Freedom from Torture is the first charity to use a ‘smart ad’ to target its latest appeal at people more likely to donate.

The AdSmart technology was launched in the summer by satellite broadcaster Sky, and is currently being trialled by 30 to 40 advertisers. Freedom from Torture is the only charity involved in the trial, ahead of a full launch in 2014.
 
Sky decides which ads will have the biggest impact and slots them into live viewing across its channels, after using data from Sky+ set-top boxes to estimate the household’s income, age, class and location.

Keith Best, chief executive of Freedom from Torture, said: “Being able to target our appeal specifically to the people who are most likely to donate means that TV advertising is now affordable and available to us for the first time – it presents a golden opportunity to increase donations to fund the important work we do.”