Apple has leveraged its mobile technology and camera to turn black and white bar codes into full color video, and it's starting to show up in lots of places; on business cards, signs, print ads, products and more.

Here's how it works. Someone hands you a business card with a bar code printed on it. You pull out your iPhone and take a picture of it. Using a free app you download, you can now watch a video provided by that company on your phone. Is that cool or what?

Think of the possibilities.

• House for Sale signs. Watch a video of the inside of a house while you're sitting outside looking at it from your car.
• Swing set instructions. Watch step by step instructions for how to assemble your child's swing set - while you're doing it.
• BBQ Sauce bottle. Cook along with your favorite chef as they use the sauce in an exciting new recipe.

Bar codes are free and available online. The app for your phone is also free, and the technology is not limited to the iPhone. This may be just what the print advertising world needs to regain momentum lost to online marketing. Or it may be a boon to both! Let's see how innovative marketers can be. It should be pretty cool.