At a time when advertisements are encouraging us to work all hours and hole up on our couches, away from the world, L.L. Bean has just released an ad that does something unheard of: it requires you to go outside to look at it.
The ad, which ran in last Friday’s edition of The New York Times, was printed in a special ink that’s only visible in direct sunlight, according to USA Today. Viewed inside, all you’ll see is a blank page, apart from a few readable words instructing you to “Just bring this outside…No, seriously. Take this outside.” Once you’re in the sunlight, you’ll see that the ad reads, “Welcome to the outside, where there are no strangers, only friends we haven’t met yet.”
According to L.L. Bean spokeswoman Carolyn Beem, who spoke to USA Today, the ad has a simple goal: get people outside. “We wanted to do something unique, creative and a call to action,” Beem said. “It’s an absolute celebration of the outdoors.”
It’s sound advice, as research shows that getting outside (especially when we leave our screens behind to do it) is good for our mental and physical well-being.
Read more in The New York Times.