Much has been written about how the iPad is likely to revolutionize the publishing industry. I have tried out the iPad versions & Apps of Wired, Readers Digest, MacLife, People, Fortune, WSJ, FT and Newsweek. While some have simply provided a digital version of their magazines, those that use the features of the iPad well and imbue an element of interactivity in their Apps seem to evoke the ‘wow’ reaction. Some of the features in the Wired magazine for iPad provide an element of interactivity (including some ads) and the effect is stunning. Then are the other kind of apps who with their predominantly visual experience provide an enhanced experience on the iPad – compared to their internet versions – like The Guardian Eye Witness and The Big Picture from Boston.com. Some (like The Telegraph for iPad and NYT Editor’s Choice) stand out simply because of their clutter-free, minimal approach. All in all, the action has only begun for magazines & periodicals as far as customized versions of iPad goes.
For advertising agencies that wish to showcase their work, the iPad provides an ideal medium to deliver impact and interactivity. I was thrilled to get the iPad version of WPPed Cream 2010 – a showcase of the best work across disciplines from WPP companies. I have seen the compilation over at the WPP website over the last few years – while it’s an inspiring collection going through all of it (across print, digital, outdoor, TV and 360 surround) can take you all day, especially across the iffy broadband connections in these parts of the world. Also even if you manage to download a few of the TVCs and print work going through all of them, file after file is cumbersome. The iPad app (though weighing in at 600MB) is a pleasure to view – you can zoom in on the winning entries, read about the background & task at hand and is a great new way to showcase agency work.
All the static work can be viewed in offline mode and the ‘pinch & zoom’ facility is a nice way to highlight elements of an ad. The TV commercials are links to the WPP site and hence require a decent connection. So it is a slightly enhanced version of a coffee table book. Yet, the sheer format and convenience has made me spend more time running through the work than I ever did in the previous years. The effort augurs well for the advertising industry – at least we are practicing what we preach in terms of adopting new media & technologies. And in the months to come, the medium offers a great new way to present our wares with even more impact & interactivity.
