08 Jul 10

CBS showcases new digital ad platform

By Rory Cunningham, Planner Buyer

CBS Outdoor has teamed up with Grand Visual to develop a new outdoor media platform combining augmented reality, touch screen and image recognition technology. The new digital advertising platform also integrates social media to allow customers to virtually try on clothing and share images with their friends on Facebook.

"Face and torso tracking software fed by an HD camera in the LCD pod allows consumers to see how items of clothing will look without stepping into a changing room," CBS said.

To demonstrate its latest innovation, CBS Outdoor encouraged Media Playground delegates to 'try on' a range of football kits from the World Cup by standing in front of the pod's screen. Consumers were able to choose which football shirt they wanted to wear, and once they were happy with the selection, an integrated camera captured their image, which they could then share on Facebook.

In addition, CBS has integrated Clic2C technology to allow any printed item to become "interactive" - by opening a free phone application that works on most handsets including iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Nokia, then pointing the camera at the poster, consumers will then be automatically linked to a mobile website.

This technology could allow outdoor media to become more aligned with digital and mobile advertising channels. Media plans often utilise broadcast channels, such as TV and radio, as key drivers to direct consumers online. This new format may help bridge the traditional timelag between consumers viewing outdoor advertising and online access.

If consumers are able to interact with outdoor formats online while they are out and about there is clearly potential for these two media channels to become far more aligned moving forward.