You Can Now Shop On The Subway

Your 5 o'clock commute is now a little more exciting. Amazon just launched subway shopping centers in NYC as part of a massive ad campaign. The design firm Control Group launched interactive touchscreens for the New York City MTA earlier this year (if you live in NYC, you recognize them as the big screens on the platforms that sometimes tell you when your train is coming, sometimes don't.) And, of course, the mega online retailer became the first brand to jump on board and turn it into an advertising method.

So, how does it work? Amazon launched 100 screens at 12 major subway stations. The advertisements near the exits and entrances focus on brand awareness (because they obviously need it...?). The platforms, however, are a little more fun. Consumers can browse through a line of products while waiting for their train. If anything looks like a good holiday gift, they'll receive an email that allows them to purchase the product once they're above ground. The campaign ends runs until December 23 — the last day of Christmas shopping.

If this is 2014, then I'm pretty excited for the rest of the 21st century. What's next? A pop-up shop inside of Subway cars? A virtual runway on the platform? The future is exciting, my friends, and we're all gonna go broke in it together.

Here's a look at the new, innovative maps. Smart House, much?

Image: Control Group