The value of NOW - is "now data" more valuable than #digitalfootprint behavioural analysis

Last night was my mashup event on Mashup TV, Pay TV, Over The Top (OTT) TV and DLNA - Where is the future for Multiscreen?  The speakers were Anthony Rose, Casey Harwood, David Cutts, David Mercer and Mark James  - moderated by Alan Patrick  - a write up from the event will be posted at the mashup blog

One of the demo’s at the event was from Endurance Technology  and they showed what is possible with TV, interactions, pushing TV about the house and generally having some fun.  One aspect of their demo I found insightful…..

Endurance were showcasing an example where someone watching a film and using an ipad to interact with the additional content and browse.  As adverts came on, they could have been determined from the analysis of the viewers “digital footprint” – check out my creepy post if you are worried about someone tracking/watching you, or by the traditional method of broadcast ads based on content and time of day.  However, what they also showed was the value of NOW.  As the person browsed, they (simulated) adapted the ads from the best ads based on the old model, to ads based on what the viewer was doing at that very point in time – immediate, now, in your face.

So the question is raised – in the interactive TV world do we need any of your old data and behaviour or should we just go for “now” data as the primary determination of advertising. 

OK, not everyone will interact all the time and sometimes there will be many viewers – but does this change the need to collect, store and analyse data in the same way?