I read about it on ClickZ through John Battelle's Searchblog. A few weeks ago Google filed a patent application for ad space allocation on a "network of electronic display devices". The system it described will allow advertisers to select keywords, limit ad display to preferred billboards, and tie their inventory system to the ad network, so that marketing messages for sold-out products are automatically removed from rotation. Ads on the billboard network might consist of video, audio, printed incentive, "interactive data transfers" and/or combinations thereof.
And earlier this week, I saw on NewTeeVee that Cisco is interested in those electronic display devices, too. Paul Kaputska points out that Cisco recently bought a digital signage startup; should they buy a retina scan company to round out their Minority Report-style ad system?
I'm not sure either keywords (how will they be triggered?) or retina scans are the way to go, though. Instead, the Google patent info made me think of this Engadget post from last week about Mini Cooper's RFID billboard.
MINI has begun a pilot advertising campaign in Chicago, New York, Miami, and San Francisco, which gives select Cooper owners the chance to get an RFID keyfob in the mail.. . Users can select a custom message to be encoded on their RFID chip, and when they cruise near an overhanging MINI billboard, their particular message lights up for the world (or at least nearby motorists) to see.
What if Google (or Cisco, or whoever) sets up an opt-in program that combines RFID keyfobs and CVS' (barcode based, at least for now) ExtraCare loyalty card? Over 50 million customers are active participants, who allow the pharmacy to track their purchasing behavior in exchange for discounts.
You would sign up for a keyfob online; its RFID chip would be encoded with demographic info, purchasing preferences, etc. Whenever you approach a Minority Report-style billboard, it'd light up with contextual advertising. And if you're interested in the offer, it will give you $10 to spend with a merchant that supports Google checkout.
While there are certainly a number of privacy issues that come to mind, I don't think you'll have to worry about the last one too much -- there are very strong HIPAA regulations surrounding the sale of healthcare-related data, and most pharmacies are very cautious when it comes to harvesting and using that type of data.
CVS can already track purchases pretty well. They just aren't allowed to use that information for outbound marketing.
Posted by: Bill | January 19, 2007 at 08:20 PM