Ink (company)

Ink

Industry	Travel media Inflight magazines Trade publications
Founded	1994
Founder	Michael Keating Simon Leslie
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Number of employees	420[1]
Website	www.ink-global.com

Ink, or Ink Global, is a British travel media publishing and technology company. Founded in 1994, Ink is the largest travel media publishing company in the world.^[1] Ink publishes 26 inflight magazines for 20 airlines worldwide, as of January 2015.^[2] The company's 100 magazines, publications, and other media products currently reach more than 775 million global consumers annually.^[1][2] Ink Global is headquartered in West Hampstead, London.^[2]

Between 2013 and 2015, Ink acquired the rights for several additional inflight magazines, including the publications for Hong Kong Express Airways, Norwegian Air, as well as United Airlines' Hemispheres magazine.^[2] In August 2014, American Airlines transferred production of its inflight magazine, American Way, from its in-house unit, AA Publishing, to Ink Global.^[3][4] American Way, which reaches approximately 193 million people annually, was relaunched by Ink in January 2015 as one of the company's largest publications.^[3][5][6]

Overview

Ink was founded in 1994 by Simon Leslie and Michael Keating^[7] to service two small airlines, one in the Middle East, British Mediterranean Airways,^[1] and other in Africa.

As of 2015, the company has grown to work with over 27 media clients, producing magazines, travel document advertising (targeted advertising), mobile apps and online properties. Ink employs over 300 people around the world to create more than 100 media products.

Products

Ink Global's products include:

• 25 inflight magazines in 8 different languages for over 27 airline, rail and hotel partners worldwide ^[8]
• Magazine websites and digital editions available on mobile and tablet ^[9]
• 20+ targeted advertising options across print-at-home boarding passes, airline mobile apps, booking confirmation emails, itinerary emails and pre-departure reminders for over 12 airline and booking partners
• 1 airline mobile apps allowing users to book travel, extras and check-in from their Android and iOS devices
• Digital advertising across airline and travel web pages

In addition, Ink conducts global passenger research.^[10] Ink is currently headquartered in London, with key offices in Miami, New York, São Paulo, Singapore.

Business

Magazines

Ink publishes over 25 magazines produced in 8 languages across Europe, the United States and Central America, Africa, Asia, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.^[11] Ink is responsible for many publications both online and offline such as Hemispheres Magazine,^[12] American Way,^[13] Cebu Smile ^[14] and many more.

Targeted Advertising Platform

Ink’s Targeted Advertising (TAD) technology enables advertising to be customized to specific types of passengers based on origin, destination, gender, nationality, age, language, cabin class, fare type and frequent flyer status.

Advertising

In addition to its magazine business, Ink produces personalised advertising on print-at-home boarding passes and confirmation emails,^[15] and tailored inflight eMagazines.It sells advertising in over 100 countries in the form of magazines, retail catalogues, entertainment guides, and websites, print-at-home boarding passes, itineraries and confirmation emails as well as mobile apps.It also sells media space on headrest covers, table trays, menus, timetables and seat-backs for airlines.

Travel Documents

Ink offers advertising space on travel documents using their proprietary targeted advertising platform. Their range of travel documents includes print-at-home boarding passes, itineraries and booking confirmations.

Technology & Mobile

Ink create travel apps for iOS and Android platforms that allow airline passengers to book future travel, check-in and obtain mobile boarding passes among other key functions. To date, Ink has launched Mobile apps for Jetstar and Cebu Pacific.

Digital Advertising

The targeted advertising platform also offers Ink’s advertiser partners a unique way of targeting and retargeting consumers across all digital devices, from airline proprietary sites and mobile apps to third party sites through programmatic buying.

Additional Airline Advertising

Ink has multiple media space opportunities with chosen partner airlines. These include plane wraps, inflight entertainment guides, headrest covers, table trays, menus, timetables, seat-backs, check-in and on-board product sampling and in-cabin announcements.

Partners List

Ink's client list includes:

• Aer Lingus
• Air Macau (air Macau Magazine) ^[16]
• airberlin (airberlin Magazin) ^[17]
• AirClub (AirClub Magazine) ^[18]
• American Airlines (American Way Magazine) ^[19] (Nexos) ^[20] (Celebrated Living) ^[21]
• American Express
• Bangkok Airways (Fah Thai) ^[22]
• Brussels Airlines (b.inspired) ^[23]
• Cebu Pacific (Smile Magazine) ^[24]
• Dusit International (Eight Magazine)
• Bangkok Airways (Fah Thai) ^[25]
• easyJet (easyJet Traveller) ^[26]
• Eurostar (Metropolitan Magazine) ^[27]
• Eurowings (Wings Magazine) ^[28]
• HK Express
• Jazeera Airways (J Magazine) ^[29]
• KLM
• NokScoot (AWESOME Magazine)
• Norwegian Air Shuttle (n by Norwegian Magazine) ^[30]
• Philippines Airlines (Mabuhay Magazine) ^[31]
• PrivatAir (PrivatAir Magazine) ^[32]
• Thomas Cook (Thomas Cook Travel Magazine) ^[33]
• Scoot (Scoot Magazine) ^[34]
• Tigerair (Tiger Tales Asia) ^[35]
• United Airlines (Hemisphere Magazine) ^[36] (Rhapsody Magazine) ^[37]
• Wizz Air (Wizz Magazine)^[38]

Controversies

In 2009 the budget airline easyJet has been forced to withdraw almost 300,000 copies of its in-flight magazine because of protests over its use of Holocaust memorial sites as a backdrop for a fashion feature. An eight-page spread in the November edition of the magazine, easyJet Traveller, depicted models posing at the Jewish Museum in Berlin and leaning against the pillars of the Holocaust memorial.^[39]

References