# Macmillan uses digital face recognition to serve different advert messages to men and women

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/16/macmillan-uses-digital-face-recognition-serve-different-advert-messages-men-and-women/
- Published: 2013-05-16T12:58:51+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Macmillan Cancer Support's new outdoor fundraising campaign is serving different
adverts to men and women, using digital face recognition technology.

The campaign is running on [Ocean Outdoor](http://www.oceanoutdoor.com)’s digital
screen at Westfield London using its "Look Out" camera technology.

Women looking at the advert see the message "**No Mum should face Cancer alone**",
and men see "**No Dad should face Cancer alone**". Both include the **same request
for a £5 text donation**. 

## Advertisement

The face recognition technology recognises the gender balance of several people 
in front of the screen. If the audience is more than 60% male it serves up the Dad
version and if it is more than 60% female then the Mum ad comes up. If the gender
split is around 50/50, then a generic ad is served.

Alison Sanders, head of brand at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Using Ocean’s 
new outdoor technology is a media first for Macmillan and allows us to really personalise
our messages to help raise vital funds so that no one faces cancer alone.”

Richard Malton, marketing director of Ocean Outdoor, said: “Given that one in three
of us will get cancer at some point in our lives, we are delighted that our technology
can be used to enhance the relevance of this important campaign, transforming how
people interact with Macmillan."

 

 * **[Ireland’s national giving campaign asks charities to register](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/17/ireland039s-national-giving-campaign-asks-charities-register/)**(
   17 May 2013)
 * **[Woods Group](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/17/woods-group/)** (17 May 
   2013)
 * **[Woods Group](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/05/17/woods-group-0/)** (17 May
   2013)
