JCDecaux Billboard Gets Facial Analysis Tech

In Australia, outdoor advertising company JCDecaux has added facial emotion analysis technology to a panel advertising Yoplait Yoghurt Smoothies, in order to determine whether passers-by have happy or 'hangry' expressions, and dispense vouchers to enable them to sample the product.

The panel, located on Sydney's George Street, uses face-tracking technology where consumers' facial reactions will be assessed and a voucher dispensed to redeem a free Yoplait Yoghurt Smoothie in a nearby store. When a face is detected near the panel, a message is displayed asking passers-by to: 'Smile or frown for a free smoothie'.

The panel feeds image data from a camera to a machine-learning algorithm that is trained to detect face orientation and estimate the user's emotion. A custom made vending machine is then triggered to dispense the appropriate voucher, depending on whether the consumer is deemed to be happy or 'hangry'.

JCDecaux collaborated with Lion Dairy & Drinks and its agencies AJF Partnership and Starcom to develop the Yoplait Yoghurt Smoothie 'Fix your Hanger' campaign, and Starcom's Client Service Director Anna Camuglia commented: 'This Out-of-Home idea will literally stop people in the street and create a value exchange anchored in whether they are happy or 'hangry', two very real category need states. Their attention will then be rewarded with a voucher to redeem for their Yoplait Yoghurt Smoothie of choice nearby. The interactions so far have evoked a few giggles'.

Web site: www.jcdecaux.com.au .