PressReader is Bringing Content to 34 Million Cathay Pacific Passengers
PressReader has announced a new partnership that puts their digital publication distribution network into the hands of millions of new customers.
The Vancouver-based PressReader unveiled a partnership with Cathay Pacific, an airline with 34 million annual customers. The partnership allows free access to PressReader’s platform for travellers of the airline, meaning they can download full issues or magazines up to 48 hours before their flight then read them while in the air.
PressReader is a company that allows users to access published content online from over 7,000 magazines and newspapers. The company has users in over 120 countries and content in over 60 languages.
“There’s a lot of room for innovation in the way that we provide content as a part of the travel experience, so we ended up putting this partnership together that ends up as a win-win for both of us,” explains Kristin Eberth, the director of marketing and communications for PressReader.
Cathay Pacific is the latest and largest in a string of partnerships PressReader has forged. In Canada, Bell customers can add a subsidized PressReader membership to their account, and other brands like the Ritz Carlton and Silversea Cruises have relationships with the content distribution company as well.
PressReader offers access to some of the most well-known publications in the world, from daily newspapers like The Guardian to established periodicals like Popular Science. However, the need for print publications has been waning, and publishers have struggled with finding the right way to institute paywalls. That’s where partnerships like the one between Cathay Pacific and Pressreader come in.
“We really believe that there’s a huge market potential where brands or third parties will sponsor access to content for people,” says Eberth. “That means you, as a consumer, can enjoy access to premium content. It’s not cheapening the value of the content, the publisher is being paid, and the brand—by virtue of what they’re providing—is building a relationship with you in a non-aggressive way.”
Sustainability is a key factor when it comes to PressReader’s vision. The company wants to foster a content creation environment where the magazines and newspapers welcome branded partnerships.
“The publishers that we work with see a lot of value in us being able to provide new revenue streams for them and provide a new audience, without necessarily having to sell subscriptions to everyone,” says Eberth. “They can also grow their audience internationally through these partnerships.”
PressReader currently operates on both a subscription model and a pay-as-you-go model, but the company’s goals include more partnerships and branded deals, as well as smaller targeted offerings in the future.
