Advertising Through Facial Recognition

Advertisements will be tailored to target audiences more than ever with the push for digital signage.  

According to J. Craig Anderson of The Arizona Republic, Avnet, Inc., an electronics distributor, is “hoping to lead the revolution” of commercial signage. He states, “Electronics-industry analysts predict that by 2015, about 22 million traditional signs in grocery stores, shopping malls, restaurants, health clinics and other businesses will be replaced with digital displays that interact with consumers.”

Interactive digital signs have the capability of analyzing the gender and age of individuals who pass by, which allows these “smart” signs to tailor their ads according to the particular observer. For example, a teenage boy passing by may be presented with an ad for a video game while an adult female may be shown an advertisement for beauty products.

Marketing through facial recognition offers companies the opportunity to customize the consumer experience with products and services. Digital signage will actually interact with each consumer’s supposed wants and needs in order to appeal to the individual, presenting yet another form of personalization due to technological advancements.