Imagine announces ambitious online and digital plans in 2007
The UK's fastest growing consumer specialist publisher outlines its major online offensive and £1.5m spend in digital development
Imagine Publishing has today announced wide-ranging plans to drive its existing print and online operation in the next financial year with significant investment in manpower, resources and research & development.
Imagine currently has 20 print magazines and occupies strong, and in many cases market leading, positions in all of its target markets - videogames, specialist home computing and digital photography/video. The company also operates 15 websites, including many companion magazine sites, as well as its company portals - Imagine-Publishing.co.uk, ImagineSubs and ImagineShop.
2007 will see Imagine develop its existing network further, with more far reaching websites for its key magazines, including Digital Photographer, Digital Camera Buyer, Play, games, X360, PDA Essentials, Web Designer, Photoshop Creative, iCreate and Official Corel Painter Magazine. Imagine will also launch websites to accompany its as-yet-unannounced new magazine launches, and also a series of community sites based on new technology and special interest. Over £1.5m is being invested by Imagine to ensure it remains at the cutting edge of publishing.
Imagine's online development includes websites created in-house by its Interactive team, externally developed by existing partners, and a number of external CMS providers, many of whom are in the process of being appointed. Imagine's Interactive department is headed by industry veteran Lee Groombridge.
Damian Butt, Imagine's Managing Director said:
"Digital development is crucial to the future success of Imagine, and it's fair to say that even our print portfolio is likely to be dwarfed by the sheer size and diversity of our online and special digital projects over the next two years. Not only are we committed to ensuring our already successful magazines are well supported, we also see huge opportunities to move outside of our target markets and into new areas of expertise. There is no limit to what we can achieve. I think we've proved that already."