bol.com "The Impossible Signing sessions" (2016) :30 (Belgium)

Interesting idea here for i.com. Every year Antwerp has a huge book fair. A lot of people don't treat it as a place to discover books, but to collect signatures of the authors who sign them. Online shop Bol.com wanted people to help discover genuine literary talent, so they used the signatures in their favor. Partnering with Antwerp Research & Design Lab Beyond, DDB Brussels created a robot that analysed and reproduced the signatures of authors. Not only that, the robots could also leave personal messages in their inscription, too.

with a series of signings by top international authors such as Nicci French, David Baldacci and Paula Hawkins. A stunt in which 8 authors sign non-stop for 12 days. Worthy of note: the late Flemish poet Paul van Ostaijen was also honoured in this way. Bol.com wants to draw attention to genuine literary talent again with this campaign. The authors in question who participated in this stunt were Nicci French, Paula Hawkins, author of "The Girl on the Train," Andy Griffiths, who wrote "The Treehouse Books", David Baldacci, author of "The Last Mile," David Lagercrantz, who wrote "Millennium 4," Robert Harris--"Imperium" and Paul van Ostaijen. The last name is quite interesting because the Flemish poet and modernist prose writer has been dead since 1928. So far, Paul Van Ostaijen. isthe most popular author at the Belgian Book fair by 31.2%.

If you want to get a book signed, you still have until 11th November to do so. Simply go to the bol.com stand in hall 4. A signing session takes 1.5 minutes maximum and is completely free.

Fun idea, although for the authors it may be driving down the worth of their signature for collectors. Time will tell.

Client : bol.com
Contact : Niels Moes
Agency : DDB Brussels
CD : Peter Ampe & Odin Saillé
Creation : Danny Vissers
Ad & Copy: Tom Meijer & Silke Beurms
Accounts : Francis Lippens & Romy Vierhouten
Strategy: Dominique Poncin, Jorian Vanvossel
Digital Design: Wieste De Ridder
Motion Design: Sven Verfaille
Producer: Stefanie Warreyn
PR: Kenn Van Lijsebeth
TV producer: Brigitte Verduyckt
DOP: Adrien Moormann
Design lab: Beyond.io
Thanks to: Matthijs de Ridder, Genootschap Paul van Ostaijen