Hearst, Estée Lauder Launch Flipboard Brand Magazine

As part of a custom ad solution for Esteé Lauder, Hearst turned to Flipboard to create a branded magazine product. The book will feature an Esteé Lauder product while using content from Hearst magazine brands.

As part of a custom ad solution for Esteé Lauder, Hearst turned to Flipboard to create a branded magazine product. The book will feature an Esteé Lauder product while using content from Hearst magazine brands.

Estée Lauder and OMD, an integrated communications agency, teamed with Hearst Magazines Digital Media to create a new Flipboard brand magazine titled Estée Lauder Beauty Book.

The digital magazine will focus on Estée Lauder’s new Advanced Night Repair product and feature content from various Hearst brands including Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Marie Claire.

“I think that this was a pivotal pilot program,” says Elizabeth Shepard, general manager, food and home, editor-in-chief of Delish at Hearst Digital Media, and head of connected content group, in a phone interview. “The leading beauty company went to the leading publishing company to build a new brand,” she says

brands Building stories

Recent trends have shown a renewed focus on brands building stories around their products and searching out publishers of original content to work with in an effort to enhance awareness.

“Our content—subject matter, the voice and topics—match the brand,” says Shepard. “These are true standalone editorial pieces that meet the brand needs without being sponsored content.”

With a soft release followed by an official rollout of the Flipbook magazine a few days later in early August, Jeff Earley, director of project management at Hearst Digital Media, says he believes the joint venture is off to a solid start.

“On the front page of the beauty book there were 232 readers,” Earley says. “That’s pretty good for day one.”

The beauty book’s integrated advertising deal will include desktop and mobile awareness units on each brand’s website, which the company hopes will drive readers to the Flipboard magazine.

Potential for More partnerships

“Flipboard is a creative platform for engaging, entertaining and informing women who are interested in beauty and fashion,” says Gustavo Adriani, VP North American Marketing for Estée Lauder, in a statement.

While Flipboard is a fit for Estée Lauder, Hearst, with other branding projects in the works, says it is open to other partnerships, as well.

“This is the tip of the iceberg and it’s a big iceberg and it’s not susceptible to global warming either,” says Shepard. “Not necessarily the Flipboard type—we’re not married to that idea, but we are launching a robust system to service many clients, whether to live on our site or elsewhere.”