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Have you ever driven by a billboard and thought it was talking to you? This happens to me every time I see one for Fuddruckers. But Mini Cooper is taking outdoor advertising to a new, Minority Report-ish level with their “talking” billboards. From today’s New York Times:
The boards, which usually carry typical advertising, are programmed to identify approaching Mini drivers through a coded signal from a radio chip embedded in their key fob. The messages are personal, based on questionnaires that owners filled out: “Mary, moving at the speed of justice,” if Mary is a lawyer, or “Mike, the special of the day is speed,” if Mike is a chef.
Really cool? Over the line? An accident waiting to happen?
Message from billboard:
“Sheldon–No, the “bigger care:smaller penis” ratio does not work in reverse”.
posted by Sheldon Siegel on 1-29-2007 at 4:21 pm
Carl Stewart -you in the Red Mini.
Have fun Driving for Now
Your car payment is late.
We are going to reposess
posted by mark on 1-29-2007 at 4:31 pm
Tin foil hat time…..that is technology that could be abused. But I DO like sheldon’s comment. Haaahaha. Mark too.
posted by Undeniable Liberal on 1-29-2007 at 5:07 pm
Peter your wife says to get milk on the way home.
posted by Croptilldawn on 1-29-2007 at 5:39 pm
I know my privacy is an illusion, but I hate to have the bubble burst. Mark me down in the “too far” side of the ballot.
Also, when I heard about this billboard on the radio this morning, they added that the FHTSA is currently investigating to see if such a billboard posses a traffic hazard. I assume the billboards are installed in areas where the traffic is often at a stand-still anyway.
posted by n2y2 on 1-29-2007 at 6:39 pm
why is reading this billboard more of a traffic hazard than reading any billboard (or looking at a bikini clad figure)?
posted by Dave on 1-29-2007 at 7:00 pm
I drive by this billboard every morning as I head through downtown SF, and make my way to the Bay Bridge to take me into San Leandro. It changes each day, with a new message, and each day I think that the woman driving next to me is going to clip me, as she is looking to see what it reads….
posted by nick on 1-29-2007 at 7:30 pm
That’s a little creepy if you ask me. Heh, and a good way to make someone crash:
“Honey, we’re having TWINS!!”
posted by Heather on 1-29-2007 at 10:55 pm
Tom–Did you know that your car: was built on Monday? …has been recalled? …is reporting that you have exceeded redline rpms on 16 different occasions? …is overdue for service and your warranty has been voided?…that your fly is unzipped? …that your inflatable passenger is not properly belted?
posted by Tom on 1-30-2007 at 8:34 am
Billboards DO deliver personal messages - remember the one that “spoke” to Steve Martin in “L.A. Story”?
posted by sarah k on 1-30-2007 at 9:58 am
Forget talking billboards — howabout programmable message signs in automobiles? The slogan can be “Taking road rage to a whole new level.”
posted by Phil on 1-30-2007 at 10:49 am
This can’t be any worst than the idiots talking on a handset cell phone, drinking a cup of hot coffee and reading the daily sports page. As for personal privacy — that is another matter.
posted by bobby o on 1-31-2007 at 8:17 am