Media: All about... Interactive outdoor advertising.

Outdoor clients want to have a dialogue with the public. By Anne Cassidy.

They've caught your attention, made eye contact and now they want your phone number. Outdoor advertisers have had enough of just turning heads - they're seeking a long-lasting relationship with the modern consumer.

The rise of interactivity in outdoor arguably marks a revolution in the medium of greater significance than the arrival of the digital poster The opening of channels of dialogue through mobile marketing potentially allows the outdoor industry to introduce direct engagement with the consumer.

It is logical that outdoor and mobile marketing converge; both are designed for people on the move, but this partnership is still in its infancy. Bluetooth-enabled campaigns have gained in popularity as consumers become confident users. Over the past five years, all the major outdoor contractors have offered Bluetooth packages, with advertisers as diverse as Channel 4 and the RAF running campaigns that involve sending extra information or offers direct to consumer phones.

Last month, CBS Outdoor launched the first interactive poster campaign in Scotland in a deal with Stirling Council. However, outdoor agencies contend that out-of-home advertising does not currently provide 'intelligent' interaction and, with the exception of film distributors, advertisers have yet to be innovative enough with their content provision.

James Davies, the board director at Posterscope's Hyperspace division, says: 'Media planners, buyers and creatives need to work together to develop creative, interesting and relevant multimedia content.'

Outdoor mobile campaigns have been, at best, sporadic. But, last week the promotion of mobile got a welcome boost as Clear Channel launched its own mobile service, Clear Channel Interact. It offers a Clear Channel-operated number on outdoor ads, which consumers can text in return for information chosen by the advertiser.