Digital Driver - Daren Benzi

June 4, 2009

DIGITAL DRIVER
This is another in a series of exclusive interviews with magazine executives responsible for leveraging their brands on digital platforms.

Two words. Plastic Logic. The company was created in 2000 by researchers from the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory with the goal of becoming the global leader in plastic electronics. So far, the company has received more than $200 million in funding from leading international technology firms and investors such as Intel. When asked to describe the company in five words, Daren Benzi, Vice President, Business Development wrote: “Revolutionize how people consume information.” Benzi, who has over 15 years of business development, sales and strategic business partnership experience, talked to us about Plastic Logic’s first product ever – the eReader-- and a paperless society.

Are you pro-paperless society?

That’s a very interesting question.  We were recently featured in Fortune Magazine under the story headline “The End of Paper.”

It’s not our goal to rid the world of paper but we can offer very efficient alternatives to paper in many cases – whether it’s for our publishing partners or the self-publishing needs of our customers. The very nature of the eReader is to provide a mechanism where analog paper content and information can be consumed more efficiently in a digital environment. I believe that this represents a new opportunity for publishers, especially magazine publishers because of the size of our display. With our eReader, we can create a magazine reading experience that is similar to what the customer is used to experiencing with the paper version of the publication. That’s very important to us and to our customers. In addition to publishing content, our device also holds and displays work products such as PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Excel spreadsheets, memos and more.

We know from industry research that office workers throw away 45% of everything they print within a day. This equates to more than a trillion pages of paper every year. The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year, according to studies by the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance. Our product can and will help limit this type of wasted paper. It may not provide for a total paperless society but the overall efficiencies that it can deliver are significant.

Who will want the eReader?

We want to deliver the best mobile reading experience in our market. We’re attempting to pioneer a new product and a new industry at the same time. We built our own factory, product, and are now finalizing our content delivery platform. While it’s still unknown how fast the eReader market may expand and grow, there does seem to be a vibrant consumer demand. Couple this with the fact that major media companies are interested in investing in eReader devices and the rising interest level of publishers in the segment, and I think that we have the right trends in place for accelerated market growth.  

What will it (the future) look like?

It’s a thin, light, robust, and easy to use device with a large display, unique form factor, and intuitive touch screen user interface. It will provide access to a great selection of content across books, newspapers and magazines. Pictures and demonstrations of the product are available on our web site.  

Where do you think newspapers and magazines will be in 5 years?

If I had to speculate, I think that they will no longer be considered just newspaper or magazine companies. Instead, they will be known as content publishing companies -- providing high value content across multiple platforms.

Delivery mechanisms and business models will change, but great companies will find ways to adapt and we are seeing that now with newspaper and magazine businesses. Our goal is to position ourselves as one of the possible solutions for newspaper and magazine companies when they weigh their options.

What fascinates you in publishing right now?

The transformation that is taking place in the industry right now is no doubt challenging, but I’m fascinated by some of the future applications and business models that are being developed. I was recently in a building of a major publisher and was shown how many platforms that they reach with their content and it was amazing to think that they’re just getting started. I have always been motivated by building new markets and creative business models.  It's the one underlying theme of my career. 

Interview by Dara Pettinelli