Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Signs Wirelessly Track Consumers
In a scene in the underrated film Minority Report, advertisements are customized on the fly to appeal to Tom Cruise as he walks past. That film wasn't so futuristic after all, as Reward Media Systems is developing technology that uses billboards and electronic displays to track users and send them reward points for being in the area of the ads.The REMESYS is an opt in system that tracks a consumer's movements by cell phone or key fob
and gives points and coupons to the potential buyer's account. The company is partnering with hotel, eateries, etc. to offer discounts based on how many signs you see.
If you own a restaurant in West Hollywood, wouldn't it be nice for the people who walk by every day (okay, bad example, no one walks in LA), to download a coupon? That's the advertiser draw for Reward Media. The company says it will enable them to give advertisers better demographic information that could be used to rotate signage based on the time of day.
But even though you must enroll in the system, the tracking mechanism may make some consumers antsy about their privacy. Geolocation services that pitch consumers based on where they are standing have yet to take off, but the emergence of ubiquitous WiFi could boost its adoption. It is a fine line to walk between convenience and intrusion.
Posted By John Gartner at 10:35 AM
Permanent Link: Signs Wirelessly Track Consumers
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