Oxymoron: Mass Personalization

Filed in archive Announcements on June 9, 2006

Here is an interesting article in InformationWeek to pass on to you. Two Google research scientists proposed using ambient-audio identification technology to capture TV sound with a laptop PC to identify the show that is the source of the sound and to use that information to immediately return personalized Internet content to the PC.

By capturing TV sound with a laptop PC, Google can identify the show and use that information to immediately return personalized Internet content to the PC.

Back in my cable television days, I recall a company called AudioAudit (I think that was the name) that embedded a unique sound into each commercial to automatically verify that an advertiser's ad actually ran. Google's idea sounds the similar but applied to the program itself.

Covell and Baluja (the two Google scientists) write on the Google Research Blog. That "the system could keep up with users while they channel surf, presenting them with a real-time forum about a live political debate one minute and an ad-hoc chat room for a sporting event in the next."

Yes, I believe that that is exactly what Google wants to accomplish. After riding high from placing 'relevant' ads next to search query result, they now want to place ad-hoc chat rooms next to sporting events. [Is my sarcasm dripping through?]

Marketers would kill to know exactly who's watching what when. With such a system, Google could extend its online dominance into television, and presumably radio, by offering advertisers unparalleled insight into the mass media audience. And the paper specifically contemplates the proposed system's potential as an advertising tool.

But I see one little flaw in the system. The couch potato evolved through a process of natural selection: TV viewers enjoy kicking back and zoning out. I'm not sure how many people want to sit laptops while watching TV. Of that population, how many want Google to take over that laptop and deliver ads might be an even smaller sliver.

There is, of course, an easier way to get audience data than listening with a laptop: Google could partner with telcos and cable companies. Comcast and Time Warner already poll set top boxes every 6 seconds to know what people watch. Presently, that data is not being used.