Cond Nast Suspends New Website Launches Indefinitely; Razorfish Loses An Assignment?
This story was written by David Kaplan.
Cond Nast's plans to build out new websites for mags such as Details have been suspended for an indefinite period, according to AgencySpy, which cited an unidentified source. A high level source at the company tells me that aside from Details, Conde Nast had been planning on creating several independent sites for a number of its mags next year, including GQ and Conde Nast Traveler. The two mags have respective web presences on CondNet portals Men.Style.com, which also houses Details, and Concierge.com. The company has been cutting back on a number of projects deemed "ancillary" since it ordered its magazines to slice their budgets 5 percent at the end of October.
Maurie Perl, a Cond Nast rep, told me that there were no deadlines for the new sites. "It was always a very fluid situation," she said. "Details and the other magazines still have a strong web presence. But there have been no final decisions on whether to go forward or hold back. All parts of the company have to take a look at their resources, given the economic climate we find ourselves in."
-- Another blow to Razorfish?: AgencySpy also mentioned that Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) interactive marketing shop Razorfish was working on the new Details site. The cancellation of a high profile job would be another blow to the agency, which just cut another 36 jobs at its west coast offices on top of the 40 let go in New York two months ago, John Cook reported. When I asked Perl if Razorfish was working with the company, she said she couldn't comment.
By David Kaplan