Now, I'm normally the one who waxes lyrical at anything new that helps Print to reposition itself in this multi-channel communication world we live in but I just can't get excited about this development. In fact, I think it might do the image of print some harm. Firstly, however, let me congratulate the parties concerned for some innovative thinking and some brave execution. Presumably, because of production and distribution costs, only those living in Los Angeles and New York will get their copy of Entertainment Weekly with this 'state-of-the-art' Video-in-Print technology bound into the magazine on the 18th September (just after Print 09 finishes). Americhip, the creator, has trademarked the term 'Multisensorizing'; they are responsible for such things as singing greetings cards and other inserts that talk, sing, pop-up, smell, spin, twist and light-up. They do this for some serious global players and have been doing so for some time.
I hate to admit it but I remember 8 track tape in the late 60s and early 70s (my Dad had a system in the car - it was the iPod of it's day). However, unlike the iPod, it was a large, cumbersome device. There was very little choice of music recorded on this format. The tapes were hard to get hold of and took up too much space. Even then, it was pretty obvious that there would be other technologies that would replace it fairly soon. There is a lively trade for 8 track now as a retro novelty item!
Notwithstanding the first mover advantage and the PR generated because of the novelty factor (73,000 YouTube hits together with numerous tweets, blogs and forums), I do think this will go the same way as 8 Track. When we consider how many cell phones have both cameras and internet access now, and how many there will be in a few short years (according to the latest industry stats, by 2012, one third of the world's population will have a camera phone), the simple addition of a printed 2d barcode from one of the many vendors will render the 'Video-in-Print' approach obsolete. For those of you not familiar with this current technology (used extensively in Japan), your cell phone camera 'scans' a special barcode on the printed piece (or billboard or TV screen). The code sends your cell phone online to whatever video, website, rich text file or personalised landing page that was held within the code. This destination and content can be changed at will by the publisher and can also recognise in real-time (through GPS on the phone) where the consumer is and what information he or she is looking at. Assuming permission is granted, content and location-specific advertising can then be pushed, again in real-time, directly to the cell phone.
An alternative to 2d barcodes would be printed RFID tags which could interact with other wireless devices in what is known as the 'Internet of Things', coming soon to household appliances, cars, clothing, food and goodness knows what else!
There are other reasons I think 'Video-in-Print' will be short-lived:
- Cost of production and distribution
- Static content unless user 'pulls' new content
- Batteries will discharge over a short time-frame
- Nightmare to recycle
- Poor carbon footprint
- Limited image quality compared to HD coming on iPhone
- Limited versioning and no personalisation capability
- Unlikely you'd take it to the pub with you to show your mates
- It's too big and it's not even interactive
- Harry Potter's 'Daily Prophet' is more likely to happen on an e-reader
The danger to Print is that this will be perceived as yet another reason why Print is not eco-friendly. Some commentators, I'm sure, especially in online marketing companies competing for budget, will point to this as another reason to say that the printed page is losing the plot. I don't think this is the kind of exposure Print needs right now.
So I think Americhip will make some money on it in the short term, and I certainly want to get my hands on a magazine with this technology inserted. I'll keep it in pristine condition and advertise it on ebay in around 2013
Now is the time to take your printing business online.
www.w2p.co.uk
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