- 18
- Jan
It seems like marketers in general are always looking for a way to infiltrate new, directed forms of advertising to achieve the best ROI possible. Well my friends, let me tell you that it’s getting a little more personal starting this January.
According to many reports and blogs, there are now new options for advertising called “in-call” advertising, or “ad-sponsored” advertising. A great article about what this entails, was written by Stephanie Mehta at Fortune Magazine, but to sum it up, when a consumer goes to place a call (with a telephony provider) such as JAJAH or Jangl, they will either have to listen to a sponsored ad (possibly having to do with what sort of call they’re making…if it’s a product or service) for 10-15 seconds, or they will have the option of opting in to hear a sponsored ad, but in doing so they will get credits towards their phone bill.
From a marketing perspective, I can’t help but think “this is GENIUS!” Not only can advertisers reach consumers in a new platform, but it’s non-invasive, as consumers have the option of opting out, or having the incentive of not paying for a cell phone bill. Plus advertisers are pitching directly to a targeted audience. For example, if I called up Home Depot, opted in to get credits on my phone bill, I might hear an ad for Lowe’s while the phone is still ringing for Home Depot. And then it’s up to me whether I do something about that ad or not.
However, this begs the question, how will the consumers react? Issues of privacy and “going too far” with advertising might be up for debate. But how invasive is it really? Compared to some examples of “new platforms,” asking a caller for permission is hardly anything but mainstream these days. And really, is it that much different than if I had typed in a search for Hyundai dealers in the Milwaukee, WI area, and gotten multiple ads for car dealers? Not really. And actually, it’s often helpful, and if it fits what I’m looking for, then maybe I would click on an ad.
I think that using a new platform like this may need to be treaded on lightly at first, as do all new things, but there are some new platforms that already cross the line and don’t look back.
Back in September (and I don’t know why this didn’t get more press, maybe it was booted already) but a company called Pudding Media planned to offer…
…free, ad-supported phone calls. The caller is presented with online ads targeted by keywords culled from the conversation through speech recognition technology. –Pudding Media
Now that’s crossing the line. Listening in on conversations is where I put my foot down. And I think others would agree:
“The entire area of speech scanning is inextricably linked with wiretapping concerns at the emotional level. If marketers attempt to push the scanning and advertising envelope too far into these discomfort zones, they risk alienating customers and the public at large, and perhaps are inviting regulatory interventions as well.”- Lauren Weinstein, founder of Privacy Forum
But that’s not all. I’m not going to go into too much detail as these are just more examples of “new advertising platforms” but they also worry me like the eavesdropping example above.
Ads on shopping carts. Not as invasive, but just more noise to add to the already large influx of ads I see on a daily basis. And I like grocery shopping. I don’t want that taken away from me.
Ad screens that you wear on your back to advertise. Who would do this? Okay, honestly, this just looks funny. I’m not really threatened by this, but it’s worth mentioning. And as you can tell from the link, it’s from the makers of Ad Bike…which is really self-explanatory.
And Finally…
Audio Targeted Ads. Okay, this one is definitely high on the creep-o-meter. It’s a billboard that talks to a small segment of people as they walk by. No, not like a general loud speaker. A speaker that others walking by won’t hear, but if you’re on a certain spot of the sidewalk, you’ll hear it. Can we say George Orwell’s 1984? Oh it definitely reminds me of that (and the Futurama episode where the main character learns that companies can advertise in his dreams. But I digress…).
Compared to what’s coming, and what’s out there already, “in-call” advertising does not qualify as invasive, given the sole fact that as a consumer you can opt in or opt out of this method. If a consumer feels that it doesn’t fit with their ideals, then that’s fine. If a consumer feels that they don’t need to be paying high phone bills to large corporations, that’s fine too. It’s a platform that gives the consumer a choice, which is what everyone should feel entitled to.
And it has to be said that JAJAH and Jangl are not the first to adopt this sort of model. In fact, they probably took a note from Free411—A company that lets consumers get the information they need, free of charge, just for listening to an ad while they wait. It’s been highly successful; a company and service that spread purely through word-of-mouth (which is always the most trusted form of advertising). And just like “in-call” advertising, consumers have the option to opt in for a free service, or pay for the advertiser-free listing.
I don’t think that “in-call” ads are revolutionizing this new industry, but I do think that they are breaking new ground.