Hidden In Plain View12.05.09
I’m sure you can probably make out the message hidden in the above album cover for the seminal band Soulwax – but try clicking on it and viewing it in full size. At standard viewing distance, the message is almost impossible to pick out, but if you take a step back (well actually more like five or six) boom…the message comes out of nowhere. And if you are like me, left exclaiming “awesome!”
This moment of discovery, that “awesome!” moment, or SMOT (second moment of truth) in marketing jargon, is a crucial juncture for the presentation of any product, art, music, or literature. You may be moved to initially interact with something based on its aesthetics or positioning (unsurprisingly called the “first moment of truth” or FMOT), but it is the SMOT which can move a product experience from good to “awesome!” and create that meaningful user connection that all marketers strive for (hence the appeal of ARGs).
A great example of SMOT in action is GE’s Smartgrid campaign, which is aimed at extolling all the ways the company is exploring renewable energy. While the presentation and execution are second to none, it isn’t until you explore the Augmented Reality portion of the website that the SMOT is created. Why? simply put, the user gets to interact and make discoveries on their own. It is that interaction and participation which defines the SMOT and really makes a piece shine.
But enough about marketing mumbo-jumbo.
Today I came across a post on Today and Tomorrow outlining the work of one Sieger Duinkerken, who created a brilliant set of invitations for an exhibit in The Netherlands, and instantly reminded me of the Soulwax “illusions’ and the SMOT. While the card itself looks like a cool jumble of type, it isn’t until you overlay the provided stroked transparency to see the true message, and even see it animated! Too cool. Check out this video of the invitation in action:
Now THAT is how to create a unique user experience! Kind of like a new-age hologram 
Needless to say, I had to try this out for myself, so I created a 5×7 test card which incorporated the animation of the exhibit piece, but doesn’t have the two-way messages. This means that while it is quite easy to see the message without the stroked film, you still get cool the animated effect and some great type interplay.
Once everything was created, I made a shoddy 4-frame animation of the animation process with my cell phone, which you can seen below. While this doesn’t come close to the experience of manipulating the slides in your hands, it does give a somewhat accurate idea of what the animation process looks like.
I am starting to think of all sorts of strange and wonderful ways this could be implemented, and if anyone has any ideas I’d love to hear them!
