Smarter signs stand out

New billboards that have recently been installed at the Australian airports of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have had a stunning effect on travellers. The boards, created by an ad agency for Google, are the latest in the field of interactive advertising in public places. The billboards are screens that can be controlled via Near Field Communication (NFC) without consumers needing to download a seperate app. Users can select content they want displayed on the big advertising screens and then download movies, magazines, books, music or games from the Google Play Store immediately on their Android device. Additionally, airport retailers taking part in the pilot project display their latest offers on the screen. The system will eventually allow advance booking of in-flight meals and entertainment.

“The billboards use special software to beam content onto users’ phones. It’s the most unique use of NFC to date,” Warwick Derby, head of Ooh Media, the ad agency behind the project, said in a statement at the presentation of the billboard last July.

In another example of how to involve a target group with interactive billboards, camera maker Nikon mounted a huge interactive billboard at a busy Seoul subway station. The board displayed life-like images of paparazzi standing together as if they were competing for the best celebrity shot at a movie premiere. The fictional celebrities were in fact passers-by, who automatically triggered a deluge of flashing camera lights as they walked past. The cameras flashed and the commuters were treated to a moment in the life of a celebrity on the red carpet. They could then follow the carpet all the way into the store where the advertised camera, Nikon’s D700, was on sale.

Honda, in an iconic move that drew a lot of attention, invited passers-by to play with a billboard mounted in Dublin that advertised its 2010 Civic. After an onlooker texted a code to a number displayed on the board, the car would start and smoke would be emitted from the exhausts while the lights would flicker and the engine would rev. Potential customers could also download information on the car, its specs and pricing. A similar concept was introduced by Ford with an innovative billboard for its Mustang. A smoke machine was installed behind the board, and passers-by could activate the rear wheel to spin, spewing smoke for the ultimate one-minute burnout.

The combination of innovative outdoor advertising, smartphones and improved screen technology makes things possible that were unheard of just a few years ago.

“Today, video walls have to create experiences to draw people in. The wow factor is a key objective for retailers, airports, college campuses, restaurants and other venues,” he added.

Interactive signboards will increasingly become touchable, or compatible with smartphones, tablets, laptops and other smart communication devices that are driving a truly interactive society, with the goal to connect with the audience at any place that sees a lot of foot traffic.

Some billboards have also become intelligent, as can be seen with British Airways’ recent campaign at London’s Piccadilly Circus. A huge billboard displays a child that stands up and points at real aircraft as they pass overhead enroute to Heathrow Airport, while the screen displays information about the flight. The ad uses custom-built surveillance technology to track the overhead flight and its relevant data.

“The purpose of this billboard is to remind people how magical flying can be and how accessible the world can be,” says Richard Tams, British Airways’ head of UK and Ireland sales. “The clever technology aims at arousing such emotions,” he adds.

There are other examples that show where these trends are heading. There are 3D or 3D-animated signs that involve customers; signboards that snap photos of passers-by and integrate them into the ad; ultra-HD touch screens that start animation and music as people pass; and even boards that greet passers-by personally if they are already customers of the company.

For advertisers, it’s all about connecting with customers in immersive ways, and for potential customers there certainly lie amazing times ahead.