• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer @MediaPostOTL, April 30, 2007

We've all heard of user-generated content. But here's an interactive user-generated campaign that comes to life when the user (pedestrian) walks past.

Submedia made a name for itself in 2000 when it first placed 350-foot light box displays in subway tunnels. Here's how it works: As the subway moves, straphangers see ads in the form of 15-second movies, best described as a flipbook come to life. The light boxes play Jedi mind-tricks on eyeballs via small slits that manipulate the compressed, stationary images into something movable.

The technology has seen the light, having been brought above ground to be used for shorter, four-second movies viewed by passing pedestrians.

Using a set of fifteen 6- by 4-foot light boxes, Submedia launched a campaign this month for Land Rover's LR2 vehicle in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami.

"We've been able to retrofit our technology from 350-foot displays to a mere four feet so any OOH execution can be brought to life with only the motion of walking required to [trigger] a four-second movie," said Peter Corrigan, CEO of Submedia. "This allows marketers to repurpose their television spots in just about any outdoor location. Fashion ads to be turned into a catwalk, consumer products can be demonstrated and movie posters can show an action sequence," he continued.

Be on the lookout for ads at the American Airlines Arena in Miami and Gramercy Park in New York.

The automotive industry uses the technology heavily, for it gives passersby the illusion that a car is moving. Past and present clients include BMW, Hummer, Nissan, Jeep and Lincoln.

The media buy is just like a normal outdoor buy, and Submedia works with vendors such as Fuel Outdoor and Equity Office for ad buy locations.

Creative is installed in roughly four minutes and usually consists of repurposed screen grabs from existing TV spots, bringing the feeling of the TV medium outdoors.