Dive Brief:

• Just days after many obituaries were written for in-flight catalog SkyMall, one of its advertisers is in talks to possibly bring it back.

• ScottEVest CEO Scott Jordan, whose company sells travel gadgets and apparel, says that he's in discussions with SkyMall parent company Xhibit Corp., that they are under a non-disclosure agreement, and that no bids have been made.

• He did say that his “plan is to bring SkyMall into the digital age.”

Dive Insight:

SkyMall never really made the moves into e-commerce that could have saved it, especially when so many airports and airlines offer WiFi, even in the sky. But it’s possible that Jordan would have to address the catalog’s offerings as well as its logistics, considering that merchandise likely garnered more jokes than orders. Jordan says he’s more interested in buying the brand than the operations.

“We’ve seen how they operate and know many of the problems their system has that led to their demise,” Jordan says. “My plan is to bring SkyMall into the digital age by working closely with the airlines and in-flight Internet providers. The fundamental business model needs to shift away from an overly complicated fulfillment platform to a streamlined referral, advertising and affiliate setup. The plan will allow the new SkyMall to be profitable from day one.”