Consumers have downloaded more than 12,000 copies of the application version of the January issue of Condé Nast?s GQ that features pop singer Rihanna on the cover.

Downloads of the GQ applications meet the standards set by the Audit Bureau of Circulation and count in the magazine?s total circulation. Condé Nast has found a mobile audience for its GQ content that is a direct replica of its print publication.

?We?re proud of the results,? said Robert Sauerberg, group president of Condé Nast Consumer Marketing, New York. ?They are demonstrating that reading on these devices is happening in a significant way.

?The iPhone user universe is quite large,? he said. ?It?s a pretty big market and we like being in it.?

Condé Nast is a division of Advance Publications and operates in 24 countries. In the United States, Condé Nast publishes eighteen consumer magazines, two trade publications and twenty-seven Web sites.

Condé Nast Digital is the Internet unit of Condé Nast and a creator and developer of online lifestyle and business brands. It produces the GQ application and several sites such as http://NewYorker.com, http://VanityFair.com, http://Epicurious.com and http://Wired.com.

Mobile success
Since its debut, the December issue of GQ has been downloaded 6,641 times at $2.99.

The magazine giant claims that consumer engagement metrics such as average time spent, number of reading days and satisfaction are on par with key measurements done by Mediamark Research and Intelligence for the magazine.

MRI estimates that consumers who buy the magazine spend an average of 71 minutes with it. Consumers who buy the application spend an average of 83 minutes with it.

Condé Nast claims to be the first to develop and bring to market a complete digital magazine reader application for the iPhone and iPod touch measured by ABC.

The application for the February issue went live on Jan. 19. 

The download price of the GQ application will remain at $2.99, except for repeat customers who will see a price slash to $1.99 starting with the March issue.

A subscription offering is being evaluated.

The GQ application can be read horizontally or vertically.

If a consumer decides to view the application horizontally, the entire magazine will be displayed, including advertisements just as they are in the magazine.

The advertisements are exactly as they would appear in the paper edition. For example, if Grey Goose has a two-page spread, it will have a two-page spread on the iPhone, but it may also include a link for a video or mobile Web site.

Videos and other content have also been included to enhance the editorial content in the application.
Mr. Sauerberg said there was not a lot of significant marketing for the application.

The first application was driven by demand and Mr. Sauerberg said the second issue?s Rihanna cover was attractive to consumers. The cover coupled with placement within the App Store helped the second application beat the first in terms of downloads.

Appsolutely
Condé Nast is no stranger to iPhone applications.

Brides, one of the oldest wedding publications in America, is letting brides shop and buy dresses via mobile.

The Brides Dressing Room application lets users browse hundreds of dresses and gowns while on the go. The application also features click-to-shop online, click-to-schedule a fitting and click-to-email functionality (see story).

Lucky magazine introduced Lucky At Your Service, a digital shopping concierge Web site and application for the iPhone (see story).

In addition to developing more content for the iPhone and the anticipated tablet from Apple, Condé Nast has formed a partnership with Adobe to collaborate on creating technologies that will allow the company to design and produce a new generation of digital magazines. 

Condé Nast is also a part of the much-hyped joint venture between other media brands such as Time Inc. and Hearst to develop open standards for a new digital storefront to let consumers access media content on portable digital devices.

The venture will welcome other publishers beyond the various publications of the equity partners. Revenue is expected to be generated from mobile content and advertising sales, as well as from print subscriptions (see story).

Mr. Sauerberg said taking the replica application monthly was based on the success the December issue saw.

?There?s a marketplace obviously for it,? Mr. Sauerberg said. ?We know now there?s a market and demand for it and we want to grow our circulation over time.

?This is a stimulus of growth for us,? he said. ?It?s a good business.?