A Wider Net

Recently Electronic Arts, the largest publisher of video games, released “Battlefield 2142” - the latest entry in a highly successful franchise that began with the WWII-themed “Battlefield 1942″. The game seems to be getting very good reviews and it will probably sell fairly well. There is, however, a bit of controversy surrounding in-game advertisements that may hamper sales.

A little while back, EA announced they were working with IGA Worldwide to provide in-game advertisements for BF 2142. This announcement didn’t prevent a backlash from gamers and press when the game launched, however. Several prominent game sites proclaimed that the game shipped with a piece of paper (not the EULA) that warned that the game would install tracking software (spyware) that would track personal information, including browsing habits, for the purpose of targeting ads to the game. This triggered a firestorm of negative blog entries, articles, and requests to boycott the franchise and all of EA.

It appears that this was something of an over-reaction. In a statement from EA, and a similar statement from IGA, they clarified the function of the software to be limited to tracking the location of the user (so they can, for example, serve ads in the correct language) tracking the time of day, and reporting the ad impressions. No personal information is tracked. In fact, IGA reports (and I’ve seen similar studies from others) that 70% of gamers find that real ads are a net benefit to a game’s immersive feeling - they prefer real ads over fake ones produced by designers.

So - why all the hubbub? Obviously tracking personal information is a sensitive topic, and spyware is at the top of the list of evils. People spend all kinds of time and money ridding their systems of spyware, or preventing their infiltration in the first place. Once the word “spyware” got linked to the game the story blew up.
But the ad insertion concept isn’t necessarily bad. To afford to build top-tier titles, publishers will need this revenue source. Gamers have reported that they like the ads, as long as they are a complimentary part of the experience. Marketers will like this space because it’s well-targeted (even though it’s still above-the-line), and highly measurable.

Lessons learned: I think EA needed to do a better job of explaining the product to consumers, and a MUCH better job of handling the resulting wildfire. For the latter part they need a blog.

Philips has an exciting entry in the 3D TV space - the 42″ WoWvx display. Using a built-in lenticular lens, this display produces three-dimensional images without the need for glasses. It also has a wide viewing angle - something uncommon among static lenticular 3D pieces. I’ve seen displays like this before, and this one has a much higher brightness spec, and it has a much higher resolution, so I’m pretty excited to see it at Innovation Day. This is an obviously great fit for exhibit traffic-stopping, as well as visualizations for biotech, high tech, and real estate. As I mentioned in a previous post, there is a chance this device is compatible with the VuCAM 3D capture binoculars.
I find anything that can break free of the “flat” of flat panel displays is a major win. I’m a big fan of moving screens, oddly shaped screens, and really anything that departs from what you’d see in your neighborhood Circuit City.

Spotted in a bathroom in Melbourne, this hand-dryer-billboard makes us wonder where it will all end. I thought the printed toilet paper and talking urinal screens were bad enough. I imagine there’s no audio with this puppy, since it would sound pretty much like a hand dryer anyway, but you have to wonder if they’re choosing ads that appeal more to the types of people that: A. Use public restrooms, B. Wash their hands, and C. Dry them the “environmentally friendly-way”. I won’t risk a guess at who it wouldn’t target, but I will say I’ve seen them and they are everywhere.

Seriously though, isn’t this is a better solution than a video screen above a urinal or on the back of a stall door? While I suspect there are products out there that want to be associated with #1 or #2, isn’t the hand-dryer just “cleaner”?

From Engadget.

Many years ago a previous employer of mine used to send out a “3D demo in a box” to it’s customer and prospects. It contained a 3D stereo slide viewer and a pair of slides for each image. The effect was startling. We were producing corporate theater, special events, and permanent installations that featured lasers, large video screens, pyrotechnics, wild environments, and other special effects. This was the first time we could remotely convey what our shows and installations looked like. The slide viewers were effective partially because of the stereoscopic 3D images, and partially because they were backlit, producing far more vibrant images than print pieces.

Step into the 21st century with VuCAM - a wild new product from StereoVision Imaging. This set of high-tech binoculars captures and displays 3D images all by itself. It can export those images to 3D displays and CAD systems. It can even make 3D images that you can view with those red/blue paper glasses. This seems like a natural solution for meeting planners looking to conduct site visits and share their experience with colleagues and/or customers. It also makes a novel way to capture attendees experiences at an event. One thing I’m not sure about it whether the pictures can be made into the ultimate 3D technology - Viewmaster reels. They’re coming to Innovation Day, along with a 3D screen from Philips that might be able to display them in 3D without glasses, so I will be sure to ask and let you know.

Promotional Luggage Spotter - A colorful,cushioned handle wrap for luggage id and carrying comfort.

Quick one for you - it’s not high tech, but who hasn’t struggled to identify their black rolling luggage among the baggage carousels populated by us black-bag-owning lemmings? A coworker solved the problem by purchasing a bright green floral print luggage set. While I envy how easily he spots his luggage, and how reluctant anyone would be to steal them, I’m not ready to go there. These branded colored handle wraps would suit me fine.

GeoTagging is a relatively new process of tagging media with geographical location information. This allows, for example, viewers of photos to determine where they were shot, and even the angle from which the shot was taken. Tracking media, or users, by geographical location has obvious benefits for social media sharing. But are the benefits to marketers as obvious?

GeoTagging can be seen in action at several sites like Frappr and the popular Yahoo-owned photo sharing site Flickr. The attached photo is an example of what you can do with Flickr - I quickly searched for photos shot in Vermont tagged “Fall Foliage“. Believe me, it’s a LOT easier than driving around dodging distracted leaf-peepers! Flickr added this feature only a few weeks ago and already there are over 5 million images GeoTagged.
You can also see how one advertising blogger has used GeoTagging to plot the locations of his readers.

Devices are starting to arrive that provide easy ways to incorporate GeoTagging into photography, blogging, and other media logging. Sony’s GPS-CS1 stores GPS coordinates every time you take a photo using a compatible Sony camera. I’m sure there are cameras already out there that do this internally, and several PDA’s are equipped with GPS devices that allow you to GeoTag blog entries or photos. This process might be called GeoMoBlogging (I’m honestly not sure) but it hurts to even type something that goofy.

Steve Rubel (Micro Persuasion, AdAge) shared an interesting view of GeoTagging, offering a glimpse into ways marketers will eventually use GeoTagging to target consumers. His examples refer to advertisers targeting users based on their locations, or based on the locations of the information they request. This has exciting potential for advertisers, especially for advertisers of regional events.

I think the potential for GeoTagging is still being sorted out, as are many different technical conventions, but it’s a fascinating phenomenon and I look forward to updating you as we spot new uses.

The effect of scent on an immersive experience has always intrigued me. You can’t deny that odor profoundly impacts experience. If you have ever tried to enjoy red wine with a stuffy nose then you know what I mean. Also, what is a whale-watch without the salty fishy sea air? And what would the Indy 500 be without the stink-blend of gasoline, sunscreen, and b.o.? Ok, not the best example. Consider instead the powerful “new car smell”, the drug-like aroma of chocolate, or the apparently irresistble teen body sprays.

Using scent to enhance audience experience has been around for some time. Back in the 1960’s, Smell-O-Vision was introduced into motion picture theaters, offering 30 different scent cues. John Waters released the film Polyester in 1982 with Odorama - a set of scratch-and-sniff cards that were manipulated by the audience on cue. Retailers and hotels have discovered the positive effects of scent on the customer experience. One major furniture retailer discovered that the smell of leather helped sell leather furniture.
The trick with scents is to deliver them accurately to an audience on cue. With this ability you can enhance any experience including Broadway shows, movies, shopping environments, attractions, and even browsing the web. At one point a bold startup called Digiscents invented a scent “printer” that you could hook up to your PC and deliver scents triggered by special codes on web pages. I believe they are in research mode now, having replaced their product website with a blog.
One of our Innovation Day participants, ScentAir, has a tried-and-true method of delivering scents on cue using their unique ScentWave and ScentPOP scent machines. They were recently covered in Time Magazine - an article well worth the read if you’re interested in the use of scent in retail and event experiences. It’s easy to write this off as a superfluous gimmick, but if you read through the Time article, the information at the Digiscents Blog, and the Scentair website, you will probably agree that the science is valid, compelling, and worth a try.

Cool Hunter catches a lot of great billboards and other forms of large-scale public advertisement. They even have a section devoted to ads (highly recommended). From this section are a couple of my favorites. First, the ultra-low-tech door peephole micro-billboard has me wondering if anyone opened the door while they were applying them. Next, I’m still in awe of the humongous soccer promo that created the illusion of a giant player stretching across a highway. My favorite billboard was the Big 3D Cyberworld/Simpsons billboard (below). As you drove by, Bart Simpson appeared to skateboard through the billboard in 3D. Large outdoor displays can be technically complicated, but when properly executed, they generate category 5 PR.

Update: Forgot to mention another great resource for creative outdoor advertising examples: Billboardom.

I love USB gadgets. Expect to see a lot of them here over time. This one appeared on Everything USB, one of my favorite USB gadget blogs. It’s simply a little LED display that you can program and more importantly, charge, through your USB port. It can be worn as a nametag or magnetically stuck to a metal surface. You might want to consider using these as mini digital signs around an exhibit, or as a daily “note to self” in your office.
USB Rechargable LED Badge

The New York Times has a brand new reading application based on WPF, or Windows Presentation Foundation, formerly called Avalon. This technology will be a component of Windows Vista, and promises to bring some interesting new capabilities for windows application designers. I believe the iBloks application, a video, image, and music sharing tool, is also built on WPF. This is a good glimpse of the types of slick applications coming down the road for windows users, many of which will certainly change the way we communicate electronically. Follow the link below to download the free beta (which may require you to set up a free nytimes.com account).
First Look - Times Reader

Originally spotted here.