Slashdot Mirror
Samsung System Tailors Ads To Its Audience
angry tapir writes "Samsung has developed an outdoor digital advertising system that tailors ads based on its audience. There are three main components of the system: an LCD display panel, a dual lens camera and a processing computer, which runs the company's proprietary facial recognition software. If the technology identifies several female members in a group, then it can target advertisements at them, for example. Even if the group is mixed, the technology can identify whether onlookers are children or adults. If they're adults then maybe a wine ad could run whereas an advertisement for toys might play for kids."
If they're adults then maybe a wine ad could run whereas an advertisement for toys might play for kids
And if it's a mixed group of adults and kids, it shows an ad for drinking wine out of plastic sippy cups?
... and then they built the supercollider.
Well, if you're not wearing pants in public perhaps it _would_ be a good idea if the proper authorities were notified?
- These characters were randomly selected.
After RTFA (yes, I make semi-witty first posts before RTFA just because I can, sue me) I can only assume someone will post something about the pants being irrelevant because it's made for public outdoors advertisements.
If you are or were on the verge of making such a post, I would like to strongly urge you to reconsider who you're dealing with here.
I'd rather you rationally disagree than irrationally agree.
I'm wondering what's going to happen when somebody sues because the ad content offends them. A woman that hates girly things or perhaps a black person that likes golf, or possible a gay man that gets sick of the inappropriate ads for jewelry for the wife.
This sort of technology may be an advertiser's wet dream, but it's pretty screwed up.
How long until someone comes by and paints over the camera lenses disabling the tailored ads?
I can see this being a big waste of money that will hardly ever work correctly, and just being an annoying method of delivering ads when it is working.
You'd think advertisers would have learned by now how to avoid embarassing themselves. Clearly, they have not. Every year there are advertisements that fail to account for cultural values, context, or placement, and wind up sending an unintended message. Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes its tragic. You've all seen the jars of Gerber baby food, right? The one with the big baby face on the front? Turns out when they first tried to sell it in rural segments of Africa, it wouldn't sell -- like at all. Turns out that the majority of the population in those markets is illiterate and so the products contained pictures of what was inside the jars and boxes. Well, the locals thought Gerber was selling, achem... baby. Needless to say, the packaging was updated shortly thereafter.
Here's the problem with advertisements where people are aware they are being targetted: What if the machine makes a mistake? What if it identifies the 18 year old male who's captain of the football team with a couple of his female friends and the machine decides that there are three females in the party instead of two, and spits out an advertisement for tampons or makeup. Perhaps even doing an impromptu photoshop with their faces and a "before and after" shot, with directions to the nearest makeup counter? Well, he might need some coverup then... To hide his suddenly very flushed appearance.
The problem with mechanical identification of any physical trait in a human being is that it won't ever be 100%, because the meanings associated with those traits are context-dependent. That is to say, the correlations are the problem, and it's true whether it's a matter of sex, race, or age... And when people are aware they are being targeted by those factors, and especially when its misread, and very especially when others are aware of this -- it can have significant social reprecussions. In marketing, context and placement means a lot -- and the only thing saving people from taking it personally is the very fact that they know it's targeted impersonally. When that changes, marketers are going to be in for a real surprise.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
There are Samsung fanboys?
... and then they built the supercollider.
In Norway, advertisements directed towards children are banned on TV and radio. Unfortunately this is being circumvented by basing the broadcasting network abroad.
I just hope this type of advertising can be dealth with by modifying the laws. If not, maby a big hammer will do the trick.
I really don't want this thing advertising bed sheets, wrestling, ammo and tractor pulls to me every time I walk by.
The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.
If you're concerned that technology can determine whether you're wearing pants by seeing your face, you've got bigger problems than your privacy.
ProTip: The pants don't go on the head.
Ahh - My eye!
The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!
Truth is, a little harmless digital stereotyping never hurt anybody. I look forward to living in a future where the advertisements on the street are video screens and they adapt their message to who they think is walking by.
A proud whore.
I look forward to a future where public spaces aren't blemished by the vulgarity of advertising, arenas and stadiums bear the name of the city and not the name of a corporation, bus benches are attractive places to sit, the notion of wearing clothing and accessories adorned with corporate logos is dismissed as absurd, and all of us can celebrate with pride the world we've made for ourselves.
Foolish notions? Perhaps. But the way I see it, better to aspire to something than wallow in the shamelessness of an idiocracy... oh, fuck it. Enjoy your electrolytes.