A young entrepreneur from the Philippines is set to launch what’s dubbed as the first 3D print magazine in the Middle East. Jonah Cruz, 27, 3D creator and editor of Mint Magazine, hopes “to capture the readers’ attention and, in the process, connects with them through stories that will uplift and change their lives.“

According to Khaleej Times, all photos, artworks, and advertisements in the special edition will be enhanced using a technique for creating optical illusion of depth called stereoscopic or 3D. 3D glasses comes with each magazine.

“There is an abundance of creativity in the media industry. Technology creates out-of-the-box thinking to deliver stories to the readers. Mint Magazine is about old-fashioned commitment to maintaining high standards of journalism fused with fast-paced changes in the media to develop high-value content,” Cruz said.

Will 3D Magazine be a hit?
3D has become a hit in films and other video content. For advertisers, introducing your brands in a new media always boosts better memory retention. Consumers always go for 3D. But will a 3D Magazine be able to replicate that recall effect? The challenge is how advertisers will present the ideas in 3D. How they’ll convert that retention into actual sales is another.

Content is king
This adage has been used and abused a lot these days. But yeah, no matter how vibrant the package is, if it doesn’t have the right content your market is looking for – the idea will quickly vanish. Stunning looks and feel undoubtly creates really good impressions. Reasonably interesting contents make those good impressions last.

“The special issue of Mint Magazine will tell stories of Filipino people’s struggle for freedom at a personal level such as overcoming fears commonly experienced or dealt with by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Topics will delve into the social costs of migration — most common of which are having estranged family relationships brought about by years of parents working abroad.”

“Other issues will talk about emancipating oneself from bad habits such as nicotine addiction, gambling or alcoholism. Tips on how to become debt-free during economic hard times will also be provided. A review of pop culture in conjunction with Pinoy migration can also be read in the special 3D issue.”

I’m optimistic that Mint Magazine will make it big. Though I’m afraid, since their market is targeted mostly at the Filipino community – they could miss the opportunity to let the entire region discover this innovation – that is if they don’t have a plan to tap the greater market.

The 3D magazine will have 5,000 copies initially and distributed free of charge from June to September 2011. By October, it will be sold at Dh7