Economist hires firm to help it sell subscriptions

The Economist has hired Havas Digital to help it sell print, digital and iPad subscriptions, reports Kunur Patel of Advertising Age.

Patel writes, “It remains to be seen whether The Economist is moving toward accepting Apple’s terms for iPad subscriptions. When Apple introduced its iPad subscriptions system in February, many publishers balked, considering hurdles to gathering subscriber data and Apple scooping 30% of revenue. Popular Science was one publication to test the new system and has so far sold more than 10,000 iPad subscriptions

“So far The Economist is not selling subscriptions through Apple’s App Store under the plan Apple announced in February. Havas Digital declined comment on the matter. The Economist wasn’t able to comment immediately on deadline.

“Publishers, including The New York Times, have recently been testing digital subscriptions in attempts to cull new revenue streams. Right now, The Economist charges $110 for its digital subscription, which includes access to all online, mobile and iPad content. An annual print-plus-digital subscription goes for $127.”

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