We here at The Barbarian Group sometimes state the obvious, that we are experts in interactive, and people are sort of like, ho hum. Interactive is such an overused word but so rarely executed. What we mean when we say interactive is that we are great at making things that people interact with, as in, they do something and it responds to their actions, and visa versa. The result is a deeper and more engaging experience and when it’s brought to them by a brand then there is a positive connection to the brand. It’s that simple.

Now, what we have begun to do quite frequently is apply this philosophy to installations, or “real world interactive.” A billboard you control from your phone. Stadium signage that reacts to the music played on stage. A wall that responds to your presence. Saturn Nextfest Grass Wall is a good example. A 70 by 20 foot wall of digital grass that responds to your movement, as if you are an insect making your way across somebody’s lawn. It’s fun. We want to do more.

A friend of mine, Jim Harris, founder and CEO of Office Media Network in Chicago sent me this example from just across the river in Cambridge, MA: Hyposurface.org Has anyone seen this in action? Would love to find more examples.