Digital driving the resurrection of Print

 

So the title is somewhat of an exaggeration, the following story is another reminder of the benefits of opening up our thinking across platforms and channels, and that the future won’t be a digital only one. It also highlights what can be achieved when open networks and crowd-sourcing combine.

Most of us can relate to traipsing around some European city, backpack on your shoulders, friends in tow, and giant oversized travel book in hand. Despite the effort involved in lugging it around, we probably used less than 5% of it, with the content useful but not particularly up to date, written for the masses, and not particularly personalised.

Offbeat Guides, have been created to change all that.

Using both search technology and curation to scour the web for the best and most recent destination information, Offbeat Guides create your very own personalised travel guide. The guides come complete with everything you’d expect – maps, festivals and events, weather, exchange rates, key phrases, where to eat and more. The two key differences are that the content is personalised and up-to-date, not 12-18 months behind like most travel books can be.

Offbeat guides combine the content found on the web with information from established authors and a network of locals who constantly update information on their local areas. Creating your guide takes 5 easy steps and is simple as going to offbeatguides.com and entering:

1.       Your destination city

2.       The city where you live

3.       Who the guide is for

4.       Your travel dates

5.       Where you’re staying

In a matter of seconds your guide is ready for preview and you can then order it in digital format which you can view on-screen or print yourself.

 

And here’s where print comes in. When we travel we like to have printed material with us. We’re conditioned to printed guides - as much as we've come to rely on them, smartphones aren't always the answer!

So, Offbeat Guides offer a printed version as well that they send out to you prior to your trip. And apparently the printed editions are extremely popular. You can also ‘gift-a-guide’. Let's be honest, a PDF isn't much of a gift but a physical, personalised book would make a great gift and who plenty of thought on the behalf of the giver!

Whether you’d go for the digital or printed guide, this is a great example of using the power of technology and digital to source up-to-date, accurate and personal content, that can be delivered across a range of mediums. And it also shows how crowd-sourced and expert editorial can work together nicely.

 

Imagine: A personalised recipe book delivered to an EDR member as a Christmas gift (from WW or from a friend) tailored to that individual - based on interests, family size, city, previous recipes made/reviewed, favourite chefs, favourite foods, typical foods purchased. You'd imagine it would be well received and also makes an easy last minute gift idea for wives, husbands, family or friends lost for gift inspiration!