Meredith to use Microsoft Tag mobile barcodes across its entire magazine portfolio beginning early 2012, aims to increase reader engagement with value-added digital content

Kendall Sinclair

NEW YORK , December 6, 2011 (press release) – Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP, www.meredith.com), the leading media and marketing company serving American women, announced plans today to make Microsoft Tag the 2D barcode standard across its portfolio of magazines, which reach nearly 80 million readers every month. The initiative, effective in early 2012, aims to provide readers with an easy to use and quality experience month after month, and increase engagement with value-added content behind the mobile barcodes.

Mobile barcodes, like Microsoft Tag, link physical objects to digital content by scanning a printed code with a mobile device. Meredith has already leveraged Microsoft's Tag technology across their network in publications including Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Ladies' Homes Journal, Traditional Home and Recipe.com to allow readers to watch how-to recipe videos, link to holiday decorations and gift ideas, connect with leading designers and decorators, and create special events and experiences for their families.

"We are excited to launch this initiative to standardize the 2D barcode experience for our readers," said Liz Schimel, EVP/Chief Digital Officer, Meredith. "We chose the Microsoft Tag platform, as it offers the innovation, scale and product features to create a dynamic and consistent experience for our readers across our published content."

"Microsoft Tag technology enables partners to offer rich, interactive mobile experiences and Meredith Corporation is a great example of a partner that has already employed hundreds of creative campaigns to make the most out of Tag," says Aaron Getz, Tag product unit manager at Microsoft Corp. "We're thrilled to extend our relationship with Meredith to drive a consistent 2D barcode experience across all of their publications and bring the magazine pages to life with added value at every turn."


About Meredith Corporation

Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP; www.meredith.com) is the leading media and marketing company serving American women. Meredith features multiple well-known national brands – including Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal, Fitness, More and American Baby – along with local television brands in fast-growing markets. Meredith is the industry leader in creating content in key consumer interest areas such as home, family, health and wellness and self-development. Meredith uses multiple distribution platforms – including print, television, online, mobile, tablets, and video – to give consumers content they desire and to deliver the messages of its marketing partners.

Additionally, Meredith uses its many assets to create powerful custom marketing solutions for many of the nation's top brands and companies. According to the Advertising Industry Reports (AIR) survey of more than 1,500 agency and marketing professionals, Meredith is the nation's "Highest Rated Media Company." Meredith has significantly added to its marketing solution capabilities in recent years through the acquisition of cutting-edge companies in areas such as digital, mobile, word-of-mouth, social and database marketing.

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