It sounds like a very cool idea on first glance; touchscreen, NFC-enabled advertising in public places. Think, however, about what people do to bus stops on a daily basis. Would you really want to interact with one without gloves on?
We already knew that local advertising was watching what we were doing. Now The Australian reports on the efforts of JCDecaux in the outdoors advertising space, where they’re trialling touchscreen LCD displays for bus stops, as well as NFC-enabled promotions. There’s an obvious snag here for most smartphone users, as precious few NFC phones have actually made it to Australian shores, and some of those had their NFC bits neutered before launching. You won’t see too many of these to start with in any case; the article notes that a eight panels will be rolled out in Sydney, three in Brisbane and “a couple” in Melbourne.
Interactive advertising sounds like a great idea for passing the time while waiting for that bus that never comes, but I’ve got to admit to being a bit squeamish about the concept of touching a bus stop, given what can go on in bus stops on a daily basis. There is a bright spot in the story for mild mysophobes such as me, however; the story notes that they’re working on Kinect enabled advertising as well. [The Australian]
huu
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 9:20 AMInteractive advertising for hand sanitiser, “place hand here” after hand placement detected new screen display hand sanitiser product.
Matt
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 9:23 AMNo different to touching the buttons of an ATM. Who knows where those fingers have been before withdrawing money. Actually, anywhere in public is covered in germs…life goes on.
Matt
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 9:24 AM…hmmm, but I still probably wouldn’t use it :o)
Mike
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 9:34 AMMatt nearly had it, what about whenever you touch money? That stays in circulation, unwashed, for how long again? Stop being a fucking idiot, your baby hands get dirty IRL anyway touching everything else that’s touch-based in public. Elevators, stair rails, train doors, door knobs, taxi doors, etc
Rowan
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 10:20 AMNot to mention that all the bus-stops in the CBD get washed with a pressure hose nightly along with the rest of the streets
Alex Kidman
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 10:27 AMI’m happy to be in the minority on this one. Let’s just say that once you’ve seen one drunk guy relieving himself all over a bus stop, it changes your perceptions somewhat.
Robert (B-ob)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 11:08 AMCome on Alex, be fair. That drunk guy was you, wasn’t it…? :P
Andrew
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 2:46 PM+1 internets to you
Jackson Bison
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 11:31 AMI’ve seen an drunk guy relieve himself in the dairy fridge at Safeway – I still buy cheese.
Mike
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 11:34 AMThis be Australia, go out into Northbridge (WA) at night and try *not* seeing some drunk urinating on something he shouldn’t. Wall, car, police car (yes, that happened), bus stops, middle of the street, etc.
Bear grylls drinks it, must be ok if a bit of residue ends up on the tip of your index finger ;)
Salmonpie
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 9:41 AMWe get on the bus and hold the hand rail, open doors, pick up fruit and veg in the supermarket, shake hands with people, share saliva with drunk girls (if lucky) this doesn’t bother me at all.
Ash
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 10:01 AMYes. Just answering the question Alex has posed (seeing he has stated his answer is no).
Cam
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 10:01 AMI’m surprised there isnt a link to the volume of people who use their smartphone/tablet on the toilet.
Would I *not* use a bus stop touchscreen based on sanitary concerns? I probably wouldnt care. No different to using a touchscreen directory in a shopping centre.
Corteks
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 11:13 AMI’d use it if it was for figuring out which bus route to take. Especially if it GPS tracked the next bus and could give you an exact ETA(well far more exact than just a static list of times).
For advertising, not so much I’d say. But that’s not some silly hygiene concern, just that I’m probably not that interested in interactive advertising unless I was really bored.
Andrew
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 2:54 PMDon’t kid youself. The comments section on this blog represents an interactive portion of an advertising vehicle. …that reminds me, the Gruen Transfer is on tonight at 9 :)
scottb
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 11:25 AMI think the problem would more likely be someone smashing it within a week of it being up.
Tim
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 6:02 PMI definitely see this happening. While there are a-holes in society vandalising (be it smash up, or graffiti) stuff that doesn’t belong to them we can’t get nice things.
The glass panels at the bus shelters are continually smashed up by f-wits who get off on breaking things and ruining stuff for us civilized people.
Not that im saying interactive ads appeal to me, though the odd one might if its a good product, but the potential is there for some awesome features, like news and timetable updates which they could pepper with ads.
light487
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 12:09 PMYou’ve been to Shanghai (and China in general) now Alex, so you know this stuff can work, not to mention all the huge LCD and Plasma screens dotted all over the city and throughout the public transport and other public system.. but it just wouldn’t work here because of vandalism and peoples’ general disrespect/disregard for public/govt property.
On every subway train, on almost every bus, at bus stops etc all over China, they have these things.. maybe not fully interactive touchscreens in all cases but the screens are there. I’d love it if it could work here.. but I just don’t see it happening.
Andrew
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 8:36 PMthe problem is some kids would most likely smash it before i even got a chance to touch it