Secrets of the Catalog Master
Vol. MMVI No. 4 July 2006
(Continued--page 3)
Postcards from the Near Edge
More futurism and insights to what is coming
by Don Libey
After the last issue and the article on the future evolution of the Internet and its convergence with television, I received many emails and calls asking how to go about preparing for the changes that are coming. Here are a few more insights to jog your imagination and give you a further glance into the very real, near-future of the multichannel marketing experience.
The Multi-Media Convergence
This will require you to think differently.
Look at catalogs, newspapers, books, solo pieces, envelopes—actually any combination of ink, paper and content—as a living being. This ‘being’ is currently somewhat ignored. Newspaper circulation is in the tank, magazines are becoming niche publications serving smaller markets, advertising is dropping, fewer catalogs are being hinted at, solos don’t do that well, envelopes simply signal another bill that must be paid or another bureaucracy that wants to intrude on your privacy. Printed media is an old media. It is not fast or interactive. It lacks personality and immediacy, lacks ‘one-ness’ with me. The living being—let’s call it Print—will soon be pushed into the Great Dismal Swamp unless it does something to transition it into the Now of Wow. Print is fighting for its life. Print is a bit of a wallflower, not being asked to dance very much. And, to make matters worse, Print compared to Online is an expensive media being. High maintenance. And, to tap in another coffin nail, Print requires a constant parasitic friend, Mr. Postage.
Against this backdrop of evolution, we have observed over the past ten years the media-conversion that has led to the growth of the Internet, cable TV, cellular telecom, WI-FI, I-pod, satellite delivery, instant messaging, and myriad technologies vaulting media convergence into the forefront of technology consciousness. In fact, in an astounding revelation about where the next generations are headed, a recent survey of high school students and their ability to write produced the following conclusion: “Why should we learn to write? We can already instant message and we can use keyboards. Dude, handwriting is obsolete.” The converged future is totally sensory.
Now, Print knows this. Mr. Postage is still clueless, but Print has come around to the idea that some changes have to be made if there is going to be any kind of future for the kids, Little Ink and Little Paper. So, Print has consulted the oracles and several leading universities and a bunch of wheel-heeled venture capitalists and may have figured out how to fit into the future.
It’s All about Ink
In the not too distant future, ink will blend with radio frequency ID and WI-FI, or similar technologies, and will be printed on paper with the ability to make catalogs talk.
That’s right: Talkalogs. You heard it here first.
The concept is simply figuring out how to embed wireless connections and energy sources in ink so that it can be applied directly to paper in an intentional way. Imagine, if you will, a photo printed on a golfing catalog page of a leather golf bag and, with WI-FI point and click technology, say in your cell phone or hand-held, you receive a pre-determined audio message directly from the photo on the page.
“Hi, Don. This is Tiger Woods. When you get to the top of your game, nothing says it like a great leather bag made from fine Italian calf. Here’s a beautiful, hand-made bag I think you’ll really appreciate. Plus, it matches your briefcase you recently purchased from us, Don”
Skip to the photo of the three-piece luggage set and you get another audio message:
“Hi, this is Tiger Woods. Thanks for visiting with me again, Don. When attending next year’s Masters, be sure to travel with my new Masters Travel Suite. And, if you will click ‘connect’ on your hand-held right now, I’ll make sure this is sent to you today and there will be no shipping charges. That’s today—July 17th only. Thanks for your support. See you at Augusta!”
RFID technology can power transmissions now directly from tags and labels. It’s a small step to micro-embedding this type of technology in ink and applying it selectively on paper. With the interactive capacity of cell phones, hand-helds, I-Pods MP technology and other stuff coming online, the catalog turns into a radio and television station customized for specific niche audiences, perhaps even specific customers:
“Hi, Don. This is Tiger. We met last year at the Masters. Hey, take a look at my new luggage. Order in the next hour—by 4:00 p.m. today—Tuesday—there in Des Moines, and I’ll send you a set of my personally autographed luggage tags—Free. Thanks, Don. Are you going to be at Augusta this year? Love to see you again.”
This technology opens up immense opportunities for entirely new concepts of creative and design and merchandising. The catalog assumes an aural and sensory second dimension. Through the use of video interface, it could quickly move to the third dimension. Product becomes alive, as close to touching and holding as possible, magnitudes beyond the static photo on the static page.
If you think back to 1983, you will remember a time when there were no PCs, no Internet, no video streaming, no I-Pods, no Blackberries, no DVD, no DishNetwork, really none of the things that were considered outré and sci-fi in that year. So why would you think this concept is really so weird?
Read What an Advertising Soothsayer Says
Here is a fascinating glimpse of what is available out there—right now. Scott G is a futurist advertising expert who specializes in alternative media convergences.
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