Belly Band: Traditional print ad gets digital makeover

In the print world, a ‘belly band’ ad format is hard to ignore. The paper ad is wrapped around a magazine and has to be removed, by tearing or sliding off, before the publication can be opened.

According to a report in Mobile Marketer, chemicals company BASF will be the first to use the digital belly band format on November’s issue. Popular Science’s 70,000 or so iPad subscribers will see an animated ad from BASF across the cover page and, once it has ended, they must touch the ad unit to remove the belly band and gain access to the magazine.

“It shows how publishers are continuing to try to innovate in delivering new and interesting ad units for the tablet space,” said Chantal Tode, associate editor on Mobile Marketer, “and that some of the best ideas may come from a digital revision to some of the best print ad executions.”

Since the belly band, once watched, is ‘removed’ from a digital publication, it is important that an advertiser reinforce their message with an ad within the publication, and that’s as true for print as it is mobile. Mobile Marketer reports that the BASF belly band ad came as part of a package, and that they also have the first ad placement inside the magazine.