Saatchi artificially intelligent outdoor campaign on Oxford Street

M&C Saatchi is running the first artificially intelligent poster campaign, which displays different ads depending on how people react to them.

The technology behind the campaign uses a genetic algorithm to test executions based on features (or "genes") such as copy, layout, font and image. Each poster is installed with a camera that allows M&C Saatchi to measure people’s engagement with the ads by whether they look happy, sad or neutral.

Ads that fail to trigger an engagement will be eliminated, and those that prompt a reaction will be reproduced in future executions.

The artificially intelligent posters will run at bus shelters on Oxford Street and Clapham Common until 24 July and from 10-21 August. The agency developed the project in partnership with Posterscope and Clear Channel UK.

During the initial launch period, the project automatically generated and showed 1,540 adverts and tracked more than 42,000 interactions.

Information gained: 

• artificially intelligent billboards can develop designs based on consumer judgements 
• genetic algorithm is used to aid selection
• Each poster is installed with a camera
• 42,000 interactions

If something similar to this would be implented within the billboard design, statistics would be able to inform the campaign, presenting a better knowledge of the consumer.