin Invest, Hearst Magazines UK
+44(0)207-439-5130 / Robin.invest@hearst.co.uk
Sam Payne at Dundas Communications for Zappar
+44(0)207-824-8748/ sam@dundascommunications.com

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