Mail plans Internet guide to push Femail website launch

The Daily Mail is to run a two-part part work on the Internet with editorial devoted to the launch of a website for women, Femail.co.uk, by sister company Associated New Media (ANM).

The Mail’s Online Guide, a full-colour, 40-page, A5 booklet, will appear inside the Mail on Saturday magazine on January 6 and 13. The part work will be supported by a TV ad, which breaks on Friday.

The booklet will feature an introduction to the Femail.co.uk site, which also launches on Saturday backed by an on and offline press campaign. The site takes its name from the Femail section of the Daily Mail which is devoted to women.

Charlotte Street, ANM’s previous venture into online women’s editorial, becomes the interactive channel of Femail.co.uk, featuring chat rooms.

ANM hopes to rival women’s portals such as iVillage, IPC Media’s BeMe.com and Handbag.com, which is backed by Hollinger Telegraph New Media and Boots.

ANM head of marketing Anne Boundford, who oversees a team of five marketers, says: “We are hoping to build on the existing [newspaper] brand’s loyalty and recognition. This is really having our cake and eating it. We want to extend the brand’s style and value online.”

The site will initially seek revenue from advertisers but hopes to develop an e-commerce strategy. Launch partners include shopping portal Zoom.co.uk and Teletext.

ANM’s other online ventures include jobseeker’s site BigBlueDog.com, This Is London and This Is Money guides, and property site Underoneroof.com.