Google to enter the outdoor billboard game?
January 12th, 2007
Via a related patented filing Google is revealing an interest to enter the physical advertising industry.
The patent filing itself alludes to placing adverts on billboards, with the primary innovation being that they’re interactive and connected to the internet. Personally I don’t see this as a patentable idea as companies are already doing this with a variety of sign age solutions. What is interesting is that the system apparently works by only advertising products that are available and in stock within stores in the local area.
Stores will be able to buy advertising on these local electronic billboards through a similar system to how AdSense currently works: by logging into a computer and buying them. One of the key positive developments — at least for busy consumers — is that once stock of the product has run out, the advertised project on display automatically switches onto the next one that’s in stock.
An interesting concept but I doubt it will materialize. For one thing - regardless of a store’s stock of a particular product - most store owners would want the foot traffic.
More over - with out of home representing less than 10% of the global advertising pie I’d find Google focusing more on its already digitized mediums like television or larger share mediums like print or radio where its impact can be better felt.
Via - New Scientist
