Mutebi’s Mobile Digital Screen Backpack Brings Advertising to the Streets

As businesses search for more affordable and engaging ways to reach customers, a 25-year-old Ugandan entrepreneur has introduced a mobile digital advertising backpack that could change how brands connect with consumers while creating jobs for young people.
William Mutebi Wasswa has designed a backpack fitted with a digital television screen that displays advertisements, entertainment content, public awareness messages and promotional videos as its wearer walks through busy streets, shopping centres, markets and public events.
Unlike traditional billboards that remain fixed in one location, Mutebi’s innovation takes advertising directly to where people are, allowing businesses to engage audiences in high-traffic areas at a potentially lower cost.
Speaking to New Vision on Thursday, Mutebi said the idea was inspired by a trip to Mombasa, Kenya, in 2023.
“I had gone shopping at Naivasha Supermarket when heavy traffic brought vehicles to a standstill. I noticed a Safaricom advertisement running on a mobile display, and that immediately gave me the idea. I started thinking about how I could create something similar that would help brands market their products while creating awareness,” he said.
The idea continued to evolve during a subsequent visit to Tanzania, where members of the public welcomed the concept.
“The response in Tanzania convinced me that this was a business opportunity. I realised I could earn a living while helping companies promote their products and services in a unique way,” he explained.
After returning to Uganda in March this year, Mutebi began introducing the mobile digital screen backpacks to local businesses. The displays can be used for commercial advertising, product launches, entertainment promotions, tourism campaigns, health awareness drives and government public information campaigns.
The innovation comes at a time when Uganda’s gig economy is expanding through digital platforms such as SafeBoda, Bolt and Upwork, creating flexible employment opportunities for young people. Mutebi believes his business model can add another source of income by employing youth to carry the digital advertising screens during promotional campaigns.
Each backpack effectively becomes a moving digital billboard, attracting attention wherever it goes and giving businesses an opportunity to reach customers beyond conventional advertising channels.
Mutebi says the platform is particularly suitable for manufacturing companies, telecommunications firms, entertainment businesses, supermarkets and organisations running community awareness campaigns.
“I am gradually getting recognised, but I need strong partnerships to acquire more hardware so that I can manufacture additional units and operate on a larger scale,” he said.
He is now seeking partnerships with private companies, development organisations and investors to expand production and create more employment opportunities for young Ugandans.
Mutebi believes the innovation has the potential to transform outdoor advertising by making it more interactive, flexible and affordable than traditional methods. With additional investment, he hopes to deploy hundreds of mobile digital screen backpacks across Uganda, giving brands greater visibility while providing sustainable income for young entrepreneurs.
For Mutebi, the innovation is more than just a mobile screen. It represents a new approach to advertising that brings brands directly to the people while turning Uganda’s streets into dynamic marketing spaces and creating opportunities for youth to earn a living.