Readers of men’s magazine Sharp for Men get an extra treat in this month’s issue – an eight-page 3D fashion feature created in partnership with the magazine and SABMiller beer brand Peroni.

With media handled by PHD in Toronto, the execution is a full brand integration in a cruisewear-based fashion spread, with Peroni featured subtly in two of the spreads and as the presenting sponsor of the glasses themselves, affixed in the book to a quarter-page Peroni insert.

‘The Sharp for Men 3D execution is a natural evolution of our marketing strategy,’ Stewart Cowan, national marketing manager, SABMiller, tells MiC. ‘The 3D concept is a breakthrough for a traditional medium, and ultimately brought Peroni’s positioning to life in a subtle yet distinctive way.’

The integration is the continuation of a year-long relationship between Peroni and Sharp, Stephany Sousa, account manager, PHD, tells MiC, adding that Sharp’s audience meshes perfectly with Peroni’s target psychographic.

‘We were trying to look for a new innovative way to use the magazine that would really make us stand out,’ she explains. ‘And, really, coming from the client, his [instructions] were ‘fresh consistency.’ Stay within the space that we’re already comfortable in and that we’re already playing in, but make it fresh.’

The idea of using 3D to keep things fresh was inspired by a spread in US-based Details magazine, Sousa says. The details spread was not brand-based, but PHD thought the execution would be a perfect fit for Peroni’s print strategy.

‘The whole thing with Peroni and their positioning is effortless style. We didn’t want to be in your face, we wanted it to be very subtle and we’re considering our target to be an educated person, someone who would catch this, appreciate it, but not be offended by it,’ she explains.

The spread can also be viewed online at Sharpformen.com/Peroni3D (the glasses work as well onscreen as on-page, Sousa says). Creative on the campaign was handled by Me & Lewis Ideas in Vancouver.