But not everyone is sold on the idea of living in a world of endless ads. In Moscow, for example, a new form of advertising targeting motorists has split opinion. Drivers approaching a particular digital billboard in the city are shown adverts for a new kind of Jaguar car, but only if you are driving a different make of vehicle. Sensors in the billboard detect what kind of car you are driving, and send you an ad based on that information.

While this may seem invasive, it's actually the saftey aspect that has concerned some observers. Researchers in Sweden have shown that digital billboards attract our eyes for longer than other kinds. In fact, they distract us for over two seconds, a length of time which studies have proved to be dangerous on the roads.

Finally, we have "proximity marketing", where shops detect where you are on the high street and send tailored adverts to your phone. Devicescape is one company trialling the use of Wi-Fi as a means of tracking customers. Their technology could work anywhere, whether in "a supermarket, a concert hall, or a bus," says Owen Geddes from their marketing team. What would customers see? "It could be a discount offer to use in the shop the person is visiting, or a piece of content such as a movie trailer," says Mr Geddes. 

词汇表 ad 广告，advertisement 的缩写

billboard 大型广告牌

to ping 推送，发送消息提示

to near 靠近

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