The Inside Line

Pirelli and Lucas di Grassi recently showcased a really worthwhile technology not widely seen since David Coulthard’s Formula One swansong in Interlagos, 2008 – a driver’s eye view camera. There have, of course, been other examples of this tech; Tony Kanann used a visor-camera in 2002 at Mid-Ohio and drivers across motorsport have experimented with the equipment where time dictates.

But, when and where these videos are shown, the question arises, usually amongst fans, of why these cameras are not in wider use. It’s a good point, with the only likely answer being clarity; sponsor logos, whether on car or trackside, are simply not as visible, if at all, from this viewpoint.

The topic of advanced camera technology brings to mind a fascinating conversation I had with Professor Mark Jenkins earlier this year. He suggested that in the near future event broadcast cameras would possess the ability to track sponsor logos and, if required, change them.

It doesn’t take too great an imagination to see the potential. Just as advertisers use our browsing habits to match and showcase appealing products, the future of audience profiling in broadcasting may allow for sponsors to target relevant consumers based on their viewing, browsing and social habits.

So let’s take the following hypothetical. Richard Albers, a Verizon customer of 2 years and subscriber to the company’s DSL high-speed Internet plan is watching the televised coverage of the IZOD IndyCar Championship.

The broadcast shows the number 12 car of Verizon Team Penske’s Will Power, but on screen, the sponsor’s standard sidepod logo is replaced with the dynamically updating message “BE THE FASTEST” “UPGRADE TO FiOS”, in reference to the company’s fiber optic Internet service. For other viewers across America, Verizon’s sidepod space displays a different marketing message, or simply opts to remain static.

Now, sponsorship analysis companies such as Repucom already have the ability, for purposes of brand ROI, to track logos and their on-screen time, but the next step is increasingly a reality in the advertising industry.

Reruns of the American sitcom ‘How I Met Your Mother’, are being targeted by advertising executives eager to generate more revenue from the show by digitally inserting products and commercials into scenes; albeit with some questionable continuity errors. The technology, though in its infancy, is being exploited by companies such as SeamBi in an attempt to recapture the revenues lost through on-demand television services.

This great video  demonstrates the company ‘In Shot’ and its use of the technology in repurposing redundant media space as ripe advertising property. Though its doubtful that the four clicks and you’re done ethos can be applied to live motorsport broadcasts, it is certain that the blue chip sponsors and F1 trackside advertising owners, AllSport, will be taking a very close look at this technology.

But an interesting consumer advantage of audience profiling could be the way in which it integrates with existing social platforms to promote relevant discussions depending on the broadcast you are viewing. Back in 2006, Google engineers published a paper discussing the concept of mass personalisation, a framework, they described as “combining mass media with a highly personalised Web-based experience.”

Twitter’s hashtag system, already perfect for isolating pockets of viewer opinion may be core to this concept of mass personalisation, as audio fingerprinting companies, using similar technology to the music search application Shazam, listen to ambient noise from televisions to determine what consumers are watching and deliver targeted content to their desktop.

Taking the technology one step further, television pundits could unintentionally define audio hashtags that cause twitter applications to launch discussion windows with the community’s viewpoints constantly updating as viewers watch the afternoon’s race.

With news that asseenontv.com is rolling out the audio fingerprinting tech in mobile telephones to ascertain what advertisements consumers are watching, I doubt it long before sponsors in the motorsport sector conceive viral campaigns running on the technology.

Whilst it’s unfortunate that we will not likely see the advances in broadcast technology translating into more engaging viewing formats for motorsport fans, it’s reassuring to see the potential benefits these changes may bring for the sponsors considering expanding their profile and campaigns within the sport.