CBS to Use Bluetooth to Beam TV Clips

Well we knew the time was coming. People have been talking for a while now about advertising jumping from offline channels into digital devices (literally). The line between traditional and digital advertising is getting finer and finer, and the abilities to reach cross platform audiences becoming more and more interesting.

A recent article on E-Commerce Times explains how “CBS will use Bluetooth technology to promote its upcoming fall lineup. Starting in September, billboards located in New York City's Grand Central Station will feature an invitation for commuters with compatible mobile devices to link up with the advertisements. CBS said it was the first known use of the technology by a TV network.”

"The ability to extend a brand's message from the static two-dimensional poster to an audiovisual clip on a cell phone provides endless opportunities for out-of-home advertisers to extend their message," said Jodi Senese, executive VP of marketing for CBS Outdoor. Such a preview of coming TV shows is a "tailor-made application for this technology," Senese added.

Like Jodi said, endless opportunities….Throw in the ability to tag (or cookie) people when they download clips, and on future parades through the train station, send relevant cross promotions, discounts, coupons etc….you have yourself a new dynamic advertising chanel. Once a relationship is established between the brand and my portable device, there are a number of opportunities for dialog…and for me, that’s where it gets really interesting.

Imagine the following; I’m walking through Grand Central Station, I opt in to receive a preview of this new show ‘The Class’. The system cookies me, sends me the file, and on future passes by this billboard, I can now be offered content directly related to the show. Movie billboards can beam merchandising discounts. Retailers can offer up incentives to shop at the store level or coupons for online redemption. Dynamic targeting can now be taken offline, and integrated with the rest of the world.

For anyone who ever watched the Tom Cruise movie "Minority Report" - things are starting to look a lot more like they do in the future.

Very cool stuff. Kudos to CBS for thinking outside the digital box.