• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer, September 20, 2013

Did you know there are digital signs in Times Square that are suitable for carrying advertising messages? If not, a whole raft of publicity stunts and campaigns will help educate you about the existence of these signs during Advertising Week and beyond.

The Outdoor Advertising Association of America has partnered with a number of major outdoor advertising companies to launch a new campaign touting the effectiveness of out-of-home advertising, especially in conjunction with social media, with the tagline “EverywhereUR.”

The campaign, which is set to run through Sept. 27, involves over 2,500 billboards around the U.S., and centers on Times Square, where ordinary folks can have their personal photos displayed on a digital billboard; all they have to is tweet a photo with the hashtag #everywhereUR. A picture of the billboard featuring the photo will then be sent back to the individual’s Twitter account so they have a keepsake of the moment. The technology behind the public participation element was donated by Aerva, which specializes in enabling real-time interactivity between mobile devices and out-of-home advertising.

Meanwhile, Clear Channel Outdoor is also staging a publicity stunt in partnership with Hyperactivate and the Advertising Week committee that taps Times Square’s high-profile digital assets. 

The Amplify AWX campaign will place digital screens in each Advertising Week venue to inspire social media discussions, while broadcasting social media posts via Clear Channel Outdoor's Spectacolor billboard in Times Square. The attendee who generates the most social sharing activity will be named “The Most Influential Person in Advertising” and receive 15 minutes of free space on the Times Square Spectacolor billboard.

In related Times Square news, the digital signage on NASDAQ MarketSite Tower is getting a big makeover thanks to a partnership between the Branded Cities Network, Panasonic Eco Solutions North America, and ABC Regional Sports & Entertainment Sales. The 10,800-square-foot LED billboard, located at the southeast corner of Broadway and 43^rd Street, will be replaced with a new high-resolution billboard incorporating surface-mount LED technology.  The signage inventory will be jointly marketed and sold by Branded City and ABC RSES.