Direct’s new magazine might seem a strange choice for a media launch in 2013, considering that retailers are generally busy battling it out over who can be the most digitally innovative.

Sports Direct’s new magazine might seem a strange choice for a media launch in 2013, considering that retailers are generally busy battling it out over who can be the most digitally innovative. But look a bit closer and it’s clear that the sports group is very much still in the technological race.

The retailer is using technology that allows shoppers to scan an image of a product in the magazine using their smartphone. The Sports Direct app will then take them directly to the mobile site to buy. This works on any image – ads, editorial pictures, or catalogue images.

This combination of engaging editorial content and a direct link to product pages is a winner, and the magazine is perhaps more likely to catch a shopper’s eye than a thick catalogue. It will be interesting to see if this editorial-led approach, normally the preserve of high-end and fashion retailers such as Net-a-Porter and Asos, will work with Sports Direct’s value proposition.