Sun-Herald tackles 3D football lift-out

State of Origin prompts Fairfax newspaper, the Sun-Herald, to print special 3D lift-out.

Last weekend’s edition of the paper came with a free set of 3D glasses to view the four-page lift-out of the New South Wales players in the lead up to this week’s game. One page was devoted to a 3D advertisement from retail giant, Harvey Norman, to promote its new 3D television.

According to Shaun Morgan, manager at Fairfax 360 Creative Media Solutions this is the first time the Sun-Herald has printed in 3D and came as a result of the company developing its 3D capabilities at Fairfax Media, through Fairfax 360, over the last four-five months.

“As a business we see it as important to deliver innovation that answers a need or has a distinct strategic fit for an advertiser, rather than producing for the sake of creating a gimmick. Therefore we had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself around 3D,” he told Print21.

“When Channel Nine announced it would be broadcasting the State of Origin in 3D, we recognised that this was the perfect opportunity to bring the technology to our readers as well. For this reason the Sun-Herald partnered with Harvey Norman who are recognised as the lead technology innovators when it comes to 3D television, and are also sponsors of the State or Origin. The perfect fit between the brands and the technology meant the Sun-Herald could deliver the reader an engaged experience around a subject they were interested in.”

After the hype of movies released in 3D, such as Avatar, the medium has gained momentum and popularity. Some publications, however, have printed 3D editions well before. Two years ago, lad’s mag, Zoo, printed a 3D issue which editor, Paul Merrill, reckoned was a ripper. “The whole idea … is to have some sort of interaction with the consumer which 3D does," he said.

Morgan told Print21 that the current issue of the Sun-Herald sold strongly. “The response from readers and the newsagents has been overwhelmingly positive, with some newsagents exhausting their supply of glasses and additional orders of them being requested, so as to make readers could follow the 3D State of Origin images that were being published in The Sydney Morning Herald, the Monday to Wednesday following,” he said.