O, The Oprah Magazine is running a mobile sweepstakes where it will award 12 readers every item featured in the 2010 O List Holiday Edition gift guide and several products from this season?s ?Oprah?s Favorite Things? episode.

The inaugural December iPad edition includes the holiday O list, the magazine?s top 10 books of the year and an exclusive video message from Oprah Winfrey. The application is currently available in Apple?s App Store for $3.99.

"Oprah has been excited about the iPad since before it was released, so putting O, The Oprah Magazine on the iPad makes perfect sense," said Michelle Shih, director of digital editions and lifestyle at O, The Oprah Magazine, New York. 

"It?s another way for her to engage with her fans in a very personal way," she said. "The exclusive videos on the app feel like she?s talking directly to you.

"And the other functions on the app are a natural extension of what the magazine does best, like giving first chapter excerpts of our top 10 books of the year and letting you save items from the 70-item O List Holiday Edition on a gift list."

Lets win a prize
Readers can enter the sweepstakes once a day from Nov. 29 through Dec. 10 by tapping on the icon at right and typing in the appropriate code found below it.

Users who do not have an iPad can participate in the content by logging onto http://www.oprah.com/12days and typing in the code for that day on 12 icons hidden in the pages of the December 2010 print edition.

Mobile issue
The issue opens with a full-screen video introduction from Ms. Winfrey as she pulls back a curtain to reveal an animated December cover ? with stars that twinkle and flash.

There is an interview feature with director Tyler Perry that includes behind-the-scenes video of Ms. Winfrey and Mr. Perry on his bus.

The O Lost Holiday Gift Guide includes 70 picks from Ms. Winfrey, Gayle King, Nate Berkus, Dr. Oz, Martha Beck, Suze Orman, Dr. Phil, Adam Glassman and Val Monroe.

Users can view products in a variety of way such as 360° views, animation, video and stop-motion.

Additionally, readers can use the favorites feature to create personal gift lists from the O List, which they can share via email.

There is also a bonus slideshow demonstrating how to make decorative boxes for edible gifts.

Interactive read
The application features an interactive reading room where users can read the first chapter of each of O?s top 10 books of the year.

In addition, users can tap a button to save any book to favorites or share it with friends and family.

"The app is another great extension of the Oprah brand that allows advertisers to tap into the incredibly stron emotional connection we have with our readers," said Dan Fuchs, associate publisher at O, The Oprah Magazine, New York.

"Our current strategy is to sell a limited number of specific ad placements per monthly app," he said. "Advertisers can run interstitial ads that may include video, animation and links to specific Web pages."

Final Take