Skip to main content

Google lets people control its largest digital advertisement

google androidifiy times square android billboard
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Google sees your 120-inch TV and raises you 24,990 more feet. Google has manifested its new “be together, not the same” ad slogan into an interactive video broadcasted on the largest digital screen in the United States in New York City’s Times Square.

Google is the inaugural advertiser on the 24-million LED pixel screen that stretches down 45th and 46th street and allows pedestrians to create avatars of themselves on their phones or tablets and play games on the humungous screen with others. You can create an avatar on the Androidify website or special app and there’s an elevated platform in front of the screen where players’ movements control their larger-than-life on-screen character. Google will email people pictures of their avatars appearing on the big screen if they are unable to make it to Time Square.

Related: Google Botches Android One Launch in India

A few of the games include swimming and balancing soccer balls. There’s no tentative end date for this campaign, but Android Central reports Google purchased the space through the New Year. Google will also donate ad space on the screen to non-profit organizations Made with Code, Charity Water, Khan Academy, World Wildlife Federation (WWF) , NRDC, Donors Choose, and Give Directly.

While the amount Google paid for the ad space, sold by Clear Channel Outdoor New York, is unknown, the going rate is upward of $2.5 million for four weeks.

Editors' Recommendations

Keith Nelson Jr.
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…
Digital Trends Live: Google’s new Glass, Impossible Sausage, and more
episode 135 new google glasses

On Tuesday's episode of Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler is joined by Renee Abousamra to discuss the top trending tech stories of the day, including Google’s new version of Glass, the Impossible Sausage at Little Caesar’s, the United States Post Office testing self-driving trucks, Stanford’s new robot dog, and more.

Later in the show, we're joined by Kelvin Beachum, tackle for the New York Jets, venture capital tech investor, speaker, and STEM advocate for minorities, to discuss the future of technology through his eyes.

Read more
Digital Trends Live: Google I/O wrap-up, Lyft and Uber strike, and more
episode 126 circle home plus

On the latest episode of Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler and DT Producer Adrien Warner talk today’s trending tech news, including a wrap-up of Google I/O, the Lyft and Uber strike, an Amazon Go opening in New York (it takes cash!), a highway for electric trucks in Germany, Japan's successful launch of a rocket, 3D organ printing moving closer to reality, and more.

Later, Nibler welcomes Alex Lieberman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Morning Brew, a daily newsletter that curates financial news to better engage the modern business leader.

Read more
Digital Trends’ Top Tech of CES 2023 Awards
Best of CES 2023 Awards Our Top Tech from the Show Feature

Let there be no doubt: CES isn’t just alive in 2023; it’s thriving. Take one glance at the taxi gridlock outside the Las Vegas Convention Center and it’s evident that two quiet COVID years didn’t kill the world’s desire for an overcrowded in-person tech extravaganza -- they just built up a ravenous demand.

From VR to AI, eVTOLs and QD-OLED, the acronyms were flying and fresh technologies populated every corner of the show floor, and even the parking lot. So naturally, we poked, prodded, and tried on everything we could. They weren’t all revolutionary. But they didn’t have to be. We’ve watched enough waves of “game-changing” technologies that never quite arrive to know that sometimes it’s the little tweaks that really count.

Read more