Dispatch from an advertising future #28

OzoneAI wants companies to pay you for your data, upending the ad model

When you’re a Dot you’re a Dot all the way. As a Dot you had Friends, Your data was pooled which meant it was more networked, more valuable. The Dots could sell at a higher premium than you could ever manage on your own. DotBots paid a visit to people’s data profiles, offered them the choice to join or enter a ‘sharing’ relationship. Protection data. But now The Marks were moving in. They were offering a better percentage to lure Dots over. There was going to be a rumble. The Dots were tooling up. Someone was going to get hacked.

When you’re a Dot you’re a Dot all the way from your first playlist to your last wishlist pay…

The Dots had been in control for as long as she could remember. To become a Dot meant you had Friends, meant you had status and, most importantly, meant you had more than the standard amount of data to sell. Your data was pooled which meant it was safe of course but also meant that because it was aggregated with all the other Dots, it was more networked, more connected and so more valuable. The Dots could sell Dot data at a higher premium than you could ever manage on your own.

She’d heard rumours that The Dots was more than an aggregation gang. Scare stories about how they controlled the data feeds circulated (and in some wonder full circular logic, became data making profit for The Dots). She’d heard that anyone listening, buying, searching, moving, seeing or being seen across their area ‘shared’ some of their data with the Dots. DotBots paid a visit to people’s data profiles and offered them the choice to join or just to enter a ‘sharing’ relationship. She’d never heard any complaints, people obviously liked the protection The Dots offered.

But now The Marks were moving in. This territory was valuable. Traffic everywhere. It was only a matter of time before someone challenged The Dots’ control. They were offering an introductory rate to lure Dots over. A better percentage on the sale. And she’d heard they were offering firewall protections they guaranteed would end ‘sharing’. They were set on driving The Dots out.

There was going to be a rumble. The Dots were tooling up. Someone was going to get hacked.

Dispatch from an advertising future #27

The top 5 creative brand ideas you need to know about right now

AdTech Age’s algorithms of the week: At Number Five: Emotion Trader. Trade your emotional data faster than ever. At Four we have OnPurpose. Spot that new cause and buy in early. Three is FaceFace’s new MoodMatcher. It’s never been faster to buy against moods and expressions. At Two it’s Freelancer. Get the talent you need without having to deal with the messy world of people. And at Number One this week The SellOut. Monitor the markets and newsfeeds for signs you’re in a Big Player’s sights. Get the SellOut in your systems and get early warning of that Consultancy’s approach.

It’s been another great week in our industry and AdTech Age is pleased to bring you our five algorithms of the week…

At Number Five we the new roll out of Emotion Trader (TM). Emotional data has been traded for some time but the new ET is notably faster. Your buying algorithms will have to really be fine-tuned to buy on this platform

And speaking of buying algos, at Number Four we have a new launch from Alpharhythm: SenseBuy (TM). The new algorithm buys and sells with the best of them but with a twist — real time ‘curated’ feeds for your clients. Reassure them with real-time, but accessible, and reassuring data.

At Number Three we FaceFace’s new version of MoodMatcher (TM). Again we’re talking massive speed increases in moods matched to message and placement. But FaceFace has done it again by building in the power to link to its Truths(TM) system, generating ‘news-to-match’ copy that it can post across its platforms.

At Number Two we have the Freelancer (TM). This industry used to be packed with people and every now and then we need one or two. The Freelancer (TM) helps you manage the process so you never have to deal with the messy world of people.

At Number One this week we have something that really shows how creative our industry now is. The SellOut (TM) monitors all the stock exchanges and business newsfeeds for signs your agency is in a Big Player’s sights. Get the SellOut in your systems and get early warning of that Consultancy’s approach.

Dispatch from an advertising future #26

She ducked into the coffee shop to wait for the self-drive. She placed her panel on the screen and the screen came to life: “Chris, hi. Your usual? judging by your stress level and expression, maybe a pick-up? Sam’s being a handful? Let me add an extra shot… on the house.” A moment’s quiet and then: “Hi Sam, so you’re ordering for yourself now? That’s great. That one? well I’m not sure that’s as good for you as your mum would like. Let’s ask her… Chris?” She pushed the buggy away slightly. Just far enough so he couldn’t touch anything.

It had begun to rain so she pushed the buggy into the coffee shop. She had a few minutes before the self-drive arrived — her wrist told her it was still driving around rather than parking up. Time for a coffee. She place her palm on the screen and the screen came to life, whispering in her hearable: “Chris, hi. I’d suggest your usual but judging by your stress level and expression, looks like you need a pick-up. Judging by Sam’s expression, he’s not dropped off has he? Let me add an extra shot… on the house, this time.”

She barely took any notice of the voices any more. Just more ambient comms washing through her liminal attention. She checked the self-drive’s location and looked over to the counter…

“Hi Sam, so you’re ordering for yourself now. Wow, you’ve grown. Sorry I can’t let you have that cookie, I remember that you’re allergic. That one? well I’m not sure that’s as good for you as your mum would like. Why don’t you try pointing again… well done, that looks great. Let’s ask your mum… Chris?”

She pushed the buggy away slightly. Just far enough so he couldn’t touch anything.

Dispatch from an advertising future #25

Facebook acquires neural interface startup CTRL-Labs for its mind-reading wristband

“I see you’ve got the full package,” the midwife said, securing the tag around the tiny wrist “The monitor’s there.” They stared at the screen. The language readout wouldn’t kick in yet but the emotion feed was already hypnotic — colours and shapes slipping in time with the breathing. They wanted to preserve that moment and then realised, like the hospital bill, that was already taken care of: archived, the start of the eighteen-year contract. He turned his daughter’s tag round and read the name and logo. There’d be many more tags for his daughter. But he’d keep this one.

The nurse presented them with the new baby. “all fingers and toes correct,” she laughed. “Healthy heart rate and a rare pair of lungs. Congratulations.”

She smiled wearily. He was getting over the slight nausea now and blinked away a tear.

“I see you opted for the full sponsorship package,” the nurse continued, securing the blue name tag around the baby’s wrist — ‘baby Gibson/S: 28.9.22’ it read. “No need to take your card details then. I’ll leave you in peace. The monitor is over there. Call if you need anything.”

It was still in its box, recycled card and bio-plastic of course. Stylish, he thought. He’d probably go for the wearable one when his parental leave was over but, this’ll do for now. After a moment it booted up and he brought it over to her. The baby was asleep on her chest and they stared at the screen. Of course the language readout wouldn’t kick in for a while but the emotion feed was already hypnotic — colours and shapes slipped in time with the infant’s rising chest and when her eyes flickered open for a moment, the display shattered beautifully. The wanted to preserve that moment and then realised that like the hospital bill, that was already taken care of… archived to the servers, the start of the eighteen year contract.

He gently turned the blue tag round and read the family name and the company’s logo. There’d be many more tags for his daughter. But he’d keep this one.

Dispatch from an advertising future #24

Three to launch world’s first live holographic ad to promote 5G

It no longer felt weird, walking through someone. When everywhere was crowded with non-humans there wasn’t a choice but to sweep through leaving a drop of Holo-content (TM) on his device to pop up later. The Holo-toll. Passing through was consent. He pushed through Holo-offers. Holo-information. He’d trained himself to push past Holo-requests: “Pardon me do you have the time?. Sorry to bother you, but do you know…? Another one in front of him: “Excuse me…” He began to push through. Something was wrong. The Holo didn’t give way. He looked down and saw an old lady on the floor.

It no longer felt weird , walking through someone. How long ago was it that it had felt odd — not quite like the train coming out of the cinema screen odd, more the uncanny valley type of odd. Almost a little disrespectful blithely sauntering through what looks so like a person.

No it didn’t feel odd any more. When every street corner and subway entrance and shopping mall open area was crowded with non humans there really wasn’t a choice but to sweep through them. He knew that doing so activated his data shadow, transferring it to the hologram’s servers and simultaneously leaving a drop of Holo-content (TM) on his device which would pop up when he next unlocked it. Passing through was giving consent.

Such was the way of the world. If he wanted to take the shortest route, he had to pay his tolls. Maybe it should feel weird again.

He pushed through Holo-content offers. Holo-content information. Holo-content games. Holo-content stories. He’d even trained himself to push past Holo-content requests — the sorts of human interactions he’d been brought up to politely respond to: “Pardon me do you have the time?.. Sorry to bother you but do you know where?… Buddy can you spare a…” Just more virtual.

Another one in front of him: “Excuse me, I need…” He began to push through. Something was wrong. The Holo didn’t give way. he looked down and saw an old lady knocked to the floor.

Dispatch from an advertising future #23

The Podcast Analytics Conundrum

The new VRaudio earbuds were worth the increased subscription. Sounds to the left of me, jokes to the right, podcasts that had been wallpaper were now binaural journeys. And then there were the extra stats. Heart Rate, stress levels, respiration all changing depending on the podcast episode she was listening to. Watching “The Guilty Feminist” raise her heart rate gave her a certain satisfaction. It’d be fun to have a look at how she’d felt about that new serial, she’d thought it was good but was it as stressful as last week’s episode? Wait, the app seemed to uploading something.

It took some getting used to but the upgrade was worth it. Virtual Audio Reality really did create a sonic experience. Sounds to the left of me, jokes to the right, podcasts that had been wallpaper for her commute were now surround sound worlds, binaural journies. Whether it was debates bouncing from left to right or dramas with foreground and background, yes the new earbuds were worth the increased subscription.

And as she jogged to work of course she got the extra stats. She’d had to do her normal run with no audio first… something to do with benchmarking and calibration but now she got the best of both worlds.

On her app she could see the Heart Rate, stress levels, Pulse Ox, respiration and other pseudo medical markers and of course map tracks ready to post as self-congratulatory Instagram posts with stars and prize overlays. But she loved the fact she could flick a switch and watch how those stats changed depending on the podcast episode she was listening to. Watching “The Guilty Feminist” raise her heart rate gave her a certain satisfaction. Or maybe it had been that, according the map, that’s where she passed that billboard for that new Dove lotion…

Oo it’d be fun to have a look at how she’d felt about that new drama serial, she’d thought it was good but was it as stressful as last week’s episode?… oh hang on, the app seemed to uploading something.