What would your transit bus say?

In the what's-coming-next file: Ads on the sides of buses that change depending on what neighbourhood they are cruising through.

Media company Titan Worldwide has launched three-metre-wide digital LED displays that show commercial-like ads on New York City buses. The signs carry GPS technology and can target audiences based on time of day, city block, postal code and demographics, according to Mediabuyerplanner.com.

The signs are being rolled out in key U.S. markets and in London, with Canada and Ireland soon to follow, according to Titan. New York plans to install the system on 200 buses in the first quarter of 2009.


This blurb from today's Globe somehow reminded me of Shorr's comedy routine about guys in dollar sign hoodies. I can totally see the bus switching from Hennessy ads, to Absolut ads, to Miller Lite ads, and finally to Colt 45 ads, as it makes it way from Manhatten to the "less affluent" neighborhoods. But I digress...

This could be a brave new world in racial and demographic targeting for advertising. Also, I'm pretty sure Titan Worldwide was the company putting those cool subway ads up in NYC that we talked about in Marketing. Those guys are rolling out a lot of cutting edge outdoor media, and that's good for everyone. Yay Outdoor Media!