14 DAY TRIAL // Mobile phones and Microsoft Tags are just extra accessories for future brides who will turn to the upcoming Get Married magazine to plan their wedding. Get Married Media revealed that it gave the green light to the marriage between the Get Married magazine, scheduled to hit the shelves this October, and Microsoft Tag, a technology allowing mobile phone users to access additional content via barcodes in print media. With Microsoft Tag integrated throughout the magazine, readers will be able to enjoy a wide range of materials on top of what the pages deliver, from videos, to photos and extra information as well as links to websites via their mobile phone.
“Get Married is taking user interaction to the next level with Tag. They have brides who are really engaged, incredibly focused on planning and shopping for their weddings, and Tag allows them to stay in the moment,” explained Aaron Getz, business leader for Microsoft Tag.
But the marriage between Get Married magazine and Microsoft Tag will not be limited to editorial content. Get Married Media also plans to integrate Microsoft tags with advertisements printed onto the pages. Readers will need a mobile phone, out of a set of devices that come with support for Microsoft Tag, as well as the free application associated with the service in order to transform a printed Tag into rich, interactive content.
“Advertisers in Get Married magazine can deepen the relation with the brides making their ads immediately actionable and more entertaining. Besides they can track the actions brides are taking and inform their marketing strategy,” Getz added.
Get Married magazine has dedicated a webpage to inform users on just how Mobile Tagging works, offering a sample page for download complete with a Microsoft tag. Users with a supported Microsoft Tag phone and the associated app can simply take pictures of tags and connect with additional information and interactive content via their phone, or even purchase products advertised in the magazine.
“Get Married magazine’s promise to reinterpret the rules starts with the publication itself, and integrating Microsoft Tag changes the way brides read a magazine, gather inspirations and connect with advertisers,” explained Stacie Francombe, founder and president of Get Married Media. “We are bringing our expertise in video and online to the magazine pages, moving beyond the traditional ways of delivering a bridal publication - from the newest interactive technology and latest trends in bridal shopping and style to a colorful, fresh voice in the wedding genre.”