Allrecipes.qc.ca, the new French-language version of the popular food website Allrecipes.com, launched this week with an enhanced platform and new interactive features for advertisers.

The new site, operated by Readers Digest Canada along with its English-language sister Allrecipes.ca, is part of a global network of Allrecipes sites. It’s built on an upgraded version of an international platform that debuted in a handful of countries last year, and features expanded social media functionality with a new community message board called The Fridge.

Kraft Canada signed on as an exclusive launch partner, a deal that extends through the first four months of the site’s operation. The centerpiece of the sponsorship deal is access to the new social media community, which allows sponsors – in this case, Kraft – to set up a profile, post recipes and interact with the community.

‘It’s a lot more powerful than just having an ad on the site,’ Yann Paquet, director of digital media at Readers Digest Canada, tells MiC. ‘It’s really getting connected with the people on the site through their profiles and [having] a real conversation with them.’

Kraft’s sponsorship also includes banner advertising, text links, integrated Kraft recipes and ingredients and additional advertising in Selection magazine and its website. These opportunities will be opened up to other advertisers at the conclusion of Kraft’s deal.

Targeted at the 25- to 54-year-old female demo, Allrecipes.ca attracts more then two million unique visitors monthly, of which about 150,000 are from Quebec. Building a French-language site made sense from both a consumer and an advertising point of view, says Paquet.

‘A lot of the buys are national so it totally made sense to launch it in French also. We have a great base in the French market with Selection.ca, and French advertisers are looking for a French website with a food affinity.’

Promotion of the site’s launch will be done via the Reader’s Digest properties in Canada, including Selection and its site, and Reader’s Digest emails and newsletters.

www.allrecipes.qc.ca
www.allrecipes.com