NEWS
The bus stop ad that knows you're a woman
What do you think?
POST A COMMENT
By News Desk
24 February 2012
Plan UK's bus shelter campaign incorporates facial recognition to raise awareness of discrimination against the world's poorest women and girls
The UK branch of global children's charity Plan has unveiled a digital interactive advertising campaign at a bus shelter outside Selfridges on Oxford Street, London to highlight the suffering of the world's poorest girls.
Hosted by out-of-home media site owner Clear Channel UK, the 'Because I am a Girl' campaign uses facial recognition technology to determine whether the viewer is a man or a woman, after which women are shown a full 40-second video for the campaign, while men are directed to the Plan website. The difference is meant to show men and boys 'what it's like to have basic choices taken away'.
"Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign works with women and men, girls and boys, to challenge the discrimination that girls face as a result of their sex," says Plan UK chief executive Marie Staunton. "This ad is a deliberate attempt to raise public debate on this issue."
Clear Channel UK has equipped the bus shelter with similar facial recognition technology Facebook uses to automatically tag people's faces in photos. Additionally, the shelter includes a full-colour touchscreen and speakers for the clip's audio.
Comments in chronological order (Total 2 comments)
27 February 2012 2:59PM
It's a great idea to have technology used to raise awareness, however it sounds a bit over the top, surely we don't treat girls/women with that much discrimination in the UK, but I do agree it being an act to raise public debate - well it got a comment out of me, so I guess even the article about this is doing what the ad's set out to do!
Overall I like the innovative way in which the ad's done
Great!
www.ahprinters.com
A. Mehta
05 March 2012 12:46PM
Thanks for your comment! Using the measurement and automation available in the digital signage market, I think this is an interesting way of encouraging a targeted demographic to respond to a niche campaign. I suppose the theory behind it is that female donors are more likely to be attracted to an ad that shows the plight of young women in particular, and that it will attract a higher success rate from its call to action.
However, I'm sure your right. Plan knows what it's doing, and the press (including our own) gathered by even running the ad will draw it yet more attention!
Thanks for reading Output.
James
Sign in or register to comment – it takes less than 30 seconds.
