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Tim Webb, Dennis Publishing: “Conozca Su Celular is our first Launch in the LatAm market”

British company Dennis Publishing, the owner of brands such as The Week, Men’s Fitness, Maxim and PcPro, is looking to expand its digital and print footprint in both the Hispanic and Latin American markets. We interviewed Tim Webb (photo), International Director at Dennis Publishing

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British company Dennis Publishing, the owner of brands such as The Week, Men’s Fitness, Maxim and PcPro, is looking to expand its digital and print footprint in both the Hispanic and Latin American markets. We interviewed Tim Webb (photo), International Director at Dennis Publishing. Webb also manages a new division created to expand Dennis’s digital business outside of the UK. Webb shares is views on the expansion of his companies in Latin markets. On the pros and cons of an online expansion, versus an integrated approach that includes print.

Portada: What plans do you have for the Latin American market?

Tim Webb, International Director Dennis Publishing: ConozcaSuCelular.com launched in July 2011, is the first of a series of launches for the Latin American and US Hispanic markets. We are currently finalizing titles for launch in 2012 as well as looking at options for creating a base in Latin America. The traffic growth of Conozca Su Celular has been quicker than expected and has made us consider a move into the market ahead of our original schedule.”

What brands do you think have the most potential to enter the Latin
American market?
“Dennis Publishing has been successful in identifying and serving emerging audience trends and as a result we have a broad portfolio of leading brands that we could use. Our current thinking is that consumer-technology, health & fitness and motoring are markets worth entering with some of our relevant brands.”

Are you planning to bring your brands to those markets in print or through websites/ apps. mobile.*?

“Given our successes in publishing both print and web brands we will use our experience and the audience trends to decide which platform or platforms are the best for each territory and each audience market. Providing the dynamics are right for an integrated print and online product then we would look to replicate the successes we have had in the UK, USA and other territories. Publishing solely on the web has its advantages in terms of cost, speed of launch and measurability but online is also fiercely competitive and success can take time and investment. We are currently having success with apps in the UK but any app launches outside of the UK would be extensions to the print and web offering and would perform a different and unique function.”

We hear that mobile is an important part of your Strategy. Can you explain this (particularly in relationship to your "Know Your Cell" product?

“Mobile as a platform and as a subject matter is very important to both the company and me personally. Mobile phone ownership is the one thing that links a man in rural China with a company CEO in Manhattan and with Near Field Communications (NFC) payment technology soon the mobile phone will replace the wallet as the item you don’t leave your house without. he rapid advancement in mobile phone technology means that this is a market that is only going to grow and generate higher revenues as consumers upgrade their handsets more frequently and spend more money on services and apps. Having a global brand that provides news, reviews and advice on mobile phones and mobile technology is key to Dennis Publishing’s long-term success. As with previous launches we identified a trend and launched a product to meet the need however in the case of the global mobile phenomenon we have chosen to launch in multiple languages and territories. Conozca Su Celular is currently published in the UK, USA, India, France and Latin America and we will be extending the brand across new languages and countries across 2012.”

What percentage of Dennis Publishing revenues is now derived from non print vehicles? What goal do you have for say 2016?

"Dennis Publishing is generating approximately 10% of its revenue from non-print activities though this number is increasing with each year.

Whilst this may seem small it is important to know that Dennis Publishing operates over 40 titles globally and publications such as The Week are huge revenue earners. Online, as an absolute revenue number, is growing but the ratios are constrained by a very profitable and sizeable global print publishing business. By 2016 I anticipate non-print revenues to be upwards of 25% of total revenues as we launch new products in new international markets.”

What % of Dennis Publishing revenues is now derived outside the UK? What goal do you have as International Director for 2016 in terms of International Revenues?

“Thanks to hugely successful operations in the USA and Australia with The Week, as well as many overseas print brand licences, international revenues make up over 50% of our total business. I am of course keen to see this ratio increase in favor of international business. By 2016 I am intending to increase international revenues significantly.”

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