State of Lux

In recent weeks Wallpaper has begun testing out Augmented Reality via their website. Working in collaboration with artists and agencies, Wallpaper has developed a number of different AR applications promoted in the December newsstand issue and also in the latest limited edition fashion edition. The likes of James Alliban at Skive, design and branding consultancy Wolff Olins and pioneering AR developer Saqoosha have all contributed so far.

By their own admission, it is still very much early stages for Augmented Reality and as such the current crop of executions are quite limited. None of the examples we reviewed could be said to offer readers much additional value. But it’s good to see them exploring the potential of AR and introducing readers to what might lie ahead.

Wallpaper are not the only fashion magazine to test their hand at AR. Both Esquire and Colors have dedicated issues to AR in recent months. Colors went a step further than Wallpaper and used AR to extend the story-lines within their Teenagers edition. By using graphics alongside articles throughout the magazine, readers could view animation and extended interviews via a dedicated section on the Colors website. Their efforts certainly went some way to enhance the experience for readers.

But whilst many see this use of AR as an innovative way of improving editorial and user experience, most digital purists will argue that it makes little sense to marry print and AR together. After all, what’s the point of holding a magazine to your web-cam when you can simply visit the website to check out audio-visual content without the need of AR.

This argument may be true for the long term, but for now it is our view that any effort by publishers of print titles to add value to their readers and differentiate from their competitors can only have positive affect on their business, and ultimately the industry as a whole. We think it is really promising to see traditional publishers testing digital technologies. The future of the industry depends on it. Their efforts should be encouraged and supported, not thwarted.