CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Playboy magazine’s South African edition is going completely digital.
The move away from print began with the May issue, but the decision was made last July. The magazine is reportedly one of the fastest growing digital magazines and has boosted the publication’s web traffic.
Playboy said it is also abandoning print in order to cater to readers who prefer anonymity digital delivery offers. "In part, because in a country where many people still have reservations about being seen buying their favorite magazine publicly, digital offers a more private readership experience," managing editor Tanya Goodman said.
Die-hard print collectors can still get their hands on the U.S. edition of Playboy that will be available in a few select stores from the fourth quarter of the year along with a special series of back issue collections from June onwards, according to BizCommunity.com
"The shift in strategy we introduced in the second half of last year is now bearing fruit," editor-in-chief, Charl du Plessis said. "We have shifted from being a single-platform print medium towards a multi-platform vehicle offering the full 360 experience.”
He added, “Our events and activations are sophisticated and fun and in partnership with the right kind of upmarket establishments. Our social media approaches 150,000 Facebook fans, 25,000 Twitter followers and 100,000 Twitter followers between the corporate and Playmate identities. Our web traffic growth continues with double digits monthly."
