We’ve all seen futuristic
movies with hi-tech technology that seems too far-fetched to ever be a reality;
but could that very technology be right around the corner? Jason Warnock
reports for Marketing Land that facial-recognition technology might be a
reality sooner than most people think.
Among many assumed uses
for facial-recognition software lies email marketing. Businesses have already
started using geofencing software in their email campaigns. This software
allows them to send emails to customers as they walk passed their store or walk
into the mall. The biggest downfall to this is how easily customers can ignore
or not even be notified about new emails. With facial-recognition, there is no
hiding.
For this software to
work, businesses would need to capture headshots of their customers. From
there, they can take action. The first point of action will be working to solve
the problem of consumers’ lack of brick-and-mortar shopping. Marketers can send
emails to customers offering “deals at the door” that are only accessible when
their face is recognized entering the store. This will also allow marketers to
avoid the hassle of single-use coupons that are currently offered via email.
Thanks to modern day
cameras, marketers will be able to retain information like height, weight,
gender, and approximate age. These metrics will allow marketers to create more
sophisticated promotions to combine consumers’ digital and physical personas.
When these customers do enter the store, cameras will be able to track their
purchases; even if these are cash purchases. Currently, purchase behavior can
only be tracked through the use of credit cards, however, with
facial-recognition that won’t be the case for much longer.
Just like with any new
technology, this facial-recognition software may have some hurdles to jump like
how to prevent information leaks, guard against hackers, and deal with
customers refusing to participate.
With this technology right around the corner, I am interested to see how this “futuristic” software integrates its way into our marketing world.
