NEC's ad system pumps out spots based on gender, age

For better or worse, targeted advertising isn't going anywhere. Seemingly, it's not getting any more discrete, either. NEC's Digital Signage Solution combines a camera, a large display and a FeliCa contactless IC card reader / writer in order to dole out advertisements that cater to certain demographics. The system includes the innate ability to determine "gender, generation and other attributes" of a person in order to serve up advertisements that will cause him / her to spend some dough. From there, the individual can scan their phone in order to access related content on their mobile internet browser. That's all and fine and dandy we suppose, but how on Earth do you convince busy citizens to stop by and have a look at an otherwise uninteresting flat-panel?

[Image courtesy of NEC]

[Blayed @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:24PM]

The robots have the power to differentiate between us!

We're SO screwed.

[kjb434 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:29PM]

Minority Report anyone?

[Ladderless @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:36PM]

I wonder what it would think of Pat...

[Dead_Rebel @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:43PM]

Thanks, now I got that friggin' jingle in my head...

"...... a ma'am or a sir, accepts him or her...."

[Dillon @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:42PM]

Wouldn't this be horribly insulting to a person if it guessed their gender wrong?

[phanbouy @ Jul 22nd 2008 3:37PM]

you don't live in San Francisco, do you?

[Robert @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:43PM]

couldn't they make the camera a little more discreet?

[Brian @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:47PM]

Nice post,but please.... "discrete" means "separate and distinct"; "discreet" means "subtle or confidential". Sheesh.

[Mark @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:54PM]

Hello, Mister Yamamoto!

[Mile @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:14PM]

May I only get ads that star Jennifer Aniston, please?

[Galley @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:26PM]

Wow, that is one WIDEscreen TV!

[Michael @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:42PM]

So what's up with that Dual Screen PSP?

[BigD145 @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:56PM]

Disgusting advertising.

[phanbouy @ Jul 22nd 2008 3:37PM]

ha.. i heard lots of self-righteous tripe on NPR this morning about how networks are studying brain waves now for targeted advertising

another reason i only pay for commercial-free content (read: netflix)

[tomokazu.osada @ Jul 26th 2008 8:59AM]

ummmmmmmmmmmmmm, well, if you give me free information in the form of a custom advertisement, that's enough reason for me to stop and interact.

idea-bot 9000