Thanks to mobile, the line separating digital and print is continuing to blur. Entertainment Weekly recently included smartphone technology in 1,000 special versions of its October 5 print edition. The technology supports "one-of-a-kind" digital ads for the CW network's new action shows The Arrow and Emily Owens, M.D. Video clips of the shows followed by relevant, real-time tweets are displayed to readers, adding a novel level of variability to once static print magazines. 

The smartphone hardware powering these ads runs on Android. It also has an LED screen, a live USB port, boasts 3G connectivity, a camera and full QWERTY keyboard. Hacks on the device have let curious techies take blurry photos (the device has no camera lens) and even make phone calls. 

This execution not only shows the possibilities for 2D ads moving forward, but also demonstrates the infiltration of smartphone technology into the mainstream. Expect to see advertisers applying this method of connectivity to out-of-home ad spaces such as bus shelters, posters and signs. Print and out-of-home ads will also become tailored to the context in which they are read. These placements have the potential to know where viewers are on the map, the weather there, whether or not they're on-the-go, the time of day, elevation and more. 

As smartphone prices continue to drop, we'll likely begin to see an increase in sophistication of these connected print ads. One day, your next magazine purchase could be your next mobile phone purchase too.  

via Mashable

As of today, Intel has nearly eight million Facebook fans. Its Twitter followers have reached over 173K. While dynamic content is at the heart of a strong social media following like this, Intel's large and highly engaged audience is thanks to more than brand and fan activity alone. Chatter is also boosted online thanks to various customizable executions that are inherently social and easily sharable.

This week Intel launched its "What About Me?" personalized infographic execution. Participants can log onto the dedicated webpage and connect with Twitter, YouTube and/or Facebook. A personalized infographic illustrating information like when they use the networks, people they communicate with and popular posts are then displayed in an easily sharable way.

Intel also created a similar experience called "Museum of Me" in 2011. Participants can connect their Facebook accounts within an app on the brand's website to view a short movie that includes text and photos pulled from the viewer's account. The custom video is also easily sharable to Facebook friends.

Executions like these are beneficial to brands for a number of reasons. Primarily, these efforts are a way to connect the brand with fans at a deeper and more meaningful level. This, in turn, promotes sharing of branded content organically on social networks. Additionally, increased website traffic is generated by housing these experiences on the brand-owned website. And finally, launching applications like these are a great way to get reputable bloggers talking, too.

Companies looking to beef up online conversations and/or...