What if you could project an advertisement onto any surface? Imagine a 7000 watt projector that could bounce logos and images off of buildings, signs, or anything you pointed it at. You could put it in a van and drive around flashing images all over a city. Sound like science fiction? Well, believe it or not, the technology exists, and it is starting to catch on. According to Daniel Lee, Starbucks is the most recent company to employ the technology and they are broadcasting their image all over Chicago. I am sure there are legitimate uses for these projectors, I doubt that strapping them to a van and projecting images on buildings as you drive by would fit into that category. Companies like Kinetic Lighting seem unconcerned, and are promoting a projector that “is easily mounted to the back of a pick-up or van.” They claim to provide “creative agencies with unparalleled branding technology. And that���s translating to happy clients.” If you are tired of the “astronomical billboard advertising fees,” New Wave Development is working on a similar service. For the environmentally conscious, Projected-Ads.com boasts of how “environmentally friendly” their product is.

Well, I have to admit, that this technology sounds pretty cool. Unfortunately, the newness will wear off, and we will be left to deal with the legal, ethical and cultural implication of such technology. Daniel Lee rightly asks, “Is it legal to turn personal property into advertising material without consent? …With the use of projections even competitors advertising space can be converted into opposing messages.” The thought of a Starbucks logo being projected onto a McDonalds billboard is kind of funny, you have to admit. Maybe we can have some fun with it before the lawsuits start flying. Imagine the possibilities. If you could get your hands on one of those projectors, what image would you use, and what would you project it on?