VitaminWater Bus Station Ads Let You Charge Mobile Devices While You Wait

Do you hate it when your cellphone dies during your commute? Then you may love these new advertisements.

Bus shelters in select cities now feature VitaminWater ads that let commuters juice up cell phones, iPods, and other USB-compatible devices.

As part of VitaminWater's new "You're Up" campaign, certain bus stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston offer 5-volt battery-powered USB ports that allow transit riders to plug in while they wait.

According to an email from VitaminWater's ad partner Crispin Porter & Bogusky, the outlets mimics the convenience of charging devices in your own home.

Over the years, we've seen solar power to Coca-Cola used to power gadgets. And Samsung has long offered charging stations in airports. But powering up via billboard? That might be a first.

Check out photos of Chicago and New York bus shelters featuring VitaminWater charging ads (below). Tell us what you think of this campaign.

If you don't live in a citiy with cellphone charging station, we've got a slideshow of tips for boosting the life of your cellphone battery.

Quick Poll

Would you plug your mobile device into a bus advertisement for a quick power-up?

Absolutely

No way

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NEW YORK:

CHICAGO:

Comments

[S Pesticide]

05:56 PM on 07/20/2011

this is cool and clever

[drumz]

12:48 PM on 07/20/2011

As long as I can be guarantee'd that they are not harvesting data, it's all good.

[signgrrl]

01:33 PM on 07/20/2011

that was my first reaction.

[memery]

03:56 AM on 07/20/2011

Not to be cynical or anything, but I wonder how long it would take for some vandal to wreck this little gizmo, just for the fun of doing it?

[TazoWolf]

10:04 PM on 07/19/2011

It's all those electrolytes!

[AStranger]

10:29 PM on 07/19/2011

It's what iPhones crave!

[Bruce Krywinski]

07:43 PM on 07/20/2011

but what do iPhones crave?