• by Tricia Despres , March 29, 2007

You’re driving down the highway, minding your business, when suddenly the billboard ahead flashes the nickname your mom used when you were four. Coincidence? Not.

MINI USA is the first to use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to communicate with consumers via “talking” billboards. From up to 500 feet away, RFID picks up the signal of MINI users carrying a special electronic key fob. When not displaying custom messages, the board shows content relevant to the brand or location. Motorby billboards are currently located in Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Francisco.

“It’s the ultimate one-to-one creative execution,” says MINI spokesman Andrew Cutler. “Not only do the boards support the ‘surprise and delight’ aspect of the brand to current MINI owners, but they also create a mystery to other passersby. It helps invite new people into the fold.