A Win for Adobe: Condé Nast Will Use It Instead of Rolling Its Own Tablet Magazines

Here’s a win for Adobe, which could use one: Condé Nast, which has been testing the software company’s tablet publishing tool against a homegrown version, is going to use Adobe’s offering instead.

The move isn’t a total surprise, as Condé and Adobe have been working together closely for more than a year. But Condé wasn’t convinced that using Adobe, and/or any outside software company at all, was the best way to go. And last spring’s Apple/Flash flare-up gave the publisher pause about going forward with Adobe. But that’s over now.

In practical terms, that means that iPad titles that Condé Nast has already published on its own, like GQ and Glamour, will be “reintroduced” using Adobe tools. And that Condé executive Scott Dadich, who spearheaded Condé’s first Adobe launch when he was creative director at Wired, is now an even shinier star.

Condé’s press release:

CONDÉ NAST WILL USE ADOBE TECHNOLOGY FOR DIGITAL MAGAZINE PRODUCTION

New York, N.Y., October 25, 2010 – Condé Nast plans to introduce digital replica editions across its portfolio of magazine brands using the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, it was announced today by Robert A. Sauerberg, Jr., President of Condé Nast.

This decision comes as the result of an ongoing R&D period that included the introduction of five digital replica apps using two different approaches and tools in order to gain maximum learning in this emerging area.  The company will continue to seek the best technologies to bring its award-winning content to market as platforms and devices emerge.

Digital editions of WIRED and The New Yorker are available for iPad and were created by the magazines using Adobe tools and workflows.  Brands with apps already in the market – GQ, Vanity Fair and Glamour – will be recreated using Adobe tools.

“The innovative work our in-house team at Condé Nast Digital did made us first to market with replicas on iPhone and iPad and has allowed significant learnings,” Mr. Sauerberg said.  “Our team considered many factors to ensure we had a platform that could be continually enhanced to meet the needs of our consumers and distributors.”

Joe Simon, Chief Technology Officer of Condé Nast, is participating in a keynote discussion about this announcement at MAX, Adobe’s annual worldwide conference taking place in Los Angeles today.

“We have always intended to deliver our content on a variety of platforms and devices, and the Adobe Design Suite will help us efficiently achieve the ‘author once, publish anywhere’ goal,” Mr. Simon noted.

Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, operates in 25 countries.  In the United States, Condé Nast publishes 18 consumer magazines, two trade publications and 27 websites that garner international acclaim and unparalleled consumer engagement.