Actually the original challenge specifically states: any length or shape of paper. The only restriction is to fold it in half.
What Britney did was unique: she realized this is a problem of limits (the thickness of paper works against you) and worked out a mathematical formula that minimizes this effect.
Big deal. This may be the dumbest thing I've seen in a while. That paper must be about forty miles long; of course you can fold it 12 times. The old saying that you can't fold paper more than 8 times was referring to a sheet (i.e. 8.5" x 11") of paper, in which case you simply run out of material.
What Britney did was unique: she realized this is a problem of limits (the thickness of paper works against you) and worked out a mathematical formula that minimizes this effect.