It’s the end of an incredible decade, and a fresh beginning to a new one. In this special issue of Engage, TMG looks ahead at the next year of content marketing and custom media and predicts the five ways that content will change this year. If you get even one great idea, Engage is worth reading and watching.

INDUSTRY BUZZ

New Mobile Innovations for Magazines

Got a smart phone? Then you’ve got a scanner in your pocket, and publishers are using those devices to make it easier to get interactive information straight from their magazine’s pages. Sports Illustrated is even using barcodes to promote the upcoming swimsuit issue, according to MediaWeek. Check out The New York Times’ roundup of magazines and mobile innovations.

CES Show Debuts Magazine Readers

Last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas saw the debut of nearly 100 new e-readers and tablet devices. Check out The New York Times’ video and recap of the show. But even with new devices debuting from H.P., Lenovo, and Plastic Logic, all eyes are on Apple and its tablet, rumored to be announced later this month.

Branded Content Proven More Effective

Some advertising might not be as influential as it was in years past, but custom publishing broke all records last year. Seventy percent of companies said branded content was more effective than television advertising; 61% said it was more effective than direct mail and 57% said it was more effective than public relations, according to a recent study by the Custom Publishing Council in conjunction with ContentWise.

Logo, Schmogo?

AOL and Expedia both rebranded this month, and reviews are mixed. Check out AOL’s new funky design and Expedia's new so-called bland look. Will these go the way of the Tropicana controversy? We love this look at the best and worst logo changes, and the 20 best logos, of 2009.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

How Content Will Change This Year

We spent the last month looking back at the first decade, and now we’re ready to look forward. What’s going to happen in the custom media industry in 2010? Do we need to get out our credit cards to read content online? Change our magazine format to read better on the new tablets? Start looking for a return on those viral videos?

In this featured video, your favorite TMGers predict the five ways content will change this year. Communications Manager Rebecca Loveridge predicts new devices will put the emphasis back on original, quality content. Principal Richard Creighton believes people will start paying for content. Video Publishing Director Kate Ottenberg says publishers will focus on ROI with online video programming. Washington Flyer Editor Michael McCarthy says magazines will walk back from the plank. Social Media Director Andrew Hanelly believes social media will get fragmented.

Check out the video, then tell us how you think content will change in 2010 on the Engage blog.

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