Talk about advertising impressions.
Imagine walking into a restroom in Chicago's O'Hare Airport, approaching the mirror and seeing a big brand advertisement instead of your own smiling face.
Within seconds, the advertisement transforms and appears in the upper-right corner of the mirror so you can wash your hands in peace.
And, from the advertiser's perspective, take in the commercial pitch.
This is what's taking place at O'Hare as Clear Channel Airports, in partnership with Mirrus, has unveiled digital advertising in up to 150 bathroom mirrors at the airport.
Here's an image of what this type of advertising looks like:
The ads can be geared toward gender-specific messages in men's and women's restrooms -- hey, what better way to segment an audience.
In addition to gender-oriented messages, thebe oriented toward "day-parting" and "event-parting" moments, Mirrus says.
The companies say the 40-inch mirror-advertising displays deliver corporate pitches in high-definition video and/or HD still-images.
But, if you think this is one-way messaging with no way to measure engagement, you are wrong.
Sensors capture the number of people who look into each mirror and how long they stare -- possibly increduously -- at the advertisements.
And, some of the installations include a computer running a content management system to enable content scheduling, Mirrus says.
Clear Channel Airports, which aims to put the mirror advertising in airports throughout the U.S., and Mirrus claim that "research suggests that consumers remember brands advertised in the Mirror Image at a rate 5 times greater than other advertising."
And, if any advertisers doubt that airport restrooms are the place to be, the companies claim that "brands achieved a positive uplift in brand equity as a result of advertising in Mirror Image."
That much is as clear as a mirror.