SI today will begin activation of what execs are calling its “biggest Swimsuit launch ever.” Both the print edition, featuring model Hannah Davis on the cover, and the companion digital assets formally debut today. SI declined to specify overall revenue or the advertising page count for this year’s Swimsuit edition, citing financial regulations relating to the recent spinoff of Time Inc. from Time Warner. This year’s Swimsuit issue will be 220 overall pages, down from 252 last year for the 50th anniversary issue. But Time Inc. Sports Group Publisher Brendan Ripp said the page count drop has been more than compensated for by an exponential increase in live, public events surrounding this year’s Swimsuit launch. SI has planned a two-day fan festival today and tomorrow in N.Y.'s Herald Square, followed by another two-day festival in Nashville Wednesday and Thursday involving 13 live bands. The two events build meaningfully from a tie-in last year to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami. “To go from a few hundred people last year in Miami to a total expected turnout this week north of 40,000 people, that’s unbelievable,” Ripp said. “We’ve made it a clear priority to make Swimsuit a much more experiential happening, and what we’re doing in Herald Square and Nashville is tangible proof of that. There is a real big event strategy to what we’re doing with Swimsuit now.” Official marketing partners for this year’s Swimsuit activations include the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., Lexus, Old Spice, Schick, Smith & Forge Hard Cider, and Maui Jim sunglasses. SI is also aggressively cross-promoting this year’s Swimsuit issue with other Time Inc. outlets and partners such as People, Entertainment Weekly and 120 Sports, which is planning live digital video reports from the two festivals. Athletes featured in this year’s Swimsuit issue include MMA fighter Ronda Rousey and tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.
