The co-creators of the Virgin-branded iPad magazine Project are merging it with an iPad newsstand service, Other Edition, creating a new company called Virgin Interactive Publishing (VIP).
Project was launched in November 2010 by a team Virgin assembled called Virgin Digital Publishing together with digital agency Seven.
Seven now wants to quit to focus on its own agency work, with its blue chip clients including Sainsbury’s, Aviva and Waterstone’s.
Other Edition is a design-centric iPad newsstand app that carries fashion magazines including Interview and Dazed & Confused. Much of its function appears to have been replicated by Apple’s launch of its own on-board Newsstand.
Although Project this spring dropped fees after finding bigger-name advertisers, these changes will now see it reintroduce a £2.49/$3.99 single-copy fee and introduce a £13.99/$19.99 annual subscription through iTunes.
When Project first launched, it frustrated readers with its awkward UI and by requiring an iOS upgrade. But it was later pre-bundled on to iPad 2 and achieved award nominations.
Seven CEO Sean King (via release): “Project has been a game-changer for Seven. It has accelerated our transition from a publishing agency to the most dynamic strategic content agency in the UK. We have learnt a huge amount and now we want to focus on harnessing that experience and knowledge into working with our growing list of well known clients looking to engage customers across multiple platforms.”