MINI USA rolls out RFID-activated billboards

If there was ever a slick way to get folks to willingly carry around an RFID tag, MINI USA has it all wrapped up. Catering to every person's egotistical side, MINI has begun a pilot advertising campaign in Chicago, New York, Miami, and San Francisco, which gives select Cooper owners the chance to get an RFID keyfob in the mail, and moreover, a reason to consistently drive under MINI billboards. Users can select a custom message to be encoded on their RFID chip, and when they cruise near an overhanging MINI billboard, their particular message lights up for the world (or at least nearby motorists) to see. Of course, we're sure messages will be edited before delivery, and you still need to be down with toting a homing signal around with you each time you cruise, but let's face it, the mastermind behind this ad campaign probably got the raise we all wanted, but didn't come close to. So if you're a MINI owner in one of the four lucky cities, keep a keen eye on that inbox, and word on the street is that MINI USA is planning on hitting up more cities if (read: when) this proves to be a smash hit.

[Via Slashdot]

[Ray Brown @ Jan 13th 2007 11:15AM]

Anybody want to guess how long before some geek proposes to his girlfriend via this thing?

[Ranger @ Jan 13th 2007 11:53AM]

My first thought was about a week... but geeks have trouble getting girlfriends in the first place, so my final answer is a month.

[John @ Jan 13th 2007 11:32AM]

OMG! This is sweet. Hope they roll this out in Detroit soon...

[John @ Jan 13th 2007 11:42AM]

Actually, the messages are customized by MINI based on information you input to a form - you do not get to choose the message.

[GJP303 @ Jan 13th 2007 12:52PM]

lol about the geek purposing to his girlfriend via this thing: has anyone seen that commercial about the guy who paid to have the digital sign above the basketball game say "will you marry me?", then when she finally looks up it shows this advertisement about nose surgery. She gets pissed off and hits him.

[ElvisLives @ Jan 13th 2007 2:05PM]

The pro-RFID lobby tries to minimize concerns about privacy issues by arguing that the purported short range of RFID tags means that there is no worry about being spied on. This clearly demonstrates that that argument is full of s***, as it clear that RFID tags can be read from a substantial range.

[Wozza @ Jan 31st 2007 7:25AM]

Re. RFID read ranges: RFID technology falls into two main catagories: Passive RFID (the short range, non-powered, very cheap RFID chips being used increasingly to tag consumer goods) and Active RFID (the larger, more expensive units that are self powered and can offer ranges of hundreds of feet). Mini is using active RFID transponders as it would be impossible to read passive chips from within a moving vehicle.

[Sam @ Jan 13th 2007 3:35PM]

How long till someone hacks this?

[Brad @ Jan 13th 2007 4:56PM]

their ad firm Crispin Porter & Bogusky kicks crazy ass...check out their site, they're behind some really great ads

[Ryan @ Jan 13th 2007 5:43PM]

I think the scion in the backround is jealous.

[greygoose @ Jan 13th 2007 6:35PM]

I believe that I saw the Chicago billboard on I-294 Southbound near the curve south of O' Hare airport.

[Matthew McGuirl @ Jan 15th 2007 10:39AM]

Look a little closer-last time I checked, the Lincoln Tunnel wasn't in Chicago. :P

[Jim Jackson @ Jan 13th 2007 10:19PM]

I don' think Crispin Porter is their agency anymore. I think it's Butler Shine Stern & Partners in San Francisco now.

Does anybody have a photo of the RFID tag?

[DJDoc @ Jan 14th 2007 10:25AM]

Widespread implementation of RFID tags, at first voluntarily, has a lot of little, positive effects on our lives, but there will definitely be negative societal impacts. I personally would rather not eventually live in a world where every billboard in the mall knows who I am and what I bought.

I'll avoid the technology as long as I can do so without inconveniencing myself too much.

[andy @ Jan 14th 2007 7:18PM]

http://www.freewebs.com/andycapped/minicoopers.htm

this was something in my hometown Columbus, Ohio until they had to take it down because of a violation to the building because the windows were being covered when they building wasn't being used.. but it was a neat sight! check it out!

[Spotanatomy @ Feb 5th 2007 10:21AM]

[...]via engadget.com[...]

[Spotanatomy @ Feb 5th 2007 10:23AM]

[...]via engadget.com[...]
http://www.spotanatomy.info/index.php?title=mini_auto_cartellone_usa&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1