SUPERMARKET VIDE O CARTS 

WHEN ARE SHOPPERS MOST VULNERABLE TO SEX? WHEN IN THE BEDROOM. RIGHT? BUT DO YOU KNOW WHEN THEY ARE MOST FINANCIALLY VULNERABLE? ON THEIR TRIP THROUGH THE SUPERMARKET!

SO GUESS WHERE THE ACTION IS GOING TO CONCENTRATE NEXT? THAT'S RIGHT. BETWEEN THE AISLES.

FOR YEARS I HAVE BEEN STRESSING THAT "INFORMATION IS POWER". NOW INFORMATION RESOURCES INC. OF CHICAGO AND A FEW OTHERS PLAN TO "ENTERTAIN AND EXTRACT", VIA THEIR "VIDEO CART" WHILE SHOPPERS ARE STROLLING UP AND DOWN THE AISLES OF THEIR FAVORITE SUPERMARKETS.

YES, DEAR READERS, A FLAT SIX-BY-EIGHT-INCH VIDEO SCREEN ON EVERY SHOPPING CART HANDLE. NO, NOT (YET) WITH TOM SELLECK, BUT ADS, ADS, ADS. WELL, NOT JUST ADS. SOMETIMES THE SCREEN WILL SHOW A MAP OF THE STORE, OFFER RECIPES AND ASK QUESTIONS. DEVELOPERS SAY THAT ADS WILL CONSTITUTE 15 PERCENT OF THE VIDEO PROGRAMMING. THE REMAINDER WILL BE THIS IN-STORE "VIDEO NEWS MAGAZINE"

WHY WOULD YOU WANT THIS? BECAUSE DATABASES HAVE FOR SOME TIME BEEN TELLING GROCERY RESEARCHERS THAT TWO-THIRDS OF ALL FOOD SHOPPING DECISIONS ARE MADE IN THE STORE. THINK THAT ISN'T TRUE? CHECK SHOPPING LISTS. USUALLY THEY LIST A MAXIMUM OF TEN ITEMS. YET WHEN YOU HIT THE CHECKOUT COUNTER YOU HAVE 32 ITEMS IN THE CART.

HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? RESEARCHERS KNOW, AND EVEN BELIEVE THEY CAN IMPROVE SUBSTANTIALLY ON SUCH CURRENT SHOPPING PRACTICES. THE SYSTEM IS REALLY HIGH-TECH ALTHOUGH IT DOESN'T APPEAR OBVIOUS. FIRST, VIA SATELLITE FROM INFORMATION RESOURCES INC., COMES THE COMMERCIAL TO EACH STORE'S PERSONAL COMPUTER. FROM THERE IT IS BROADCASTED BY IN- STORE RADIO WAVES TO EACH CART. BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW UP YET ON THE CART VIDEO SCREEN. WHY? BECAUSE CUSTOMERS AREN'T CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE SHELF ON WHICH THAT AD'S PRODUCT APPEARS. BUT WHEN THEY GET NEAR THAT SHELF -- THE ONE THAT HOLDS THOSE SEDUCTIVE SWEETS -- AN ELECTRIC TRIGGER RELEASES THE AD ON THEIR CART ONLY! WHEN THEY CHECK OUT, THE ELECTRONIC CASH REGISTER LETS STORE MANAGEMENT KNOW HOW WELL THE IDEA IS WORKING!

INFORMATION RESOURCES INC. ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SHOT MARKET RESEARCH INTO THE 21ST CENTURY, BY DEVELOPING ELECTRONIC SCANNERS TO REPLACE A MANAGER'S HAND-WRITTEN DIARIES. THREE SUPERMARKET CHAINS AND SEVERAL ADVERTISERS HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR IN-FIELD TESTING OF THESE CART/VIDEOS.

IN-STORE ADVERTISING, NOW A $12 BILLION BUSINESS, WILL GROW AT A 17 PERCENT RATE, ACCORDING TO TRADE ORGANIZATION POPAI (POINT-OF- PURCHASE ADVERTISING INSTITUTE). IN A RELATIVE SENSE, SUCH ADVERTISING IS VERY INEXPENSIVE.

ABOUT ONE-THIRD THAT OF PRIME-TIME NETWORK TV SPOTS. BUT THERE IS MORE: ADVANCED PROMOTION TECHNOLOGIES (APT) HAVE ALREADY STARTED HANDING OUT COUPONS AT THE CHECK- OUT COUNTERS AFTER SHOPPERS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO IN- STORE INTERACTIVE VIDEO SCREENS AND PRINTERS - THESE REWARD THE SHOPPER FOR THEIR INTEREST! APT HAVE ALREADY BOOKED TEST ARRANGEMENTS WITH RALSTON PURINA, KRAFT, DEL MONTE AND PROCTOR & GAMBLE (WHO OWN A SLICE OF APT). THE GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA COMPANY WILL BE TESTING ADS AND SPECIAL LISTINGS ON ELECTRONIC SIGNS IN SOME OF THEIR STORES IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. ANOTHER DEAL HAS COMMERCIALS SPREADING THE WORD ON SHOPPERS' CAR RADIOS AS THEY DRIVE INTO SUPERMARKET PARKING LOTS. MORE INFORMATION: JOHN MALEC, CHAIRMAN, VIDEOCART, INFORMATION RESOURCES INC., 150 NORTH CLINTON, CHICAGO, IL 60606.

PHONE: (312) 726-1221

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