High-tech solutions to improve billboard advertising
Unlike web analytics that evaluate the results of online campaigns, the impact of marketing to people while they are on the go in public areas can often be hard to measure. Traditional advertising formats such as billboards that reach consumers outside the home lack accurate and reliable measurement, collection and analysis tools. With EU funding, the project ADMOS(opens in new window) (Advertising monitoring system development for outdoor media analytics) developed a compact device that monitors outdoor displays around the clock and counts the precise number of moving objects that pass by them. To achieve its aims, ADMOS identified end-user requirements and defined system specifications. Project partners examined applicable EU and national data protection and privacy laws concerning image capturing and analysis. In addition, they gathered feedback on the proposed ADMOS technology from 28 national data protection authorities. The consortium developed the proper image processing algorithm that is the key part of the system. This enables the module to detect faces and to determine their gender and age groups under real-time operation. ADMOS technology is equipped with a unit containing a camera that faces the outdoor display and another that points outward. It can be easily installed on any billboard and operates under adverse weather conditions. To prevent wear and tear of the advertisement, automatic alerts are sent giving its condition. The device can provide such detailed information as the age and gender of passers-by, and whether they noticed the advertisement. The accumulated data and the total number of objects are linked directly to specific time intervals. This enables advertisers to carry out more targeted campaigns based on their audience. A prototype of the monitoring device was developed and tested in two different locations: the largest mall in Hungary and another shopping mall in the United Kingdom. The testing demonstrated the success of the concept, identifying at the same time required optimisation to perfect the image processing algorithm. Project partners discussed exploitation possibilities and have laid out plans to develop the technology further, now that the project has been successfully completed. The technology was unveiled at international events and exhibitions, gathering much interest from relevant parties. Once the concept is fine-tuned and marketed, the promise of being able to measure the efficacy of billboard advertising is set to become a reality.
