On Sale Now: Books With Disappearing Ink

By on June 28, 2012 in News 22

Personally I like to go back to my books and find the text still there, but apparently books whose text disappears in two months are a hit. Louise Goddard reports for The Verge:

Ad agency Draftcb has won gold at the Cannes PR Lions for an innovative publishing concept, using disappearing ink to print books that gradually fade away over the course of two months. Dubbed “The Book That Can’t Wait,” the format — an intriguing one in a world increasingly dominated by Kindles and Nooks — is being pioneered by independent Argentinian publishing house Eterna Cadencia, which is using it to promote new authors. As the promo video (below) points out, “if people don’t read their first books, they’ll never make it to a second.”

The specially-developed ink used in the books works via a chemical process, starting to disappear as it comes into contact with light and air…

[continues at The Verge]

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  • http://www.ContraControl.com/ Zenc

    It’s Monsanto Terminator Technology, for books!

  • Anarchy Pony

    WTF? Who would think this is a good idea?

    • http://www.ContraControl.com/ Zenc

      Only in relation to some sort of specific marketing strategy (timed release with a video game or some weird shit) would this be worth doing, in my opinion.

      Of course, I’m one of those old school idiots who actually respects books as functional symbols of knowledge and its power.

      • RoboKy

        “Of course, I’m one of those old school idiots who actually respects books as functional symbols of knowledge and its power.”

        This, this forever.

    • Haystack

      My bet — The same people who want to everything to be licensed, subscription-based and otherwise rendered useless by DRM.

      • Calypso_1

        This is a horrifying thought. Take it back.

        • http://www.ContraControl.com/ Zenc

          Yeah,they have similar technology for DVDs.
           
          They play for a short while, then a film on the surface (or under) oxidizes black and blocks the data from being read.

          They’re billed as a “rental” dvd that doesn’t need to be returned.

          • KG

            At least it will help our waste shortage.

          • Mr. Pyro

            how would it do this? A shorter product lifetime means more waste is anything. Few people will hang on to a virtually useless book without text.

          • fvdhksdhlkfs

             Look up sarcasm, moron

          • Billyjoel

            He said “waste shortage” genius. Everyine knows there is no waste shortage. I know sarcasm is a very difficult concept and all….

            Oh, and I am being sarcastic when I say “genius”. I dont want you getting confused. Be sure to put on your helmet before going outside unattended.  

  • Bruteloop

    I don’t know…I like using notebooks so…
    Unfortunately, chances are the many books that should fade away will not.

  • Earilmadith

    Aaaand…what do you do with the book once it erased itself, take notes in it?

    I see the good side to it, I understand the concept and it’s a cool one. But I don’t see it overweight the stupidity of buying a book which will be blank again two months later. Waste of trees, and waste of paper.

    My final thought: Could have been done better. 

  • http://hormeticminds.blogspot.com/ Chaorder Gradient

    So i have this great idea: the one great thing that books have over e-readers? yeah: near permanence. Lets take it OUT of books! then we’ll definitely compete with e-readers.

  • 134

    stupid as fuck just dumb

  • MoralDrift

    Why capitalism stucks

    • Seriously?

      Actually this is why true free market capitalism is so valued.  If people don’t like a product, its company or some aspect related to it they merely vote with their wallets.  Done deal.  No one is forced to buy anything……oh wait, so-called health care is now a forced purchase and a very poor one as well.

  • Insane_24_7

    yeah cuz i wanna buy a book i cant read twice. or keep. so it’s a product that self destructs and becomes a waste of money

  • Anomynous

    I can see a cool way this could be used
    Print the book in regular ink, and then print OVER it with blocks of disappearing ink. If they can control the rate it vanishes at, that could be used for a calendar that always knows what day it is, or ARGs, or time-sensitive video game/movie tie-ins

  • Marklar_Prime

    Kind of a day late and a dollar short when Kindle has already perfected the disappearing book.

  • recon721

    wow that is the dumbest idea i have ever seen….get your authors to write good books and you will have no need for invisible ink….or hire a publicist.   Book are becoming a thing of the past and you want to speed up that process?

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