For the upcoming holiday season, Scholastic is making the gift-giving experience even more streamlined for busy parents. In addition to highlighting the recipients of the 2014 Gold Star Toy Awards in an upcoming edition of its magazine, the creators of the issue have made the magazine “shoppable” in conjunction with ShopAdvisor and Digimarc.
“This holiday season, we are offering parents the best gift guide with an easy shopping experience right off the pages of our magazine.” said Jamie Engel, Vice President and Publisher of Scholastic Parent & Child, in a press release. “Working together with our experienced editors and engaged parent readers, we created a trusted guide of toys that parents can feel good about giving this holiday.”
Parents can now move through the print edition and actually make purchases of the award-winning toys by scanning the watermarks of each product with their smartphones or tablets. Apps made possible by the two collaborators will let parents find out more information on the products, then make their gift purchases immediately.
“Readers of Scholastic Parent & Child magazine look to the publication as a trusted source when it comes to finding the right products for their children,” continued Scott Cooper, CEO of ShopAdvisor. “By shop-enabling their publication across platforms, they are making it simple and natural for readers to act on those recommendations. We are excited to work with Scholastic Parent & Child to introduce this innovative reader service and inspire shopping this holiday season.”
The Gold Star Toy Awards are determined by the editors of Scholastic’s magazine, chosen through thousands of submissions from toy manufacturers and were chosen based on being “innovative and cool; magnetic and engaging for the child; mind-expanding or educational; and an excellent value to the consumer.”
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.