They are doing some amazing things with paper these days, and designers are not just thinking outside the box, they are inventing whole new containers.
Take the recent Microsoft ad project in Forbes Magazine that is a completely portable, wireless hot spot with a range of up to 10 meters.
“Marketing agency Americhip who has specialized in multichannel solutions gave readers [of] Forbes instant internet access through printed paper,” explains an article in the Drupa blog. “Together with Microsoft’s media agency Starcom, they inserted a supplement in selected copies of the magazine that created a Wi-Fi connection right on the spot.”
The gizmo is powered by high capacity lithium batteries, with a run time of about three to four hours. Enough to get some serious work done on the beach. Or wherever.
And while a spokesperson for Americhip concedes that this ad cost the company “a bit more” than your basic print ad, if they can get this kind of buzz from it it’s worth every penny.
Check out the video to see how it works; it’s the perfect integration of two media channels, and demonstrates a future in which print and digital work perfectly well together.