Gracenote Smart TV Content Recognition Technology to Enable Interactive TV Ads

Gracenote linked with Connekt and Ensequence to bring interactive capability to linear TV advertisements and other programming, it said in a Tuesday announcement. Gracenote’s Video Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology, used in 25 million smart TVs across eight brands globally, will enable marketers to deliver promotions, discount codes and custom offers tied to products and services, it said. The technology identifies ads in real-time using frame-by-frame image recognition, and when an ad is identified, Connekt and Ensequence can instantaneously deliver a graphical overlay corresponding to the ad. It gave as an example the ability for a carmaker to add an overlay that presents local dealer addresses, localized incentives or discounts for car service. Brands also can dynamically tie in social media elements, sponsorships or couponing. The technologies create “limitless” opportunities for TV advertising, said Kelly Abcarian, Nielsen senior vice president-product leadership. Gracenote’s technology can recognize any live, on-demand or prerecorded content and advertising that appears on TV “and trigger interactive overlays that harness the full potential of connected televisions,” she said. Gracenote didn't respond to questions on privacy and whether consumers have to opt in, or can opt out of, the feature.