Picture Marketing Puts Everyone in an Ad

Picture Marketing, Inc. has created a technology that turns personal photos into an ad medium. Called Picture Marketing In-a-Box, the offering is a combined hardware and online service that enables marketers and event organizers to take pictures of people at sponsored events, trade shows, and retail locations. The online service then combines those photos together with survey information supplied by each person, to build a mini-advertising campaign around each individual's photo.

According to Picture Marketing, the service has many potential applications. For example, automakers at car shows can take pictures of event attendees posed with the latest car models on display, and later mail ads featuring the individual's photo, which, one hopes, the person will show to their friends and family. Sort of a marketer-enabled, word of mouth tactic. Brand advertisers can also use dozens of the service's specialized cameras at stadium events, in order to capture thousands of leads in a single day - assuming people visit the companies marketer-branded survey website after seeing their mug. One has to wonder about the potential misuses that could come from accidental, un-approved pictures.

Here's how the company describes the service. When pictures are taken with the FotoZap camera, the photo subjects are handed a custom-branded card with a unique code printed on it. This code allows the consumer to access their photo (or photos) via a similarly branded Web site. When individuals log in to access their photos, they are asked a series of questions determined by the brand advertiser or event manager. Survey questions can gather demographic information, opt-in-preferences, brand impressions, and any other information the company wishes to gather. After completing the survey, they can view their photos and forward them to their friends, families and colleagues, furthering a brand's reach.

The Picture Marketing Campaign Manager software allows companies to view and track, in real time or after an event, all photos and data collected by photographers at the event. The software can generate reports on how many photos were taken, which photos were viewed by the consumer, how many were forwarded, and the number of unique visitors. The system houses the survey results along with each consumer’s photo. Later, companies running the ad campaign can review the data and use it to send other highly-personalized ads that appeal to the specific interests of each consumer.

"Picture Marketing truly delivers one of the most elaborate kinds of one-to-one marketing that you can achieve. Our direct mail recipients are given a much higher caliber piece of literature appropriately setting Harman apart from its competition," says Chris Dragon, director of brand marketing at JBL Harman Consumer Group.

Erik Hauser, executive director and founder of Swivel Media, adds "The Picture Marketing system just has a tremendous impact on the consumer. It's good at creating interaction with consumers. The technology the others have is not as strong, and we're constantly seeking ways to use it in the marketplace."

DEMOfall attendees will experience the system first-hand when they have their picture taken at the registration desk and throughout the three-day event, and then again when they access their photo online or come by DEMOfall Pavilion station #5 to see the system in full action. In addition, the Picture Marketing team will demonstrate the Picture Marketing In-a-Box system on-stage, live during the Wednesday afternoon session.