Waiting for the bus is one of those dull facts of life, like Emma Watson or having to clean the plug in the shower (living with 6 girls this is never a fun occasion). But through the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago has found a way to make this experience just a little less tedious by creating interactive advertisements for their new exhibition The Way of the Shovel.

Rather than an image for one to merely scan one’s eyes over, these adverts are made from scratch-off material, similar to a scratch card, and onlookers are invited to excavate the black and white poster to reveal exciting hidden art underneath. The exhibition displays archaeology-as-art, so inviting people to ‘dig’ with coins or fingernails is an inventive way of promoting their new display.

Here’s a few pictures of what the advert looks like:

The museum stated:

“Using a familiar experience of scratching off silver ink to reveal lotto prizes, the advertisements are opportunities for people to become archaeologists and remove layers to find something new,”

And if this wasn’t cool enough, the company have placed backlighting behind the advert so the art that has been discovered is aglow when the sun sets on the city.

JCDecaux (the huge corporation that owns Chicago bus stops) gave the go-ahead to this advertising scheme and with the help of the firm Classic Colour the museum was able to create these innovative ads.

Maybe the Conservative party should start advertising this way, I’d love the chance to scratch into David Cameron’s face.

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