Its raining ads, halleluljah, its raining ads

Japan brings it to the top. This is the country, where skipping commercials on television might be illegal, and now, well, they are going to let advertisement rain on you.

Its a mock of course and this is how it works: "A projector on a tall tripod shows images of raindrops hitting the ground and making ripples, in hopes that people will enter the "rainy" area and hold out their palms.

A camera tracks the entrants' movements and sends the data to connected computers. Then the projector shoots out a round-shaped advertisement -- which can post words such as "SALE" -- right onto their hands."

How relevant will this be to the consumer, besides a moment of excitement - an excitement, that might last one time, two times, but if you are more often exposed to it, how will you react? Isn't it just another form of overwhelming the consumer?

The folks of NTT, who developed the system, don't think so. They say that "rain" can be a perfect draw for customers. "It's quite natural that you hold out your palm when it starts raining," said Yoko Ishii, a chief researcher in the human interaction project.

"People jot things down on their palms. The palm is the information tool closest to humans," she said."

I really don't know. I would buy an umbrella and take it along even if the sun is shining.

(By Asia Business Consulting)