Technology and Brand: Joe Simon Discusses Condé Nast’s Digital Strategy
Folio: Mag recently interviewed Joe Simon, CTO of Condé Nast to understand how Simon, who previously worked at Viacom, views the strategic interplay between technology and brand at Condé Nast. Some interesting themes emerged in this interview.
Simon’s view point is that technology is endemic to every part of a publisher’s business – advertising/ sales, editorial, design and production, etc., and can no longer be siloed from the core, day to day running of a publishing house. Technology must be the foundation on which brands continue to thrive and expand in hyper connected societies in which readers expect content whenever and wherever they demand it. This notion of highly dynamic, highly available content has been further fueled by the surge in mobile adoption, the maturing of social tools, the easy accessibility of video players and the crucial role of CMS. According to Simon, smart publishing companies are using technology to redefine the boundaries of their business as well as understand that technology is directly influencing the need for new business models in order to take advantage of the digital revolution.
The Evolution of Supporting Technology
At the heart of Condé Nast’s technology platform is Adobe Creative Suite including InDesign and Digital Publishing Suite, which make technology accessible to brands that can more easily create, publish and optimize content across leading mobile platforms. This has allowed Condé Nast to take the next step in transforming itself from a print publisher to a leading media company. Read the detailed interview here.
