I’ve sometimes wondered whether digital displays can be considered direct marketing. Sure, they can be placed in specially-selected areas in stores that attract a certain type of customer, but once they’re in place, they’re pretty much stuck. Any old Frank McUnTargeted lost in a gigantic big box store could easily run into them, just as the perfect customer could turn one aisle too soon and miss out.
TruMedia may be on its way to solving the problem: the company has developed technology that allows digital signs to recognize individual people. Older versions could tell the difference between an adult and a child, and also had the power to determine gender and ethnicity. Now, the eerily insightful machines can decide if you’re a senior citizen, too.
Once the TruMedia sign has your target demographic filed into its little machine brain, it can serve up ads designed specifically for people like you.
Of course, I imagine the technology isn’t perfect. After all, not every pre-teen girl will thrill at seeing an ad for Hannah Montana shampoo — and imagine the backlash if it targets a 35-year-old mom with ads designed for a 72 year old.
When you compare it to that static signage of yore, though, this technology is a great step towards “direct-ifying” in-store ads.
Digital display gets personal
