Cellotape Smart Products, Smartrac and Thinaire recently partnered on a project to RFID-enable the cover of Packaging Digest's summer issue. A Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID label was affixed to the magazine's cover, and when readers tapped the label with their NFC-enabled smartphones, they were directed to participate in the NFC Challenge, a short, online survey about NFC technology. The initiative's goal, according to the companies, was to showcase how live product packaging might work, and to answer the question, "What does NFC mean to you?"

For the label, Smartrac provided the RFID inlays—specifically, the 25-millimeter Circus NFC inlay made with an NTAG203 chip from NXP Semiconductors. Cellotape Smart Products converted the inlays into adhesive labels, which it printed, and provided them to the magazine on rolls. Thinaire provided the encoding data and managed the back-end platform that tracked all interactions and relevant data. To date, results from the survey have not been shared, though they are expected soon, according to a spokeswoman with Cellotape Smart Products.

Packaging Digest's RFID-enabled cover

"Packaging Digest's use of an NFC-enabled smart magazine cover is a great way to create a frictionless one-on-one connection with their readers, showcasing cutting edge NFC technologies," said Tim Daly, Cellotape Smart Products' president, in a prepared statement. "As more consumers become aware of this powerful technology, and as global brands continue to offer additional NFC engagement opportunities in their marketing and product packaging, NFC will quickly become mainstream; transcending its use as the global standard for contactless payments."

The NFC Challenge will continue to poll and survey Packaging Digest's readers through the end of October. The magazine will offer prizes as an incentive to participate.