Xerox Targeted Advertising Speaks Directly To You

Are you tired of TV shows that bear not the slightest relation to your interests? Think that watching the box would be time better spent if the program’s characters mentioned topics you enjoy? How about Hugh Laurie making mention of your local supermarket in an episode of House? Or is that too specific?

Whether or not you’re adverse to Gregory House M.D. making remarks about the local Tesco, it could soon happen. According to a 13 January post at GoRumors.com, Xerox has filed a patent for targeted advertising that speaks directly to viewers – altering the TV show’s content based on the viewer’s brand preferences and location.

The Xerox patent application uses for example a store front tailored to a viewer’s preference for sports. The store front becomes that of a leading trainers brand because the viewer enjoys running – and the character speaking refers to that trainers brand. The Xerox patent suggests this targeted advertising could even include lip-syncing.

Alternately, if the viewer has a known preference for handbags, the character might refer to Prada.

The Xerox patent is intended above all else for targeted advertising. The printing brand hopes that this will re-invigorate TV advertising – which in recent years has suffered falling revenues. According to a 14 January post at MediaPost.com by Joe Mandese, television channels are eager to compensate for advert avoidance.

The patent may also open targeted advertising to a wider array of firms than before. Until now, the insertion of a brand name into a TV show was the privilege of corporations, who paid millions to TV producers.

Yet the Xerox patent argues that local companies could benefit too, because the technology tailors for specific audiences. This improves on existing product placement, which “cannot be customized for smaller regions.”

Consumers may be less pleased by the patent. Already the use of targeted advertising on Google means computer users are haunted by companies eerily familiar with their preferences. The extension of this strategy to television means consumers may feel they are constantly being harangued by companies – companies with no respect for privacy.

GoRumors.com meanwhile argues the patent could be detrimental to the TV programs. Presently advertisers target their audience based on the program’s genre and its popularity – meaning (in theory) the best shows receive the highest revenues. Yet the targeted advertising envisioned by Xerox would destroy this correlation.

Of course, Xerox only filed the patent with the US Patent & Trademark Office last week. So there’s no way of telling how far off this kind of advertising might be.