Bauer Media has partnered with image-recognition platform Phuzion Media to enhance its magazines Grazia and heat, making products and services within its print pages instantly shoppable and interactive. The new service will allow brands and advertisers to connect with readers in a brand-new way, seamlessly directing them to digital and online content and extending their customer journeys.

The partnership comes as recent Bauer Media research found that over 1 in 3 people read magazines during this third lockdown and 11% said that they were now reading more magazines than they were last year prior to the pandemic. Plus, with over half shopping online more and 80% agreeing that technology has made shopping online easier, the innovative new offering aligns with new consumer shopping habits.

From 17^th May, readers of Grazia and heat will be able to point their phone or tablet camera at the pages and immediately find out more about products recommended by editorial or shop the adverts. New technology by Phuzion makes this possible without the addition of QR codes or watermarking, so there will be no changes to the design of editorial or creative. The image match functionality also helps brands to circumnavigate search engines, providing a powerful layer of direct customer access combined with previously unavailable engagement metrics, personalisation opportunities and the ability to create connected campaigns on multiple platforms.

Clare Chamberlain, Group Commercial Director, London Magazines, Bauer Media said: “This new partnership with Phuzion Media marks yet another step forward for us in innovating our publishing portfolio, offering fresh and relevant ways for our commercial partners to connect with their audiences. We’re excited to offer this new service to our clients, proving the brand building power of editorial coverage and print advertising with digital direct response capability.”

Julian Linley, Partner and Director of Visual Commerce platform, Phuzion Media, added: “Creating seamless shopping experiences straight off the page is what consumers and advertisers expect so we’re proud to be teaming up with Bauer Media and power this new experience for their readers. Applying our white label mobile image recognition technology to these iconic titles will unlock new revenue streams for Bauer, add significant new value to advertisers and commercial partners, and create a more connected content ecosystem with their highly engaged audiences.”

The technology will be activated in issues of Grazia and heat following 17^th May.

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For further press information, please contact:

Jess Blake, Communications Director, UK Publishing

E: Jess.blake@bauermedia.co.uk M: 07739 516345

Odelia Yu, Senior Commercial Communications Executive, Bauer Media

E: odelia.yu@bauermedia.co.uk M: 07718124791

About Bauer Media

Bauer Media UK reaches over 25 million UK consumers through a portfolio of world-class, multi-platform media and entertainment brands including heat, KISS, Grazia, Empire, Magic, Absolute Radio and the Hits Radio Brand Network. These brands offer commercial partners access to highly engaged audiences, with creative solutions underpinned by insight and instinct. Bauer Media UK is part of the Bauer Media Group, one of the world’s largest privately owned media businesses with media assets all over the globe.

About Phuzion Media

Phuzion Media is the World’s leading Visual Commerce platform. Our image-recognition technology allows traditional media owners (TV, print, OOH, DM) and brands to seamlessly connect offline media with an onward digital journey, unlocking a new world of editorial and DTC commercial opportunity. We are a lightweight and white label offering that does not require an app download. For more info visit www.phuzion.media