• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, July 29, 2014

It’s a brave new world where printed posters can become interactive digital speakers, thanks to Crystal Light, country music singer Miranda Lambert and a British tech startup, Novalia, which has pioneered a new technology called “conductive ink.”
 
The diet drink brand is teaming up with Lambert to reach country music fans across the U.S. during her “Platinum” Tour with an innovative musical promotion. The campaign centers on posters displayed at Lambert’s concerts, which show an image of a record with an invitation to concertgoers to touch the poster and “spin” the record in order to hear tracks from her new album.
 
The backs of the posters, which were designed by VSA Partners, have all been treated with Novalia’s conductive ink, creating sensors that pick up electrical signals when someone touches it. The conductive ink sends the signal to a processor, also “printed” on the paper, which in turn activates an electric speaker on the back of the poster.
 
The campaign was orchestrated by creative agency Evol8tion, whose CEO and co-founder, Joseph Jaffe, stated: “Conductive ink changes the game by bringing printed out-of-home and point-of-sale creative to life. This kind of early stage innovation surprises and delights consumers and turns events into truly interactive experiences.”
 
Novalia founder Kate Stone stated: “Once consumers touch a product, we have observed that they are significantly more likely to purchase or remember it, and this is what conductive ink enables for printed graphics. Posters create high visibility, while sound is what the concert experience is all about.”
 
Lambert’s “Platinum” Tour kicked off on July 10 and is scheduled to visit 30 cities across the U.S. through September .