Digital Billboards: Harmful or Harmless?

by jneer 3. March 2010 04:06
I’ve been following a series in the New York Times called Driven to Distraction, which examines the risks of talking and texting behind the wheel.  It also explores the pressure people feel to stay connected while driving.  

The March 1 article “Digital Billboards, Diversions Drivers Can’t Escape” was particularly interesting to me.  Digital marketing is everywhere.  Marketers can send mobile texts and alerts at any time, maybe someone is driving, maybe they are not.  A consumer can chose to ignore them.  But the article makes a very strong argument that I agree with: it’s very hard to ignore a digital billboard.  Very early studies have shown that digital billboards do not change driving behavior but that was when digital billboards were still new and the number of billboards minimal (note: the study was financed by the billboard industry).  Even those researchers say the study needs to be examines further.

As more studies are being done on this and as state regulators are stepping in, it will be interesting to see where the line gets drawn.  In an era where marketers are doing all they can to engage the consumer, there should be a limit – especially when their safety is at risk.
Bookmark and Share

Tags:

E-mail | del.icio.us
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post RSSRSS comment feed
Comments are closed

Powered by BlogEngine.NET 1.6.1.0
Theme by Mads Kristensen