We were at the Innovate 07 expo put together by outdoor specialists JCDecaux last week. The expo showcased some of the current formats and trends in billboard and outdoor advertising. There were some interesting concepts incorporating the use of MMS and bluetooth technology that adds an element of interactivity to the static billboard.

Similar to QR codes (except without the need of a specific reader like Kaywa), consumers are enticed to take a snap of the billboard and MMS it to a dedicated number. In return, the consumer is sent information, ringtones, wallpaper, virtually anything digital about the advertiser. Mobot is the group behind this technology that “provides consumers a real-time response to their interest in the advertiser’s products”.

The other billboard that caught our eye was “The Opinionator” - used to capture a live poll on the street. According to this poll, Johnny has some work to do!