Master Plan

Brandweek, Oct 18, 1999

There's no shortage of pundits and predictions when it comes to contemplating the future. But amid the theories and speculations, there's one thing everyone agrees on: Future technology will forever change how, where and when marketers reach consumers.

"I think the technology is going to allow us to be more targeted and really reach who we want to reach without as much waste," says Caryl Hahn, MasterCard's vice president of media services.

To illustrate how a major client would divvy up marketing money in the future, we gave MasterCard a hypothetical ad budget of $1 billion and asked them to craft a media plan for 2010.

Ever hear of the teleputer? It's a combination television and computer, and it's where MasterCard would spend 60 percent of its money. "We'll spend the majority of money there. But we feel that traditional media is not going away. [It's similar to] when TV developed; radio didn't disappear and neither did magazines," says Hahn. "They just took a different form."

Hahn and Elisa Romm, vp of advertising, created the following scenario to illustrate how MasterCard's spending plan will impact the lives of consumers.

The alarm goes off on Sally and Steve's teleputer. "Good morning," it chimes. "Today is Tuesday, Oct. 26. It's 6:30 a.m. and the outside temperature is 55 degrees with a chance of rain. When you travel to Chicago tonight, plan for temperatures in the mid- 60s. Rain is likely."

After yelling "10 more minutes" at the voice-activated snooze button, Sally and Steve go back to sleep. But not for long.

"OK! That's it! Get up!" the teleputer squawks.

Their favorite morning news program is playing, having started at their prescribed time of 6:40 a.m. (On weekends, they delay any broadcast until 8:15 a.m.) They begin their weekday routine: showering, dressing, getting ready for work and seeing the kids off to school.

Sally turns on the lights in little Emma's room and the radio automatically starts. The weather report is done by Elmo, Emma's favorite TV character. He tells her to wear her rubber boots in the rain. A MasterCard ad reinforces that being prepared for the day is "priceless." It also says that if your kids need rubber boots, speak now to the radio and you'll be provided with a list of boots that can be purchased on verbal command.

Back in Sally's room, once the news is over, the teleputer switches screens to her daily schedule. It reminds her that her dry cleaning will be delivered at 6:30 p.m. "Would you like to pay for it with your MasterCard?" it asks. When Sally says yes, it tells her that her transaction has been approved. She then pops into the kitchen for a cup of coffee and switches on a second teleputer-- all are connected via the house intranet.

"The last time you purchased milk was four days ago. Do you need more now?" it dutifully asks.

"Yes," Sally replies.

"Is there anything else you need?" the teleputer prods.

After scanning the refrigerator, Sally rattles off a list: orange juice, bananas, a roasted chicken, ice cream. The teleputer puts the charge on her card, then announces her order will be ready at 6 p.m.

Next, the lunch menu from Emma and Evan's school comes up on the teleputer. It's pizza day. Sally takes the MasterCard smart cards from their backpacks and transfers $10 from her MasterCard debit card to them via her teleputer. Along with the money, each kid's smart card also carries their name, address, teacher's name, school's name, Sally and Steve's work numbers and a brief medical history in case of an emergency. It also serves as their library card.

By 7:45 a.m., they're out of the house. After the kids board the bus, Sally heads to her car for her commute to work. On the train, Steve opens the seat back in front of him to access a laptop. He reads the top news stories on the Web. At a sports site, there's an article on the latest golf club technology. Usage tips are provided by MasterCard, sponsor of the PGA Tour. He e-mails the helpful hints to friends.

Before Sally gets on the highway, a computer in her car tells her she's low on fuel. Conveniently, a gas station she has selected on her Quick Pass program that is linked to her MasterCard is only a mile away. As she fills the tank, she watches a music video on the fuel pump's monitor, which is followed by a quick message from MasterCard. The Quick Pass program automatically reads the fuel pump and charges the gas to her credit card.

Once on the highway, Sally tunes into her favorite oldies station. The morning drive-time slot on the Satellite Radio Network is commercial-free, thanks to sponsor MasterCard. While driving to work, she passes an animated billboard that promotes her preferred card.

When Sally sees a traffic jam ahead, she says the word "traffic," which pauses the radio. The computer explains that the jam is due to a car with a flat tire in the right lane. She's given an alternate route to work.

At noon, Steve heads to the office gym for his daily workout. As he gets on a treadmill, he remembers he needs a new pair of running shoes. He logs on to the computer that sits on the treadmill and goes to the virtual store where he buys all his shoes. He is recognized as being a loyal customer who uses his MasterCard for most purchases. A message clicks on that says if he uses his card today, he'll get a free pair of running shorts with the purchase of his shoes.