According to a Live Science article those billboards represent “the next big thing”. Cisco Systems is one of the companies betting on this new market segment, in fact recently they acquired a provider of digital signage systems and software called Tivella.

Cisco estimates that the digital signage market will account for $2 billion and 2010, and apparently Google is also interested in extending its efficient advertising network to such billboards (the Mountain View giant filed a patent for allocating advertising space through a network of displays).

There are some similar developments in French as well where a marketing firm called JCDecaux is starting trials with billboards that interact with the mobile phones of users passing near to them. Privacy issues will be a problem, and currently only users that signed an opt in request will take part in the trials.

An employee of the company commented: “With this project, we are really starting to create the personalized digital city… We eventually will see a rich dialogue running between mobile phones and what are now uncommunicative objects.”

Coca-Cola is another company experimenting with innovative marketing techniques. It recently launched a digital billboard with the resolution of a cinema screen, an integrated computer, built-in cameras and a heat sensitive weather station. The device, as you can imagine, will be able to interact with people, recognize movements and customize its messages according to the weather.

Do you think in the near future we will have digital signs talking to us, proposing special deals and even recommending stuff?

Reference: LiveScience and Technovelgy