For years people have been talking about Digital Billboards: They like them. They don’t like them. The lighting is too bright, they’re disruptive, they cause traffic jams and accidents, etc. Some don’t like them simply because they’re not like the simple beauty of the familiar static billboard that doesn’t flash at you every 6 – 8 seconds.

Well finally, a study from Tantala Associates and the OAAA has come out that will put to rest one of the Digital Billboard concerns: They don’t cause or increase traffic accidents. Granted this is only one conclusion from just one study, so there will still be plenty of controversy, but it’s a step in the right direction and a beginning to the end of the debate. So rest assured that while you’re driving down the road and the person next to you is talking on their cell phone while smoking a cigarette and drinking a soda with their burger, a Digital Billboard is not what will cause an accident.

What Digital Billboards will do is inform you, direct you, create a need, urge you to action to buy something, tell you a story and just downright entertain you. The changes of the images draw your attention to the advertising, giving the advertiser an advantage over other signage (including retail onsite signs). In most cases, Digital is sold in networks spread out over a large highly desired geographic area, generating a huge number of impressions on a daily basis. Digital technology is also being used in many other Out-of-Home formats such as Mallscapes, Bus Shelters, Taxi Tops, Bus Sides, Airport Dioramas, and others.

The Outdoor Digital revolution is not only here and spreading, but now is suggested to be safe and consumer friendly.

GPS, Wi-Fi, facial recognition, proximity location technology and more is coming to the Out-of-Home industry faster than you can tweet what you had at Starbucks. It’s all about user friendly technology to make your life easier and more fulfilled.

Right now a coupon can be sent to your Smartphone when you walk by a Bus Shelter. Or a song can be downloaded after passing a Billboard. There are even ads now that have bar codes which you can scan into your phone for sale items, store locations, directions, etc. With a push of a few buttons and a click on “Accept”, you’re done. But just think what the future could hold… no “Accept” or “Deny” option, it’s just written into your cell phone agreement, or in an App you’ve downloaded.

Look at the movie Minority Report with Tom Cruise. How much longer before those scenes become real? Imagine:
You’re walking past some digital street furniture and it says to you "Hey Mrs. Jones, that dream vacation you’ve always wanted just went on sale. And we know you can afford it because we checked your bank account, and it will still leave you with a balance of $17.53. And remember to pack that blue bathing suit you bought yesterday.”

As you’re contemplating your vacation, you hop on the train and the Overhead Car Card advertisement tells you, “Don’t forget to get a pedicure before your vacation. According to your calendar, the 3:30 appointment I just made for you will fit perfectly between your already booked 2:30 & 4:40. See you then.”

This is Outdoor Advertising at its best when the sole purpose is to inform you, entice you, motivate you, sell you and be an even bigger part in making your life just better.

But don’t forget that pedicure! You’ll need it for that vacation.

Digital billboards are one thing, but digital License Plates? Are you kidding me?

Have you heard that the California Legislature’s is considering a bill that would allow digital advertising on car license plates? This is being considered only because of our multibillion dollar deficit.

The Concept goes like this:
The license plate number would remain visible at all times, however when the vehicle stops for more than 4 seconds (in traffic or at a red light) a digital ad would appear.

But wouldn’t it be more interesting if the plates changed while you were driving? Here’s the scenario:
The police are chasing a car and they are trying to radio-in their location for assistance with the description of the car. It’s “a blue Chevy Malibu with license plate number Drink Coke and Set Yourself Free, traveling north on the I-5 Freeway and just passing the billboard reading Stop Child Obesity in our Schools…”

I love Out-of-Home Advertising because it captures people when they’re on-the-go and out enjoying life. Billboards, Wallscapes, Bus Shelters, Wrapped Buses etc., they’re big and bold just like life itself. But License Plates? I’m sorry, nothing compares to the real thing.

I think we need to leave license plates alone and let them serve the purpose for which they’re intended: identifying cars and aiding the police.

Out-of-home does not need any help thank you very much! It’s already a fun, creative and current medium, it doesn’t need dangerous futuristic Jetson’s gimmicks to make it unique or alternative.

Did you ever wonder how those aerial banners you see flying around actually get up in the sky? No, they don't drag them along as they take off; no, they don't throw them out the window once they get airborne. No, it's way more Evel Knievel and harrowing than that.

The banner is made of a super strong, vinyl-like material but so lightweight that 50’ x 100’ banner a could actually be folded and placed into a large cardboard box. Then they throw the whole box out the window. No, just kidding. Before takeoff, the banner is spread out lengthwise on an adjoining runway with the harness attached to a couple of upright poles (similar to a football goalpost).

The plane takes off without the banner attached, then it gains altitude and speed, circles around and dives down towards the goalpost with a grappling hook trailing behind the plane. (Think crop-dusters trying to hoe a field with a hook. Or a fighter pilot landing on an aircraft carrier, but way slower and without the $30,000,000 plane.) So pilot is diving, hook is hanging and speed is increasing; the pilot pulls the plane up just as he approaches the posts, which have a horizontal catch-wire attached to the harness, which is attached to the banner. He hits the wire with the hook and accelerates straight up, pulling the banner aloft without dragging or tearing. He completes his route for the advertiser, approaches the airfield from whence he came, drops the hook and banner over the field and they float to the ground safely to be used another day.

The pilot lands, thanks God and proceeds directly to the bar, or to therapy, or to the Adrenaline Rush Anonymous meeting.

Check out some of our recent Aerial Advertising campaigns!

Hi! My name is Bruce Friedlander and I am the President of Marketing AD Ventures. We have just launched our new and improved Web site which now includes our OOH blog! I will be blogging on a regular basis discussing all things Out-of-Home. My hope is to make it always interesting, informative, timely, irreverent when called for, and absolutely fun at all times.

The geographic areas of discussion will reach from Mexico to Canada, Los Angeles to Manhattan, Miami to Seattle and all areas between. Topics will range from different formats, new locations, changing laws, campaigns of interest, new OOH ideas, etc. as well as things that I find just downright interesting.

I can be contacted at bruce@adsoutdoor.com where I welcome new ideas and any specific topic that would be of interest.