Wiffiti

From Textually.org...

"Text Messaging is now moving from the private sphere into the public one reports The Economist via Chicagoist. "New technologies allow text messages to be displayed on the sides of buildings, on public screens in cafés or on vast digital displays at sporting events and festivals.

Such “digital graffiti” can be used in various ways: to capture the mood of a gathering, boost a brand, or to spark public dialogue.

... The earliest examples of digital graffiti appeared in Europe, where text messaging took off years ago, unlike in America where it has only recently become popular. In 2001, for example, at the Speaker's Corner building in Huddersfield, England, a tickertape-like display showed the results of a text-message poetry contest.

The latest digital-graffiti systems are rather more elaborate. ... Wiffiti allows a passerby to text a message to be displayed on a screen, a wall, television...

Eight “Wiffiti” screens (a name derived from “wireless graffiti”—it has no relation to Wi-Fi networking) have been set up in coffee-shops in American cities, sometimes with the support of sponsors."

The implications for our brands are interesting. A branded screen in a student union would be a great form of physical social networking. Or it could be made more upscale by locating it in a style bar.

Thanks to Sunita for this, I've got a feeling this will develop fast.