Can you imagine anything else in the world more annoying than 'beacons that emit a high-frequency sound that'll immediately trigger an advertisement on your phone'? I can't think of a single thing I want less than that. Okay, cancer. I want cancer less than I want this insanely silly automatic advertising.
I'm sure the creators of Sonic Notify, Densebrain, are perfectly nice people but did they not realize how annoying their new service would be? You're walking in an aisle of a drug store trying to get yourself a Vitamin Water to cure your hangover when all of a sudden, BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. Your phone goes off. What the hell? It's on vibrate. What is this noise. WHY ARE YOU BEEPING YOU'RE NOT A BEEPER. What is this? An ad? Huh? $2 off $100 purchase of Q-tips. Huh? What? Why.
That's how it's going to work! Densebrain created beacons that could be attached to store shelves and emit high-frequency sounds that'll trigger messages and advertisements on your smartphone. Cruising in a store aisle, watching TV, listening to the radio, anywhere an advertiser can emit that high-frequency sound to catch your phone's attention, your phone's going to go off. Do. Not. Want.
I'm sure brands are excited about this new method of "customer interaction" but get real, no one wants this. Our one saving grace: you have to download an app to enable Sonic Notify. PHEW, that app will never touch my phone. [AdWeek via Engadget, Image Credit: Distrikt 3 Fotografie/Shutterstock]