[embordes]

Hi everyone!!
I'm brand new to the site and to the MINI Cooper as of a few days ago. I've been conducting research as part of a case study for a marketing company (to whom im currently in the bid for a postition with). I'm trying to get some feedback on the new billboards MINI has up in some of the major cities (Chicago, New York, San Francisco...) in the U.S. Have any of you seen them. Have you been "recognized" by the billboard? If so, do you feel your privacy has been invaded? Do you think these "talking" billboards are a smart marketing move?

If you have no idea what I'm talking about and have a minute to look at a NY Times article (it's actually very interesting), please do so and let me know what you think. (I'm only able to paste parts of the article...just to give you an idea of what i'm talking about).

Bill Boards That Know You By Name--New York Times

"A sign in San Francisco identifies approaching Mini Cooper drivers by using a signal from a radio chip embedded in their key fobs. "

"The boards, which usually carry typical advertising, are programmed to identify approaching Mini drivers through a coded signal from a radio chip embedded in their key fob. The messages are personal, based on questionnaires that owners filled out: “Mary, moving at the speed of justice,” if Mary is a lawyer, or “Mike, the special of the day is speed,” if Mike is a chef.
The experiment adds a new wrinkle to the wrangling among marketers and safety experts over whether drivers might be dangerously distracted by messages flashed on the growing number of digital billboards around the nation. Some communities have forced billboard owners to modify or turn off such signs, and the federal government has said it will soon publish a review of the research on the subject.
The enthusiastic guinea pigs for the Mini experiment will be more than a thousand Mini owners in New York, Miami, Chicago and San Francisco who have signed up for what the company calls “an ever-changing array of unique, personal, playful and unexpected messages.”
--NY Times article
By BARNABY FEDER
Published: January 29, 2007


Thanks for your help.

--Em

[Paul]

Here's the full story: http://www.mini2.com/2007/02/18/firs...ini-motorists/

[MINIAC]

Quote: Originally Posted by embordes (original)

Have you been "recognized" by the billboard? If so, do you feel your privacy has been invaded?

You can't really claim your privacy has been invaded when you've chosen to participate and provided information used for the billboard displays

[embordes]

i absolutely agree. not sure why this campaign is so controversial. seems like it's the outsiders( non-mini drivers ) that have such a big problem with it. i'm in advertising and it's definately one of the most innovative ideas i've seen in a while!
thanks for your response.

[embordes]

thank you for the article. apparently i need to have 5 posts before i can display a URL!
what do you think of the billboards? ever seen one?

[Arnbut]

It would be more helpful if the billboard said, "Don't forget your wife's birthday next week..."

No billboards on my 23 mile drive to work. I don't think I've ever actually seen a MC billboard... The new TV commercial with Dueling Banjos is cute even though its focus is on useless bling rather than the performance or technical merits of the car.

[lespurgeon]

No billboards allowed in Hawaii (Yeah!), but there is a MINI ad on the inside of our building's parking garage. Changes every once in a while - one was making fun of Hummer drivers if I remember correctly.

There are a few on here that have the recognition key fob in the SF bay area.

[beken]

Not long after VW-USA renamed the Golf (which used to be called the Rabbit) to the Rabbit, this billboard went up not too far from my office.

[mderijke]

Here are two of the billboard in The Netherlands



Made of glass fibre, with working headlights at night. The sign says "nothing sticks like a MINI".

And this Classic has been hanging from an apartment building in The Hague for years now.