“Pass The Newspaper Daddy”
Not words you would usually hear from a child, however the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper decided to challenge the norm with an initiative to engage children with newspapers – and we’re not talking about a revamp of the cartoon section.
The idea? An augmented reality smartphone app that translates actual stories into a child-friendly format.
This clever app acts as an educational tool transforming difficult to read articles on social problems, economy & politics into fun and interactive stories through pop-up headlines and commentary from animated characters.
What isn’t there to like about this idea? It ticks a lot of boxes. It’s a fantastic example of technology breaking down barriers and opening up a previously un-explored traditional media format to a wider audience. Children are now able to be part of a whole new world, provoking thought and opinion – imagine breakfast conversations with your children shifting from SpongeBob squarepants to the state of the economy?!
And what’s smart is the newspaper didn’t fundamentally change their content, it was a filter applied over their content.
We also love that this idea ultimately delivers to two human desires as parents. Not only is it an easy way to help further their children’s knowledge, after all who doesn’t want a brainy kid. But it’s also created a whole new sharing moment – an opportunity to read the paper together and spend more quality time with their children, especially for avid newspaper reading Dads.
