Digital signage has gone to a whole new level with
facial recognition technology. It’s being used by The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Kraft Foods, Adidas and even a group of bar owners in Chicago. The technology scans the viewer’s facial features and tailors marketing messages to him or her. According to Christopher O’Malley, director of retail marketing in Intel’s embedded and communications group, “You can put this technology into kiosks, vending machines and digital signs.”
Despite the privacy issues, companies using facial-recognition technology just want to pinpoint a demographic based on
age and gender. Then they can target their ads on-the-spot and get more immediate results.
While Harford County businesses, banks and churches may not be ready for facial recognition technology,
digital signage itself is popping up all over the county in
Maryland office signs,
church signs, and
medical office signs. Digital signs help to attract the younger generation, who are used to quick snippets of information and changing messages. With a proven
higher viewer recall and retention of digitally displayed messages, digital signage content can break through all the media clutter targeted to the younger generation. It works because it’s woven into their lives - from laptop LCD displays to miniature media players.
We’re seeing
digital signs mostly in retail areas, but the technology is evolving to include the financial, transportation and hospitality industries. With the right signage, software and message, the elusive younger generation will sit up and take notice.