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HP, Yahoo! Team Up To Launch Targeted Ad Campaign

by Amar Toor on June 19, 2010 at 09:00 AM

Yahoo! and HP
Last week, Hewlett-Packard unveiled its online printing program, which allows users to remotely print Web content from their computers or phones. Along with the program, the company launched a new service called "scheduled delivery," which enables customers to regularly print pages at specified times. Now, in order to promote these new features, the company has joined forces with Yahoo! to launch a series of targeted ads.

As Computer World reports, HP will use Yahoo!'s advertising network to tailor ads depending on location. The new ePrint printers will be connected to user's home routers, and thus have their own IP address. "Through IP sniffing, you have an idea about where those printers are so naturally it allows you to kind of already target your offers," argued Stephen Nigro, Senior VP of Imaging and Printing. Privacy advocates have always been somewhat leery of any ad campaign based on individual online behavior. HP's Vyomesh Joshi, however, guaranteed that the company will not promote its new products at the expense of user privacy, acknowledging the need to establish "very clear business rules in terms of privacy."


Basically, when users print using the Web-connected machine, ads can make their way onto paper. While Nigro points out that consumers are used to ads, they are also used to receiving serious benefits from being subjected to paid content. HP has to find some way to soften the cost of ink with its new Yahoo! revenue share, or few customers will float on this printing cloud. [From: ComputerWorld/IDG]

Tags: ads, advertising, business, hp, ink cartridge, InkCartridge, ip address, IpAddress, printer, printers, printing, privacy, targeted advertising, TargetedAdvertising, top, Yahoo

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