45 titles representing 15 publishing companies are running ads for the Kia Sorento in their digital editions

Marking an advancement for electronic magazine advertising, 45 titles representing 15 publishing companies are running ads for the Kia Sorento in their digital editions.

The buy launches Zinio’s newly created Publisher Advertising Network (ZPAN), which was recently reported by Mediaweek. Zinio creates digital editions of magazines for personal computers and Apple’s iPhone.

Magazines have been scrambling to create digital versions of their titles for the PC, iPhone and e-reading devices in the hope of offsetting waning print ad revenue and capturing readers as they migrate away from traditional media.

But until they have big digital audience numbers to show, it’s hard to imagine magazines attracting serious advertiser interest. By aggregating the audiences of its client magazines, the Zinio ad network is an attempt to address the scale issue.

How ads on the still-nascent iPhone and e-reader platforms will be priced is another key question. Zinio said its pricing is based on confirmed views by readers and that the Kia campaign is expected to reach “hundreds of thousands.”

Zinio didn’t reveal the cost of the campaign, but a spokesperson said the ads were paid for and that in most cases the publisher and Zinio are splitting the revenue 50-50.

“We have been careful to ensure pricing considers the high-impact brand messaging that magazine ads are able to provide, while simultaneously enabling responsible metrics to ensure these buys return value to the advertiser,” the rep said.

The Kia ads will run in the March and April digital editions of magazines including Hachette Filipacchi Media’s Car and Driver, Hearst’s Esquire and Active Interest Media’s Yoga Journal. The ads are enhanced by features such as audio, video and live links.

The buy represents the first digital magazine advertisement for Kia and is part of a larger Sorento ad campaign that includes print, outdoor and TV, according to Zinio.

“Historically, advertisers have loved what magazines provide: big, attractive, full-color ads with fixed placements,” said Zinio global CMO Jeanniey Mullen. “Zinio has created a way to reinvent the full-page spread, digitally and dynamically, with the introduction of ZPAN. Kia Motors’ commitment to providing the most innovative reading experience made the company the perfect match for our launch.”

Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing for Kia, said the campaign extends Kia’s tagline, “a departure from the expected.”

“ZPAN enables Kia Motors to convey Sorento’s impressive attributes in a new digital format, generating consumer awareness in fresh, innovative and unexpected ways,” he said in the announcement.