• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, December 31, 2013

It’s hard to think of an annual event that beats New Year’s Eve for inherent sociability, and it’s no surprise that big brand marketers are unveiling all kinds of social media programs for the big day (or rather, night). One of the high-profile campaigns centered on the New Year’s festivities comes from MasterCard, which is using social media to bring images from celebrations around the world to digital billboards around New York’s Times Square.

The campaign plays off MasterCard’s well-established “Priceless” motif, inviting ordinary folks around the world to share their “priceless moments” on New Year’s Eve by tweeting or posting images and messages using the hashtag #PricelessNewYear to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, with the chance to have their image and message displayed in Times Square.

The #PricelessNewYear content shared on social media will be displayed on 11 digital billboards in Times Square, including the Nasdaq and Reuters signs, running between 6:00 am and midnight today. Of course all the people who are actually physically present in Times Square for the New Year’s bash can also participate via smartphones or tablets.

MasterCard is promoting the campaign with a 30-second spot on all the major TV networks, as well as during ABC’s “New Year’s Rocking Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” the live broadcast of the countdown and ball drop in Times Square. The spots have also been running on digital video screens in 7,000 taxis serving New York City, which should get plenty of viewers as celebratory libations flow.

On that note, I’d like to wish all our readers a healthy, happy New Year! Please celebrate safely and I’ll see you in 2014!