So, if I am to believe everything I read on the internet – the only separating myself from a bot is the ability to recognize and mimic a simple string of nonsensical characters or phrases in the form a captcha. We’ve all used them at one time or another, the “prove you’re human test” when posting links on facebook, signing up for web services, leaving blog comments etc. They are nonsensical at best and blatantly unreadable and irritating at worst. But they are a decent line of defense against those who would attempt to spam your facebook profiles, saturate your blog with spam, and generally wreak e-havoc on the world. But a new breed of captchas is at hand, a new captcha that will be relatively easy to read, probably make sense and–most pertinent in our business, act as a bridge between utility and advertising–all while strengthening brand awareness.
“How can this be?” you might ask. Well, allow me to enlighten you.
Why did you take notes in school? There’s a good chance that somewhere along the way a teacher or a parent told you that writing things down helps you to remember them–especially the important things. Well, New York-based Solve Media and their clients are betting that their messages are important enough for you to remember. The plan is to combine captchas with ad revenue. Now, instead of typing out a string of nonsense you’ll write down a branded catch phrase from your favorite brands.
In the example below, random characters are replaced with the Microsoft altruism “Browse Safer.” Another example, an ad for the movie “The Town” might use something like “Turns out Ben Affleck can act, go figure.” McDonald’s, “Better than eating Cardboard.” And so on.
Internet Explorer branded Captcha
Sounds like a solid plan. Remembering = good. Brand exposure = good. Fighting spam and internet bad guys = good. But here is where I play devil’s advocate:
Does adding brand advertising to an already annoying surfing interruption put advertisers in a light they want to be in? Or is the promise of more advertising revenue and quicker access going to your favorite site enough to sway public opinion? We are already inundated with messages when we get to a site, but with the difference being that we can choose to ignore them (just like we can choose to get up and grab a drink during the spots on Hulu or regular TV). These new captchas will be different; this is forced interaction with brands. So, while it might be good for retention it might be bad for perception.
On a personal level I have a love/hate relationship with advertising, but it is for that reason that ads work on me. I am allowed to identify and appreciate one while choosing not to connect with another. I use Old Spice now because I enjoy riding horses backwards on the beach with my airbrushed sixpack. I do not however want to take Cymbalta because a random smiling person was kind enough to ramble off its frighteningly long list of side effects. And therein lies the beauty of advertising: the freedom to love, hate or simply ignore it. Take that away from me and I might just get frustrated. To take another stab at my earlier equation, Annoyance + forced brand exposure + a forced condition to continue browsing = Bad User Experience.
Or am I reading too much into this? You tell me.
Additionally, some of a captcha’s effectiveness is in its ability to be almost infinitely random so I imagine this will require an infinite amount of current brand copy that can be put out in a random enough pattern to foil those increasingly bright hackers? (UPDATE: I have been informed by Solve Media that–and I quote– “Every image is slightly different against hundreds of variables.” So, it would seem they have this covered one way or another)
Aside from my doubts, I find the approach interesting and the proof of its effectiveness will have to be in the pudding, as they say. Quicker access to content I want to see, better brand retention and consumer engagement for my clients could lead to an overall happier browsing experience. Captchas are gonna getcha one way or another; this seems like a considerably more useful way to employ them… at least from an advertising point of view.
Chris is an Art Director working on our Calgary office clients, but out of his home in Manitoba.
