News that “smart” outdoor screens, which track the ages of passers-by and select ads based on their profiles, is puzzling at a time where one could argue the declining relevance of age-based targeting.

Known as Media Eyes, the screens will survey passers-by’s demographics and select the most appropriate adverts for their current audience according to this article in Marketing Week.

My question; what about brands that extend beyond age-groups? Will important consumer segments be deprived of these ads because someone notionally decided they were too young or too old?

I guess the media purveyor is trying to promote a point of difference with this ‘measurability’ but is it not leading marketers and their agencies down the wrong track?

My guess is that the profile of viewers would be pretty consistent day to day, week to week. So why not profile them manually and sell the targeting based on behavioural or lifestyle segments?