Google is running a test on its Google’s photo recognition tool, that will display adverts to users based on pictures taken by their smartphone cameras.
The ‘offline marketing experiment’ utilises visual search and optical character recognition [OCR] technologies to allow users to find out information about certain products.
The experiment will see Google work with five major brands, T-Mobile, Diageo, Disney, Buick, and Delta., each launching special print ads designed to tie into its Google Goggles mobile app.
When an individual takes a photo of an ad from one of the brands using Goggles, they will be redirected to either a website or video with more information about the advertised product. In a way, the experiment works similarly to scanning a barcode.
“We developed Google Goggles so that people could more easily explore the world around them with a mobile device,” explains product manager Shailesh Nalawadi.
“In this experiment, we’re applying the same principles, and the same technology, by ‘Goggles-enabling’ advertisements and other media, and offering to link people to the mobile sites from these brands.”
Read more at Google’s official blog here.
View a video of how the experiment works here.
