Digital Ads On License Plates

Gail Chiasson, North American Editor

We just can’t figure California out. While Los Angeles is trying to limit digital signage (see our , May 17 and March 29 articles), we learned through SparXoo blog that the state might offer a new medium to advertise: electronic license plates.

SparXoo says that its California’s latest effort to create jobs and fix its $19 billion budget deficit.

Digital advertising on electronic license plates might sound extremely distracting and highly dangerous. However, advertisements will only be displayed when the car is stopped for more than a few seconds, for example in rush hour traffic. At all other times, the digital plate will display the license number.

The licences could have straight advertising, or perhaps could offer QR codes for drivers to receive coupons on their smartphone devices – or perhaps a location-based system to trigger local advertising.

While the idea is still in its earliest stages, it’s something we’ll be watching closely.


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