London — Speed-maniac Google has just unveiled its own full-length impressively designed 68-page collection of interviews and articles magazine in the UK, called Think Quarterly, as an extension of the communications for Google U.K. advertisers and partners and online to everybody else, according to the site.
As the name indicates, the publication comes out four times a year. Google dubs Think Quarterly as “a breathing space in a busy world. It is a place to take time out and consider what is happening and why it matters.”
Think Quarterly, out of its operations in the U.K. and Ireland, states that “in a world of stimulating change, we all need to take time to reflect.”
The first issue of the publication is already freely available online as well as for mobile devices, and focuses primarily on data, including data obesity, data impotence, data overload and open data.
“Think Quarterly is a unparalleled communications tool that bundles together some of the world’s leading minds to discuss the big issues facing businesses today,” the magazine says on its Twitter bio.
The online magazine comes bundled with gorgeously designed graphics, and a sleek online interface that prominently features large photos and illustrations that is a pleasure to peruse. Moreover, the major article in the 62-page publication is a reflection upon Vodafone CEO Guy Laurence’s understanding on data overload. Composed by Google staffers as well as freelancers, the magazine’s stories vary in topic and scope, though they all adhere to the main theme of data.
“Like most companies, Google constantly communicates with its business customers via email newsletters, updates on our official blogs, and printed materials,” Google writes on the site. “On this occasion, we have sent a short book about data, called Think Quarterly, to a small number of our UK partners and advertisers.”
Furthermore, Google’s foray into original publishing features the work of journalists, academics, and executives, with articles digging into data obesity, information overload, mobile sources of data, and the history of data capture.
The material is a mix of infographic, interview and essay, with a keen eye to theory, practice, and history. There is also an interview with Google’s chief economist Hal Varian, an write-up about Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, and more.
“At Google, we often think that speed is the forgotten ‘killer application’ — the components that can differentiate winners from the rest,” managing director Matt Brittin introduces the publication.
Nevertheless, News Grange also mentioned that the magazine was not an in-house project for Google and is powered by London-based publishing platform Issuu. Think Quarterly was designed by creative agency The Church of London, whose other clients include companies like Volkswagen, Activision, and Hyundai.
The magazine’s Twitter feed says it launched on March 21, though there is no mention of the magazine on Google’s blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page or newsroom. The next issue drops in May, but the company states that they have “no plans to start selling copies” emphasizing that the magazine is “firmly aimed at Google’s partners and advertisers.”
The publication tweets at ThinkQuarterly.