Getting on Board

An old advertising medium is being reinvented. Billboards are getting smarter and more interacive, letting you in on the action

In Manhattan's trendy SoHo district, rock star Lenny Kravitz peers down from a 60-ft.-wide billboard for Absolut vodka, holding in his outstretched arms what appears to be a digital cable with bottle-shaped plugs. This isn't just the physical manifestation of the vodkamaker's latest hip ad campaign; it's also a display of advanced technology. At the bottom of the sign, Absolut invites passersby to send a text message or enable their Bluetooth cell phones to download a free 4-min. MP3 track where they're standing. "We always try to be edgy and different with our ads, but this time we wanted to go...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!