The tube as communications medium

Modern printing and conversion techniques, photo-realistic illustrations, and a host of special effects make the hearts of designers, product designers and admen beat faster. Eye-catching designs lead to market success at the point of sale, support brand bonding and trigger emotions and a spontaneous impulse to buy.

However, thanks to modern technologies, tubes are capable of conveying much more useful information. For example, for medical staff or for technicians in the case of special applications. Digital technology can offer the consumer valuable tips on a product’s use or can transmit an instruction leaflet directly to a smart phone or a monitor at home. Progress is extremely rapid, and inventiveness, creativity and fantasy know no bounds.

There is good news for designers: this coded information can now be applied to the tube in such a way that it is invisible to the naked eye. Logos, word marks, images and other design elements are not affected. The brave new world of the tube.