Stay Outta My Head (and My Bluetooth)
December 10th, 2007
So do you remember in Minority Report when the pre-crazy Tom Cruise was walking into a store – a GAP, I believe – and the automated salesman did a retina scan and addressed him by name and talked to him about his last purchase?
Well, it’s not that extreme, but from a MediaPost Mobile Insider post:
In a deal announced this week between Clear Channel and Bluetooth content distribution provider Qwikker, thousands of out-of-home ad properties will be able to talk to your phone directly and download robust content. The deal could be an important development for mobile marketing generally, because it ties handset devices to the fast-moving outdoor advertising market and one of its biggest networks, Clear Channel. The company controls a lot of real estate at bus stops, shopping malls and airports. Clear Channel’s global director of digital media, Michael Hudes, is calling this “Outdoor 2.0″ because it makes static signage immediately interactive and in rich ways.
Instead of short coding an SMS prompt on a billboard or navigating to a WAP link, passersby will be able to activate their Bluetooth receiver on a phone and accept an invitation from the signage to interact. Qwikker devices embedded in the locations handle the communications. According to Saul Kato, founder and CTO of Qwikker, there will be device detection built into every remote location so content can be transcoded on the fly for compatibility. The sign will be able to send movies, music, images, and applications to the nearby phone directly and off the carrier’s grid. Kato argues that being completely off-deck is especially important. “The transfer is free and doesn’t rely on data plans. There is no cost to the end user,” he says. “This has been a big issue for brand advertisers. Just putting content on a portal doesn’t mean people will download it. For it to be ad-driven it needs to have a free delivery mechanism.”
That’s creepy. Sure, you have to have a Bluetooth device (which the majority of new phones are being sold with these days) and you have to make it “discoverable” as well. But the idea of unsolicited ads coming in through my phone doesn’t sit right. Yes, I’m sure some marketers will figure out some pretty innovative ways to use the new technology but it’s one more possible interruption to my day. And it sounds like it’ll happen when I least expect it.
Other posts by Spike.
Jeff says:
More low tech I awoke to a text message on my cell last night at 3:45 AM from Cara@aol.com with the subject: ED Medications Sale Man 555.com
It read “yields yearning yank writ wrinkles wretched worlds workmen wiser winking”
While I appreciate the alliteration I didn’t appreciate the timing. I wonder what happens if you live or work near one of these “attack ad” basestations.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:21 pmHayward says:
Sounds like you have to initiate it to work. If that’s the case what’s your gripe? As long as the user wants to see it I think it’s an awesome idea. Now if it comes to me unsolicitied then I’m angry but that’s not how I read the article.
December 11th, 2007 at 2:22 amolivier Blanchard says:
I just saw this type of technology showcased in Redmond, WA - at Microsoft’s concept “house of the future”.
Before we stepped into “Grace” the talking house, we walked by a mock-up of a bus stop that was equipped with this very type of technology. It recognized our “borrowed” mobile devices and pinged each one with the option to browse certain packages of information.
This information was specific to each one of us and based on behavioral patterns unique to each one of us. If you’re someone who tends to take the bus at this time of day to go to 1-3 specific locations, the prompt offers those three options first. Once you pick which one is appropriate, the device then gives you an ETA on the next bus, expected transit time, and because it’s ten a.m., it also lets you know that Bobo’s pizza (just across the street from your destination) is running a lunch special.
If you’re not from the area, the prompt simply asks you where you want to go. Once you enter the info, it suggests an itinerary, gives you the expected transit time, suggests points of interest along your route, etc.
The same database that told the bus stop terminal what your usual bus destinations are also told it that you like to eat Pizza two or three times a month, or that you’ve been to Bobo’s Pizza before, so it knows that you are likely to find the “lunch special” information valuable.
You can choose to ignore or select every bit of information being communicated to you.
Is it intrusive? Maybe a little bit… But no more than the bus driver telling you “hey, Bobo’s Pizza is running a special this week” when you get to your destination, or posters being plastered all over the bus terminal.
Not everyone who walks by this bus terminal may care about Bobo’s special - but you might.
The device might also remind you that you’re out of wine, that you have a dinner party tomorrow, and that there’s a great wine dealer just a block away from your destination. The technology can make associations between your purchasing behaviors, items on your schedule and what type of products you have or don’t have in your kitchen… and automatically looks for opportunities to resolve A+B+C=purchase type scenarios.
The beauty of this type of technology is that:
a) unlike the cynical view of future Advertising portrayed in Minority Report, the information you receive is 100% private. Signs don’t turn on when you walk by. Onlookers don’t see what information is being thrown at you. Your identity is secure in a crowd, as are your preferences, destination, schedule, etc.
b) the information you are receiving is based on your lifestyle and preferences. It is meant to enhance your lifestyle and simplify your schedule - not add clutter to your bandwidth.
c) You can choose to completely ignore every single prompt. No one will talk into your ear unless you want them to. I expect that you will be able to adjust filters so that only certain types of prompts will come through. Based on what I saw coming down the pipe in a year or two, these filters will be easy to adjust on the fly.
You’re going to like what’s coming, Spike.
Some of the stuff I saw would make you jump up and down with excitement.
December 14th, 2007 at 10:51 amjb says:
I can’t wait ’til my phone catches a ‘virus’ from a billboard…
–jb
December 17th, 2007 at 10:46 am