The Voices in My Head

Well, I thought advertising could not get more intrusive. I was wrong. After the scented bus shelters, subliminal advertising, emotional marketing . . . we now have sound waves in a tight beam directed at our brains. Sound that only we can hear inside our heads.

Can you imagine walking down a deserted street and all of a sudden you hear, "Who's that? Who's There? It's not your imagination." This is a billboard advertisement for "Paranormal State," a new series premiering on A&E. Technology developed by Holosonic transmits an audio signal from a speaker to inside your head.

Now imagine that you are a little unhinged to begin with, like the people that truly do hear voices in their heads. This ad technology could provoke a full-blown psychotic episode. Guess where they are currently advertising? New York City! This is an accident waiting to happen.

Click to read about the technology: Audio Spotlight - Put sound where you want it.

There is a place for this type of technology. Museums, art galleries, libraries and Epcot Center have used the technology to interpret exhibits without destroying the ambiance of the surrounding area. But beaming sound waves into random people walking down the street is not a good idea.

What do you think?

Tags: holosconic, voices in my head, intrusive advertising