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Google Latitude - Advertising Dream

February 4, 2009

Trust me on this, it’s an Advertising Agency dream. Marketers can target down to the street corner of where you are standing. We are in the process of testing Google Latitude .. hey everyone wants to know where I am… now they can see in real time. Nevermind the privacy concerns, or the fact that now Google follows me everywhere I go and now can send ads at lunch time to my regarding the surrounding restaurants. Or the fact that I can’t tell my wife I left the office yet..

This is scary stuff… but somewhat interesting enough to test run it. It’s integrated with Google Maps, and it’s opt in. Meaning it’s not on by default (thank God) After logging in, it asks you AGAIN if you want to join the program. Then bingo, I’m online… and a big WTF

The good news is that it appears you have to add people to view, as compared to opt in and everyone can see you. Big difference and appreciated, but what about Google’s security. In terms of what are they going to do with this information, clearly it’s pretty strong information.

Advertising Agencies can target in amazing ways using this. For example if you see someone go Toys R US, Walmart can pounce on their toy sales from the store across the street. If you see someone heading close to McDonalds then Burger King can flash their dollar menu.

Getting close to the Unemployment office, well Monster.Com ads fly across the screen…. you get the point…. and they can take your historical travel cases to better target you in the future. If you go to Toys R Us regularly then it’s assumed that the individual has younger aged children. If the individual is always going into office X at 9 am and leaving at 5pm, it’s assumed that is where this person works, driving on I-78 each day? Well there’s a new bus service that can take you into New York. That ad will flash each time you hop on the road.

Going slower than 55 mph on the highway? Why not take the train?

This is scary stuff people, more than you can imagine.

Written by TheFounder · Filed Under Advertising Agency News 


Comments

One Response to “Google Latitude - Advertising Dream”

  1. TourPro on February 4th, 2009 5:05 pm

    Google worries/excites me. Regarding privacy and security, have you seen the Ghosh and Orkut story?

    I’ve had some freaky good and bad results using GOOG-411. I could see some convergence there too.

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