Tuesday, October 14, 2008

But we KNOW you listened to this ad!

So you obviously want to buy our product!
A company called IMMI is perfecting software that goes in your cell phone and catches every snippet of audio you're exposed to, then automatically determines which ads you heard. And more!

To get a handle on the effectiveness of a given ad, IMMI's data can show, for example, when a panel member is exposed to a movie trailer on TV and whether that same consumer later goes to see the movie. Similarly, IMMI data can show if a panelist watching a promo for a TV program will later watch the show, either on TV or online. IMMI thinks it can expand that idea from films and TV shows to consumer products like shampoo or toothpaste. It is testing its technology with a national grocery store chain.

"We follow the same person from end to end," says Tom Zito, IMMI's chief executive.

I would recommend that IMMI start working on developing a cute, non-threatening mascot right now, because they are frankly talking about some scary shit. People volunteer to carry these phones for just $50 a month.

2 comments:

Steve Bates said...

"People volunteer to carry these phones for just $50 a month." - Gawker

Wanna bet? I admit I find some privacy violations creepy that most people don't, but I suspect this is a bit much for just about everyone.

As for me, if they figure out a way to do it with an ordinary cell phone... and I wouldn't bet against it... I will literally dump my phone in a bucket of some electrically conductive liquid and cancel my account. Fuggedaboutit!

ellroon said...

But wait! For just $10 dollars more, you can have THREEEeeee *glub* *zzzzappsprik*