A partnership unveiled this week between Microsoft,
MediaCart Holdings and
Wakefern
Food will deliver personalized ads to grocery shoppers through computerized
carts. The initiative is yet another way that Microsoft aims to derive revenue
from ads, even as it continues to struggle with Google
to take more of the online advertising market.

MediaCarts have been tested for nine months by Wakefern in its ShopRite grocery
stores and involve shopping carts with computerized screens that deliver ads
and other information to shoppers based on their preferences, the companies
said.

The carts log preference information from customer loyalty card programs that
most grocery stores have. Customers scan their cards at the MediaCart and ads
on the screen are delivered to them according to their buying history, the companies
said. No personal information will be shared with Microsoft or advertisers through
the MediaCarts, although advertisers will acquire reporting and analytics information
about how the ads are performing in the stores.

Microsoft's technology is serving video ads to computers on the MediaCart screen
through the Atlas technology, which Microsoft acquired through its purchase
of aQuantive last year. The $6 billion deal to purchase the digital marketing,
advertising and creative agency is Microsoft's largest acquisition to date and
was meant to bolster the company's plan to diversify its revenue so more comes
from its ad business.

So far, Microsoft's advertising business has improved only incrementally, according
to company financial reports, but it expects more significant growth this year.

In addition to ads, the MediaCarts also will provide information about where
products are located in the store and give shoppers electronic coupons. Shoppers
also can view store specials in the aisles in which they're shopping and total
the cost of items in their carts before checking out through the technology,
the companies said.

MediaCart also uses Microsoft Windows CE and Microsoft SQL Server software
along with the Atlas ad-serving technology. MediaCart is expected to begin customer
trials in ShopRite stores in the second half of this year.

IDG News Service

• Email
• Print
• Share
  • Slashdot
  • Digg
  • Stumble
  • Reddit
  • Newsvine