Dispatch from an advertising future #36

China’s facial recognition rollout reaches into mobile phones, shops and homes

Scaremongers had dragged out Orwell; Charlie Brooker and Orientalist tropes but she’d been happy to opt in. It wasn’t just the ease of paying or getting around the Tube. No, it was the small things. She smiled as the newsfeed changed to her favourite sources, topics and opinion polls. So much emotional energy saved. The dynamic pricing ticket flickered as it caught her eye. So much thinking saved. It wasn’t much, but hearing her playlist boot up in the changing room, just made her feel…well acknowledged. She for one would be opting in when the emotion tracking AI came online.

Dispatch from an advertising future #35

Amnesty International latest to slam surveillance giants Facebook and Google as “incompatible” with human rights

The protest had spilled over into the election. The activists had got the passive to act. Candidates who echoed the activists’ demands were sweeping into power. The demands had gone mainstream. Online and offline had blurred as the activists had Reclaimed the Speech. Blocking had given way to hacking a way through security to Occupy the giants’ spaces. The demands had moved from an amorphous “privacy” to fundamental “rights” and the fatalistic and apolitical had begun to stir. Even the giants’ own backers were acting; turning their backs. The giants watched silently. They readied their troops for one last stand.

The protest had spilled over into the election. The activists had got the passive to act. Candidates who echoed the activists demands were sweeping into power. The demands had gone mainstream.

Online and offline had blurred as the activists had Reclaimed the Speech. Blocking had given way to hacking a way through security to Occupy the giants’ spaces. The demands had moved from an amorphous “privacy” to fundamental “rights” and the fatalistic and apolitical had begun to stir. Even the giants own backers were acting; turning their backs.

The giants watched silently. They readied their troops for one last stand.

Dispatch from an advertising future #34

https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/11/15/238341/privacy-pew-research-data-collection-big-tech-facebook-google-apple/

She’d stayed longer than planned. It was dark. She could wait until someone was heading her way but why couldn’t she walk her own streets alone? She could call a driverless but it was a nice evening. She made her excuses and as the cold air hit her, she tapped her earpiece: “OK, WatchMe,” she said. The streetlight camera didn’t move; the one in the shop window didn’t show it had locked her FaceID . There was no sign from the smart pavement that her steps were being tracked differently. But her earpiece glowed a reassuring red: she was being Watched.

She’d stayed longer than planned. It was dark. She could wait until someone was heading her way but why couldn’t she walk her own streets alone? She could call a driverless but it was a nice evening. She made her excuses and as the cold air hit her, she tapped her earpiece: “OK, WatchMe,” she said. The streetlight camera didn’t move; the one in the shop window didn’t show it had locked her FaceID . There was no sign from the smart pavement that her steps were being tracked differently. But her earpiece glowed a reassuring red: she was being Watched.

Dispatch from an advertising future #32

Google accused of spying with new tool that flags large employee meetings

Our teams are creating value; in meetings but also outside meeting rooms. So today we can unveil Put-The-Eye-In-Team (™). Now you’ll no longer have to think about sharing your ideas. Put-The-Eye-In-Team (™) will do it for you. Bump into a colleague by the lift and a creative spark flies? Don’t worry, the lift will share it. A new idea over lunch? Put-The-Eye-In-Team (TM) is built into the tables. Musing over a business problem after work? Put-The-Eye-In-Team (™) is now built into the most popular local bars. We’re all set to harness all the powerful conversations wherever they (and you) are.

Here at TheLoitTouch (interactive) we pride ourselves on our creative ways of working. Ever since we began the journey of bringing ad agencies into TheLoitTouch family, we have embraced new flexible, iterative ideation methodologies; creative team structures and open brain spaces.

Heh we’ve even loosened our dress code to allow space for creativity to breath. TheLoitTouch is a powerhouse of creativity and teamwork across our business — offering a one-stop shop for our clients.

Across TheLoitTouch, creative teams are creating value for our clients. It’s happening in meetings but’s its also happening around the water-coolers, in the canteen, heh even in the Unisex/Gender non-conforming bathrooms. We have the best people at TheLoitTouch, wherever they meet there is creativity — creativity we can harness for our clients.

And so today we unveil a tool to do just that: we like to call it Put-The-Eye-In-Team (TM).

From today you will no longer have to think about how and where and when to share your ideas or creative inspiration. Put-The-Eye-In-Team (TM) will do it for you. Bump into a colleague from change management by the lift and a creative spark flies; don’t worry the lift will save it and share it. Generate a new idea with a colleague from data over lunch; never fear Put-The-Eye-In-Team (TM) is built into the coffee bar tables. Who needs a beer mat to take notes? Musing over a business problem while you and your friends are de-compressing at the end of the day: don’t worry TheLoitTouch has arranged for Put-The-Eye-In-Team (TM) to be built into the most popular bars around our offices so wherever you are your creative thinking isn’t lost.

Put-The-Eye-In-Team (TM) means you don’t waste any of your ideas, TheLoitTouch harnesses all the power full conversations and networks across our business.

Dispatch from an advertising future #30

Taxi-Top Startup Firefly Can Now Target Ads Based on Weather

It hadn’t been a good day. His StressBit was pulsing yellow as his StressPods moved from ambient to the StressPlaylist the company had loaded after his last appraisal. If he could get to white, he could switch it back to The Killers. Perhaps before the Tube. The taxis’ rooftop screens remixed city data with influencers; news with messages. Someone barged into him as they hailed one by touching their glasses. His StressBit hit orange again. A taxi screen flashed: “Not a good day? Spoil yourself with a CalmRide home. 25% off seeing as you’re a little orange”. He got in.

It hadn’t been a good day. That meeting. That client. That coffee. He knew it hadn’t been a good day. He had proof. His StressBit (TM) was pulsing orange as his StressPods (TM) piped ambient sounds into his ears. The signs were clear and the firm’s StressNet (TM)had clicked into place. Ironic he thought that the source of the stress provided the warnings and the solutions… His workstation was on StressStandby (TM) and so he couldn’t carry on working anyway. He leaned back and watched the StressGif (TM) gently pulsing on his screen. Really that client! Why does she do that? And that coffee… I mean come on! The StressPods changed track in response.

His StressBit was pulsing yellow as he used it to swipe out of the building. The StressPods had moved from ambient to his StressPlaylist (TM), a collection of music the company’s StressTeam (TM) had built for him after his last appraisal. If he could get to white again, he could switch it back to The Killers. Perhaps before he reached the Tube stop.

The taxis streamed down the damp street, their rooftop screens remixing city data with influencers; news with messages. Someone barged into him as they hailed one by touching their glasses. He dropped his paperback in a puddle — damn, where would he find another one of those? His StressBit moved into the orange again.

A taxi pulled over, it’s rooftop screen flashed: “Not had a good day? Spoil yourself with a CalmRide (TM) home… 25% off seeing as you’re feeling a little orange”. He got in.

“So that coffee eh? the voice said.”

Dispatch from an advertising future #29

The transhumanists who are ‘upgrading’ their bodies

I hate them, parents. Hippies. Paranoid hippies. “We want you to have your privacy, your freedom. Your body’s perfect. It doesn’t need anything adding. You don’t need upgrading” They don’t understand what it’s like. I’m a laughing stock. Worse, I’m shunned. Worse still, I’m ‘out’. Look, the guys are over there talking about… something. How do I know what it is? I’ve not seen it, heard it, felt it. How could I? What am I supposed to do, pretend I have and laugh along? They’ll see right through that. They know I’m out. They know my loving parents are ‘refusers’.

I hate them. Parents.

They don’t understand what it’s like. I’m a laughing stock. Worse, I’m shunned. Worse still, I’m ‘out’. Even if people would talk to me, I wouldn’t know what to say or do. They don’t know what it’s like to walk down the corridor and have people look at you and whisper. They walk by and giggle.

Any anyway it’s my body. They don’t have the right. As soon as I’m 18…

Hippies. Paranoid hippies… “Oh but we want you to have your freedom, your privacy. We want you to be able to make your own decisions…” Yeh sure, that’s why they won’t let me decide this.

Look, the guys are over there talking about… something. How do I know what it is? I’ve not seen it, heard it, felt it. How could I. What am I supposed to do, pretend I have and laugh along. They’ll see right through that. They know I’m out. They know my loving parents are ‘refusers’.