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On this episode of Spark, are advertisements becoming smarter than we are?
- Nick Prigioniero explains marketing through narrowcasting
- Anastasia Goodstein on marketing to kids in virtual worlds (full interview)
- John Furneaux tells us how Life Brand tissue boxes got their stripes
- Allen Adamson on product repackaging trends
- Tom Howell spins hybrid vinyl CDs right round, baby, right round
This episode features Creative Commons music and sound effects:
- “Oslodum 2004” by DJ Dolores
- “airtone/rt52-rm1/”>rt52 rm1″ by airtone
- “Your Ad Here Sample Layer 1” by pablo perez
- “Meio Ambiente” by NeLaS
- “Prairie Lark Drone Sample” by gurdonark
- “Toyz r us.wav” by genghis attenborough
- “Record Crackles and Pops 1.wav” by hello_flowers
- “scratch298_vinyl_noise_looped.wav” by junggle
- “LED_VynilCrackle.wav” by Elektrophobia
- “StartUp.wav” and “StartUp2.wav” by totalcult
- “45 rpm needle off.wav” and “45rpm needle drop.wav” by FreqMan
- “clinch” by sippy cup
Click above to listen to the full show, or download the mp3.
I enjoyed the story about narrowcasting. It’s amusing (and probably prophetic) to think of the ways this technology may irritate (in almost the same way that a server at a chain restaurant can irritate with a faux-familiar patter). Yet as the technology improves, I see not only Orwellian possibilities, but also the opportunity for stream-lined (and narrowly tailored) virtual service and marketing.
This could be, when done well, a huge way to enhance a shopping experience–if only the merchandise counters can restrain the extraneous chit-chat.
Yes, I have to say, the phony-sounding “happy chat” about products from actual humans can be quite irksome. To me it seems like narrowcasting could be quite helpful as long as it’s done with the interests of the consumer in mind, rather than, say, to move merchandise that isn’t otherwise selling.