How Old Do I Look? (And What That Means to Marketers)

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Have you seen Microsoft’s new How-Old platform? So far, it’s been a source of viral humor:

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But in reality, this development could be a game-changer for marketers and advertisers. If algorithms can accurately determine people’s ages and genders from their photos and other public media, then we as marketers can better target them.

Think about these overwhelming statistics regarding visual platforms:

Instagram

o   Launched less than 5 years ago

o   77.6 million estimated users in the USA alone [Source]

Facebook

o   Made public less than 10 years ago

o   1.44 billion monthly active users [Source]

These numbers are incredible, and they reflect the astounding rate at which companies that rely on digital interaction and a robust social presence can grow in this day in age.

So, if sites like these are already the golden conduits for marketers and advertisers to reach their audiences, and these audiences use such platforms to create strong social presences via picture sharing, then Microsoft has hit the jackpot.

By identifying demographics like age and gender, which arguably could lead to psychographic identification, brands and their agencies are one step closer to correctly targeting their ideal end consumers. All in all, the genius How-Old platform seems to be the start of something that will improve the efficiency and success of digital marketing. In the meantime, it’s the start of a great laugh!

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