3-D To A New Level

As sports fans and collectors alike can attest, trading cards used to be all the rage. The key phrase there is used to be. Sports trading cards have definitely seen better days. What was once a $1 billion dollar industry has shrunk to $200 million in yearly revenue. Nowadays, with the increase in technology, a struggling economy, and maybe even the recent scandals in baseball, trading cards are no longer as popular as they used to be. I remember exchanging cards with friends, looking up prices, and organizing them all into neat little binders. Maybe it’s because I’ve grown older and no longer do this, but I rarely see younger kids doing it as much as I used to. Topps, one of the leading companies in card sales, have decided the way they do trading cards must be different; they’re going virtual.
Topps has now introduced webcam-enhanced 3-D baseball cards. With the help of Disney exec Michael Eisner, Topps has tried to bring baseball cards back and involve the internet and technology savvy younger generation. For $2, you can buy a pack of 12 cards, or for $1, you can get five. By holding the card up to a webcam, a 3-D avatar springs in life and rotates around the card allowing a view from all sides. Technology created by Total Immersion even allows the buyer to play simple batting, pitching, and catching games via the keyboard depending on what position the player plays. I believe it is an awesome idea, and may be just the tip of the iceberg of where things may go from here.
The technology used to create these cards is awesome, and I believe it’s an idea that will not only create a new and deeper market for cards, but may also be used for different products and aspects of business and marketing. Kids nowadays love video games and technology, and this product delivers using both. With the interactive features, I think kids will enjoy this new product. Gone are the days of just looking at the stats on the back of the card, but actually interacting with the card itself. One downside to the baseball cards is that the buyer must have a webcam. However, almost all laptops now come equipped with webcams and they have become increasingly popular.
With this new technology, I think other companies might benefit from trying to use it. If you take a car dealership or a real estate group for instance, they would be able to put their products (cars/houses) onto these cards, and allow the customer to get a 360 degree view of the product right in their hand. I think it could also be a great way to market other sports teams and products as well. Its amazing technology and it’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here.

"Topps Launches Webcam-Enhanced 3-D Baseball Cards"
http://www.switched.com/2009/03/09/topps-launches-webcam-enhanced-3-d-baseball-cards/
"Webcam Brings 3-D to Topps Sports Cards"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/technology/09topps.html?ref=technology