The attack of the digital screen, coming soon to a mall near you

Get your already bombarded minds ready for an attack of digital screens which will hunt you down and force their products on you. Advertisers are latching on to the fact that they have to position themselves wherever they can find you, in the taxi, while you’re shopping, standing in the Bank and sooner than you think on street corners in a city near you.

Is this a good thing? I doubt these screens will be adding any major value other than pushing products fast and hard. Soon we won’t be able to turn left or right without seeing an ocean of digital pixels fighting for our already stretched attention spans.

Mike Bosman, well known local Ad man, has been venturing around for the last 2 years, raising R120 million in venture capital and negotiating with retailers for space to roll out his new generation of advertising canvasses. For someone with a track record like Mike to be going through so much trouble, you can be sure we are about to be hit by an outdoor environment digital storm. While the pitch speaks of the wonders of this new medium, I have my doubts about it’s positive impact on the human mind.

Mike and his team have travelled a total of 150 000km in the past 24 months, putting up 5000 screens all over South Africa, in supermarkets, bottle stores, electronics stores and shebeens, according to a biz-community article on the launch of his new company.

Think of those aisles filled with chocolates and other expensive luxuries just before you leave the store. Now position them throughout the store with moving pictures. Now take them out into public spaces and you’ll have a consumerism dream come true.

Be afraid South Africa, be very afraid. Big Brother is about to sell till he’s blue in the face.