The Antwerp Book Fair, with 150.000 visitors Belgium’s biggest book fair, is the most important happening for Belgian literary authors and publishers. How could online bookstore bol.com play a meaningful role, stressing their leadership as Belgium’s biggest online bookstore? With studies showing that 1 out of 5 visitors admit that their main goal for visiting the book fair is getting their book signed by the author, bol.com wanted to create a signing session that nobody would forget.

'The impossible signing sessions' managed to bring a digital bookstore to life at a physical book fair by offering customers a highly personal interaction:

With the help of technology, the legendary Belgian writer Paul van Ostaijen was brought back to life for one last book signing session at the bol.com-stand. We reproduced van Ostaijen’s handwriting and a robotic arm was adjusted and programmed until it could perfectly duplicate his handwriting and signature. 

The signing stunt allowed people to create their own personal message, letter by letter in the author’s handwriting. In the end, all visitors went home with a unique note, crafted as if it had been written and signed by Van Ostaijen himself.

We carefully analyzed Paul’s manuscripts, transforming his handwriting into a font. The only robot arm which could imitate those delicate writing movements was a device normally used for medical purposes. That arm was then tuned for three months until it mastered four different aspects of writing: pen choice, writing angle, writing speed and pressure. The software also allowed for people to write their own messages in the author’s handwriting, which gave the visitors an emotional souvenir and made every copy a one-of-a-kind bol.com souvenir. With the action, bol.com showed they know the passions of book fans.