The future of advertising 廣告產業的未來

現代社會中，廣告信息隨處可見，這一產業的未來會有哪些改變？我們是否會迎來這樣的一天：當人們走在城市的街道上時，一抬頭就能看到映射在天空中高達200米的廣告影像？跟隨《隨身英語》探討並展望這項可能徹底改變人與廣告間關系的新科技。

課文內容

Vocabulary: Advertising 詞匯: 廣告業

Imagine a future where our streets are filled with ads 200m tall; where billboards change before our eyes to give us personalised messages; and where companies track our every move as we walk through a city, pinging our phones with special offers as we near their shops.

In fact, all of these forms of advertising are already being tested. Let’s take the first of these ideas. Back in 1982, science fiction movie Blade Runner envisaged a futuristic cityscape where giant adverts stretched the full height of skyscrapers. And UK company Lightvert are now doing something very similar; with one crucial difference.

Instead of making immense physical adverts, their commercials are beamed straight into consumers’ eyes. They do this by attaching a strip of reflective material onto a building and projecting an image onto it. This image then ‘bounces’ out into the world. When you pass directly in front of the image, you see it. It appears to be huge and suspended in mid-air, but others can’t see it – it’s only visible from one location. Lightvert claims this form of advertising is unobstrusive and can “unlock” large amounts of “high-value advertising real-estate“.

But not everyone is sold on the idea of living in a world of endless ads. In Moscow, for example, a new form of advertising targeting motorists has split opinion. Drivers approaching a particular digital billboard in the city are shown adverts for a new kind of Jaguar car, but only if you are driving a different make of vehicle. Sensors in the billboard detect what kind of car you are driving, and send you an ad based on that information.

While this may seem invasive, it’s actually the saftey aspect that has concerned some observers. Researchers in Sweden have shown that digital billboards attract our eyes for longer than other kinds. In fact, they distract us for over two seconds, a length of time which studies have proved to be dangerous on the roads.

Finally, we have “proximity marketing”, where shops detect where you are on the high street and send tailored adverts to your phone. Devicescape is one company trialling the use of Wi-Fi as a means of tracking customers. Their technology could work anywhere, whether in “a supermarket, a concert hall, or a bus,” says Owen Geddes from their marketing team. What would customers see? “It could be a discount offer to use in the shop the person is visiting, or a piece of content such as a movie trailer,” says Mr Geddes.

詞匯表

ad 廣告，advertisement 的縮寫
billboard 大型廣告牌
to ping 推送，發送消息提示
to near 靠近
to envisage 展望，設想
futuristic 有未來感的，超前的
cityscape 城市景觀
to beam 發射，發出（光線、電波等）
in mid-air 在半空中
unobstrusive 不顯眼的，不突兀的
real-estate 房地產
to be sold on 看好，認為…是好主意
motorist 開車的人
make 型號，品牌
sensor 傳感器
invasive 侵入性的，侵擾的
to distract 分散（註意力），使分心
proximity （地理位置）臨近
tailored 量身定制的
discount 折扣

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. True or false: If you are looking at a Lightvert ad, someone standing a few metres away will definitely also see it.

2. According to this article, if you were driving a Jaguar car on the Moscow road, would you be shown a Jaguar ad?

3. Why are some people concerned about digital billboard advertising?

4. Which word means ‘very tall buildings’?

5. How does Devicescape follow potential customers?

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I think that companies following me and sending me ads wherever I go is really ______. I really don’t like it.

unobtrusive invasive futuristic tailored

2. Sorry, I’m ______ your proposal. Work on it and come back to me in a week.

not selling on sold out sold on not sold on

3. The plane started to descend as it ______ its destination.

near to closed neared nearly

4. The strength of your Wi-Fi signal depends on your ______ to the router.

beam nearly near proximity

5. We ______ our treatment for each customer. Everyone gets a highly personal experience.

tailor discount ping distract

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. True or false: If you are looking at a Lightvert ad, someone standing a few metres away will definitely also see it.
False. Lightvert’s ads are projections – not giant projections onto a wall, but tiny projections into people’s eyes. If you don’t stand in exactly the right place, you won’t see the ad.

2. According to this article, if you were driving a Jaguar car on the Moscow road, would you be shown a Jaguar ad?
If you were driving a Jaguar, you would not see an ad for a Jaguar. Only drivers of other makes of vehicles see Jaguar ads.

3. Why are some people concerned about digital billboard advertising?
Some are concerned because when used on a roadside, digital billboard advertising can be dangerously distracting.

4.Which word means ‘very tall buildings’?
Skyscrapers.

5. How does Devicescape follow potential customers?
Devicescape’s technology follows the Wi-Fi signal on customers’ mobile phones.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I think that companies following me and sending me ads wherever I go is really invasive. I really don’t like it.

2. Sorry, I’m not sold on your proposal. Work on it and come back to me in a week.

3. The plane started to descend as it neared its destination.

4. The strength of your Wi-Fi signal depends on your proximity to the router.

5. We tailor our treatment for each customer. Everyone gets a highly personal experience.