A century ago, a series of six consecutive sequential signs written in prose allowed Burma Shave to cut through the clutter and become the second-highest selling brushless shaving cream in the United States. If Burma Shave was launched today, however, these signs might be able to change their message on the fly based on the age, gender and vehicle of the passing motorist!

In a new article for Advertising Age, Marcus Fischer discusses the quiet, technology-driven upheaval taking place in the signage industry and its impact on consumers. With the number of digital signs expected to reach 20 million in the next three years, Fischer describes how new outdoor technology is placing relevance, not neon blindness, at the center of the consumer experience. New signs such as the ones placed in a London interactive bus shelter, according to Fischer, recognize gender and serve appropriate content, while new technology from Rhonda Software touted the capability to measure age, time spent, and even emotion of nearby consumers to deliver hyper-targeted advertising.

@NeilAndrewJames