FREITAG, the swiss truck tarp bag and accessories company is one day away of launching just launched a fantastic (!) new collection of bags called REFERENCE Line. They’ve chosen and unusual and superinteresting approach in celebrating this new launch:
More than 15 years after they started FREITAG, they finally know what they’re about: cycles. They cycle to work. They cycle tarps. And they think in cycles. So they are devoting one month (this month) to creating a newspaper called THE DAILY REFERENCE which cycles content:
How does it work?
1. They get newspapers
2. They cut them up
3. They transcreate, you transcreate
4. They manufacture a recontextualized print product
From September 3rd through 30th, daily at 8:00am a team with the Bros. and guests comes together for coffee and snippets at the REFERENCE editorial space in Zurich. They cut up newspapers like they cut up tarps – with an eye for visual junctures – and comment on them in 140-character statements. The same snippets are uploaded for your own 140-character transcreation which reach Grüngasse by means of a ticker. Best line wins.
The next morning at 8:00am THE DAILY REFERENCE is sealed: The ultimate commentary makes the front page. The others are collected on the B-side and printed on their lead press for distribution. This happens every day. For the finissage on September 30th, all THE DAILY REFERENCES are reunited and published simply as THE REFERENCE. A user aided, cycled content compilation that mimicks FREITAG, in thought, word and deed.
From September 3rd through September 30th, the REFERENCE editorial space is open at Grüngasse in Zurich (Mo-Fr 7.30am thru 7.00pm, Sat 11am thru 5.00pm). During this time, what used to be the two founders’ studio is turned into a newsroom and printing facility – with a two hundred year old bookpress, a coffee machine, the REFERENCE line on display and the Bros. (no promises, but yes, they are working out of Grüngasse in September).
The bros are asking for your 140 character input for their daily newspaper. FREITAG would like you to send them your transcreational commentary (max. 140 characters). Make sure to start your message with the number of the snippet you are commenting on. (check on their site and scroll down to THE DAILY REFERENCE section.)
The REFERENCE editorial space will also serve as reading room, where coffee, current international newspapers and the new product line are on display for your enjoyment.
You can go by the REFERENCE editorial space and hand deliver your 140-character commentary. And, if you’re lucky, you get to say hi to the bros. You can watch the editorial team in action and get your copy of THE DAILY REFERENCE if you show up after 5pm. And, of course, you get to check out their new bag collection and buy a REFERENCE bag.
And I’ll be at the editorial space sometime wednesday (september 8th) mid-afternoon myself. Why? I’ll let you know a little bit later today. Check back!
More info: Freitag-Reference.ch | freitag.ch
Map to REFERENCE Editorial Space
Good idea, and I generally love Freitag, the boys and their products, but going back to paper is really going against any sustainable sentiments … Not cool.
Sep 2nd, 2010 / 9:22 am
Usability of their website is awful. Browsing through the products is a total pain.
Sep 2nd, 2010 / 10:25 am
Good idea. Similar (but not the same) to http://www.t-post.se
Like!
Sep 3rd, 2010 / 8:06 am
Hi – I picked up on this from the printed version in Bohemia cafe. A quick web search brought lots of hits, including your blog. I’m a bit disappointed that you just copied all the text from their website and pasted it into your blog. I like touring blogs for opinions and angles on stuff and it kind of spoils things when you end up reading the same copy everywhere – bloggers are supposed to be providing an alternative to the traditional media, where newspapers long ago stopped thinking for themselves and just blindly reproduce press releases etc
Sep 17th, 2010 / 1:28 am