The use of emerging technologies will continue to accelerate in 2007 as we scramble to find new ways to communicate to our audiences.
OK, this one is a no-brainer. Technology is now in every aspect of our lives and it's time to pull your head out of the sand. Even my Mom is becoming more technology savvy and the younger audiences will demand it. So, stop being afraid and start exploring what's out there. And remember to go to Emerging Technologies to see the latest technologies that we think are cool!
More companies will explore Second Life and in 2007 we’ll see the first experiments in combining the real and virtual worlds together. I think that we’ll see some mixed reality experiments involving cell phones and we might even see virtual reality make a comeback!
Look for more companies to use the directional sound, like the program we did for Sunsilk. Being able to add sound, in an unobtrusive manner, will enhance what advertisers are able to do for OOH programs. As we covered here, interrupting guests to bring them unwanted sound, will only increase their dissatisfaction with what we do. We've also used this technology to deliver sound from a billboard six stories up!
We saw some great uses of bluetooth in the last few years and that will certainly continue in 2007. From CBS to Coldplay to digital hugs, companies have been exploring how they can use bluetooth to better communicate with their audience. In the right environment, with the right message, it could be a huge success. Used as a tool to interrupt the consumer, expect to see it next year in the Interruption Marketing Hall of Shame.
One interesting university test involves an OOH display that detects the presence of devices fitted with Bluetooth wireless transmitters carried by people walking past, such as cellphones and PDAs. Software agents then "bid" against one another to determine which adverts are then shown to those viewers. When that technology is out of the test phase, expect to see the entire concept of CPM being thrown on it's ear.
We saw more interactive technology being used at retail, like Ralph Lauren Interactive Window and the great work that our friends at GestureTek are doing in this space. This year, expect to see more large group
experiences, like the Target Installation at Union Square and other group interactive experiences that we'll be
introducing in 2007.
We first used Synthetic Interview in about 2000 and with the explosion of broadband and video online, we htink that 2007 could be a banner year for technologies like this. The underlying technology is also starting to be used to catalogue the vast amount digital content out there, these tools can be used by both companies and individuals, as people start to realize the amount of digital content they're amassing.
As OOH increases, also look for more experiments with personalization and gender recognition tools. Like all other advertising vehicles, it will become impertant to try and figure out how to better target OOH advertising.
I read the headline quickly and thought it said "Technology Continues to Enrage." Maybe it's just me, but that might be an equally apt prediction. (Vis. your posts and links on interruptions, and customer service, and even the following item.) Handle with care!
Posted by: margot jacqz | January 08, 2007 at 04:13 PM