Prior Art
Isn't this just a form of Steganography ?
Boffins at Fujitsu Laboratories have come up with a way of embedding digital coupons and URLs in video transmissions, in what could be a brand new way for firms to flog their products and services and engage more closely with their smartphone-toting customers. The patent-pending technology allows for the transmission of …
Isn't this just a form of Steganography ?
Or maybe not bother at all.
Some people seem intent on trying to find novel ways of punting rubbish in the consumer's direction, in much the same considered way that spammers promote viagra. The holy grail for marketers seems to have become people's mobile devices: "If we can get our name/web site/coupon on their mobile, they'll be really happy, and reward us with their custom". Personally I want my phone to do what I want, not to be a channel for unrequested e-junk.
The Fujitsiu bods also seem to overlook that QR codes are here, now, but rarely get used. You see 'em on the underground, but you never, ever see anybody bother to hold up a phone to them. Outside of tech circles people generally do guess that QR codes do something, that it probably involves a smartphone, a web link, and advertising, but beyond that they don't care. And yet they evidently think people are going to opportunistically scan their TV in the hope of finding an invisible link to a web site advertising toothpaste, or a 10p off ecoupon for expensive bog roll?
Back to the drawing board, lads!
Oh, thirty years ago or so?
And in line with other commentators: is there actually any evidence that people actually *want* more advertising thrown at them?
And finally - why is it that all these clever bods come up with ideas like these but no-one in broadcasting seems to have managed to have the logical and simple concept of linking programme adverts to the recording function of a PVR - i.e. run the trail, press the COLOUR$ button now automatically to record the series?
The BBC system was a blinking dot on the screen, very visible. If I understand this article the idea is that the viewer isn't aware of the extra data beings ent.
> linking programme adverts to the recording function of a PVR
What, like the Sky green button "Press green button to add this series to the planner" ? It's been there there for ages.
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