15 Absurdly Clever Interactive Print Ads

backtovAs digital advertising has eaten into traditional budgets and strategies, sometimes it seems that the creativity of print ad creators has waned. Fortunately, an article from Hubspot helps prove that this is not the case.

“Print ads were once the standard format for creative advertising. But as more and more advertising dollars are allocated to digital outlets, print advertising is seen as an expensive, untrackable, traditional media format,” writes Jami Oetting in “15 Clever Examples of Interactive Print Ads.”

“You would think the category is void of innovative ideas, but that’s certainly not the case. In fact, many brands are finding new ways to merge the digital and physical world through magazine and newspaper ads,” Oetting continues.

Take, for instance, the beer ad that was made with salt crystals. The ad shows readers how to soak the ad in water and wrap it around a beer bottle, then place it in the freezer to help speed up the chilling process.

We’ve already covered the Nivea kid-tracker wristband that won kudos last summer, and the Kontor Record promotion that turns your iPhone into a virtual needle to play a vinyl record.

Peugeot makes a statement with an ad that you punch, releasing the tiny air bag on the next page. And Lladro has created a pop-up two-page spread that transforms into a working lamp. Amazing.

At the intersection of print and new technology is a wide open field of creativity. Just imagine what we’ll see next.