MusicRadar

What happens when you touch a Chickenfoot?

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Chickenfoot have put a lot of care into the music that went into their debut album, due out9 June. but the band put just as much thought into their CD design, which will come in a special 'heat-sensitive' package.

Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI), a custom special effect inks and coatings manufacturer literally covers the packaging, which is heated up by the simple touch of a hand. This change the opacity of the artwork, revealing hidden images on the front cover and hidden song titles on the back.

"How was I going to design an album package for rock legends who have seen it all before?" said Todd Gallopo, president of Meat and Potatoes and designer of the Chickenfoot packaging.

Before

After

"The band and I agreed that the design had to be bold, iconic and layered with texture like the music they recorded. It had to have a visual 'aaahhh-ha!' factor that pulled it all together. To achieve this, I knew I had to experiment with some kind of special packaging treatment.

"When I explored the possibilities of thermochromic ink, all the pieces fell into place. The band had their bold album cover, I had my 'aaahhh-ha!' moment and the consumer will get to experience a different album package every time they pick it up."

This patented special-effect ink is a new technology that is shaking things up in the world of marketing. It works by mastering the movement of a proton on the molecular level - basically it turns color 'on' and 'off.'

An 'aaahhh-ha!' moment? You betcha!