Out-of-home media site operator JCDecaux has teamed up with media planner Kinetic in a new project called Test the Near Future, an initiative in which the companies will test near field communication (NFC) and quick response (QR) code technologies along with interactive campaign content across 300 bus shelter posters throughout Reading, UK.

The trial will allow consumers to download content like vouchers, special offers, games and music to their smartphones either by scanning the QR code or by swiping their phones on the poster sites which are now equipped with scannable and touchable 'smart posters'.

JCDecaux and Kinetic's Test the Near Future experiment is

making posters interactive at over 300 sites in Reading, UK

"This is the first large-scale deployment of NFC technology on the street and is bringing the future of out-of-home to the here-and-now in Reading," says Kinetic director of insight and marketing Nick Mawditt. "NFC is widely regarded as a technology that could transform the way consumers use their mobile phones to interact with their environment. Reading was chosen for the trial because it is one of the UK’s most tech-savvy towns."

Participating brands include H&M, Universal DVD, Mercedes Benz, Lucozade Sport, EA Games and Vaseline.