First time after nine months, the iconic billboard at London’s Piccadilly Circus has been switched on with a much-upgraded high-tech makeover.
Dubbing the ‘Big Brother billboard’ is a high- definition curved screen, replacing the old advertising boards.
Facial Recognition and Free Wifi:
To track each passing car and to deliver targeted advertisements, the screen is now equipped with facial and object recognition technology. The billboard also provides free Wi-fi which, according to researchers, might be capturing and monitoring every online move of the passing people.
Digital Countdown:
The billboard made its glorious come back marked by a digital countdown at Piccadilly Circus, 8 am this morning.
Targeted Advertisements Every Ten Minutes:
A single brand will appear on the screen after every ten minutes for almost thirty seconds. The brands include Coca-Cola, Hyundai, Samsung, and L’Oreal will be the first brands to use the space, writes Wired. For the rest of the time, the 8500 square feet screen will be divided into six screens and will display videos, sports, and social feed.
Speaking earlier this year, Tim Bleakley, chief executive of Ocean Outdoor, the company that runs the board’s advertising said: ‘Coca-Cola, for example, can log on at any given moment, see a large group of Spanish tourists and change the copy of the ad from ‘hello,’ to ‘buenos dias’.’