Ambient Advertising

With the rise of ambient computing and the augmentation of user interfaces into sound or actual objects, a problem for advertising space appears. Where to place a targeted ad when there is nothing to see? In an visual interface, advertisements are annoying enough but in an audio interface advertisements become the sell point for a product as spotify proofs—Buy our product and you get rid of the advertisements.

What product placement is in movies or Red Bull for Sport-events is sponsored content as an answer to the dozen of adblocks and anti-tracking plugins installed on your browser. And in the tradition of Internet Phenomena or especially YouTube phenomena getting picked up by the advertising-industry (Honda-Rube Goldberg Machine, Gucci Memes, Unboxing, Product teardown, What’s in it, Shopping Howls) ASMR provides the perfect conditions. ASMR seems to be perfectly build to serve as a vehicle where the advertisement becomes the actual content and to promote the tactile, sensual or practical qualities of your product, insofar it is a physical one.

Unboxing, testing, tearing down or reviewing products is providing a close relation to commodity fetishism already. On YouTube there is already an Ad before the content, an Ad in the content, and and Ad as the content. The focus on tangibility and the sensory quality of objects paired with the intimate and personal/private atmosphere created in ASMR videos takes it a level further.

Creating possible scenarios where you don’t listen to a product suggestion/review of a sort of client advisor. But to a suggestion made by someone who is playing to be your friend and not in the manner as a sales clerk is pretending to be your real friend. More in the manner of a “Her” like girl/boyfriend.

In the form of EarBuds and Home Speakers your personal assistant is already freed from inhabiting your Laptop and able to appear in any device smart enough for a wifi connection. It will be Alexa, Siri or Cortana not only reminding you to hit the Dash Button before your toilet paper is empty. But also asking you how you slept today and wondering if you had a bad dream because you look so tired. Honey, maybe you wanna try this new skin lotion? I can order it now. It has lots of Vitamin B12.