Marketing Solutions You Can Trust

QR Codes Best Way to Bridge Digital From Print...

2011-10-19T09:52:00.001-04:00

Papa John’s exec: QR codes are best way to bridge digital from print...

By Rimma Kats
October 19, 2011

NEW YORK – A Papa John’s executive at the Mobile Shopping Fall conference said that QR codes are the best way to bridge digital from print, connecting consumers with interactive content within a static medium.

During the “Case Study: Finding Your Edge In An Increasingly Competitive Mobile Environment” panel, the executive gave best practices for marketers looking to dip their toes in the mobile space. Papa John’s has been ramping up its game in the space with a mobile site, applications and QR campaigns.

“When you get to real-time transactions, pizza is really hard,” said Jim McDonnell, marketing manager of digital media and emerging channels at Papa John’s International Inc., Louisville, KY.

“You have something that’s perishable and has to get out the door fast,” he said. “We not only have to get the order right but have a have a good experience for the customer.”

Mobile site first

According to Mr. McDonnell, optimizing a mobile presence is the first step marketers should take.

Many marketers who want to delve into the mobile space are not sure whether they should roll out a mobile site or applications first.

However, having a mobile-optimized site is key first because marketers can reach more consumers rather than figuring out whether they should build an iPhone or Android application.

When companies do decide to roll out mobile applications, it is important to see where the mobile traffic is coming from and the device consumers are using to place orders.

“We’re still getting a lot of orders from BlackBerry devices,” Mr. McDonnell said. “But, we’re not seeing the same shopping as the other richer platforms.

“Windows Phone 7 is sold, but we’re not building an app for it soon,” he said. “We’re not seeing enough traffic to justify it.

“The richer the ecosystem, the more consumer choices available that drives more innovation and more opportunity for us.”

According to the executive, when marketers decide to launch a mobile app it is important to see if they can leverage the hardware and leverage the device’s camera.

“I love anything that can leverage the camera because you’re bridging the physical and mobile world,” Mr. McDonnell said.

Additionally, the executive said that SMS is a great tool to engage consumers.

“SMS is great for mobile,” Mr. McDonnell said. “It’s immediate.

“I love push notifications,” he said. “There’s no carrier and no aggregator.

“The consumer has all the power – they can turn them on and they can turn them off.”

Mobile bar codes

Mr. McDonnell said that mobile bar codes are an effective way to get consumers engaged.

The company ran a QR code campaign that when scanned, took consumers to a video of the company’s founder who was telling the story of how he started his business.

“Not every pizza box out the door gets scanned, but that’s OK,” Mr. McDonnell said. “For those that do get scanned, it helps build that relationship.

“QR codes are the best way to bridge digital from print,” he said.

The executive also said that there is going to be huge growth in HTML5 and tablets in the near future.

“With HTML5, the capabilities are there,” Mr. McDonnell said.

“Tablets are also huge,” he said. “Speed is going to be really important.

“It’s important to the customer more so than the marketer.”

Coupon Mailers Use QR Codes For Promotions...

2011-10-09T10:09:00.000-04:00

By Chantal Tode

October 7, 2011

QR code on the Valpak envelope supports

HallmarkChannel promotion

Hallmark Channel is teaming up with Valpak for direct mail sweepstakes that includes a QR code on Valpak’s signature blue envelope containing special offers and coupons.

The sweepstakes is part of Hallmark’s efforts to promote TV entertainment such as “The Martha Stewart Show” and “Emeril’s Table.” The blue envelope featuring Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse and a QR code on the outside began hitting homes this week.

“As a leader in the print industry for 43 years, Valpak is looking at new technology that helps us grow and evolve – using QR codes allows us to integrate the print and digital experience,” said Nancy Cook, vice president of new media business development of Valpak Direct Marketing Systems Inc., Largo, FL.

“We feel it’s important to change and grow with consumers, and QR codes allow us to do that,” she said. “Using a QR code extends our brand from the Blue Envelope to mobile platforms.

“It increases engagement with our consumers. For Valpak, it opens up audiences within a new demographic group, allows us to display media content in a new way with print, and allows them to interact in a way that fits their lifestyle.”

Valpak delivers offers and coupons to nearly 40 million households each month.

QR codes deliver

Users who scan the QR code with their mobile phones will be taken to a registration page where they can enter the sweepstakes, watch a clip of “The Martha Stewart Show,” and share the sweepstakes with friends via Facebook and Twitter.

The winner of the sweepstakes will receive a trip to New York to be part of the audience for the live taping of “The Martha Stewart Show” and take home Emeril’s Kitchen Essentials prize pack.
By using QR codes, Valpak hopes to improve its future marketing communications.

“We will know who has registered through mobile, so this will help us in our future messaging back to them, and will help us customize our communications back to them,” Ms. Cook said.

Valpak expects QR codes will play a bigger role in its promotional activities going forward.
“We most definitely foresee it playing into future sweepstakes and the majority of our promotions,” Ms. Cook said.

“We’ve also integrated QR codes into our core product. We recently launched the ability for local advertisers to put QR codes on their Valpak inserts.”

In addition to direct mail, the company also offers an online site for local savings and has apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Palm Pre, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7.

QR codes are an important addition to Valpak’s mobile strategy.

“QR codes help us engage with early adopters and it’s bringing in consumers that may not have registered in the past,” Ms. Cook said.

Why Every Brand Needs to Think About Mobile First...

2011-09-29T10:42:00.001-04:00

5 Reasons Why Every Brand Needs to Think About Mobile First...

September 28, 2011 -- By Justin

The reality is that mobile is no longer about the phone, it’s about being connected with customers through SMS text messaging and SMS QR codes. Many predict that mobile Internet traffic will soon surpass that of traditional wired broadband. For enterprise brands and agencies, this trend is proving to be a disruptive force that is completely changing the way that marketing and advertising campaigns are being developed. Here are the five reasons that every brand needs to think mobile first.
1. Large and Growing Audience: According to CTIA, there are more than 300 million mobile phones in the U.S., which is almost on par with our current population of 312 million people. From a global perspective, there are more than 5 billion mobile subscribers. The rate of adoption for mobile is incredible, especially as compared to personal computers. In June 2008, Gartner reported that 1 billion people had PCs and estimated that number would reach 2 billion by 2014.
2. Consumer Demand: Unlike traditional methods of marketing/advertising such as direct mail, online banners and e-mail, mobile campaigns are based on an opt-in or expressed user actions like browsing or using an application. As a result, consumers are more likely to be engaged and responsive. According to a 2010 Harris Interactive poll, 42 percent of men and women between the ages of 18 and 34 identified themselves as interested in receiving text alerts from marketers.
3. Ability to Personalize: Mobile numbers are tied to a person, where an internet connection is not. The demographic, geographic and device-type information tied to a mobile number gives marketers and advertisers the ability to create highly personalized campaigns.
4. Superior Response Rates: According to an Opus Research report, mobile marketing/advertising is far superior to that of traditional online campaigns with response rates that are often twice to 10 times higher. In terms of ROI, that’s a staggering number.
5. Constant Access: Mobile phones are our constant companions, providing almost unlimited access to the content we crave, regardless of location or time of day. According to a recent CNBC article, 75% of people polled never leave home without their mobile phone.

Marketing Campaigns Use SMS To Make Purchases...

2011-09-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

Taking marketing campaign integration a step further with SMS mobile commerce...

By a MCD columnist

September 14, 2011

Cynthia Fedor is marketing team lead and senior

copywriter at QuantumDigital Inc.

By Cynthia Fedor

Mobile commerce is expected to reach $31 billion by the end of 2016 and grow at a rate of 40 percent each year for the next five years, according to a report published by Forrester Research.

Although still in the very early stages of development, mobile commerce is quickly becoming a reality.

Following are some examples of how brands are integrating mobile commerce into the consumer experience:

SMS-enabled payment systems

SMS-enabled payment systems are being tested by major consumer brands.

Coca-Cola, for example, is currently testing the use of vending machines that accept payments via mobile device, eliminating the need to carry coins to make a purchase.

With these machines, consumers can simply walk up and text in to buy a beverage.

Consumers do not have to register or download an application to use this form of payment, and the cost of the beverage is charged to the consumer’s mobile phone bill.

The brand also benefits by using the SMS data to send special post-purchase offers to consumers, and therefore drive additional purchases.

Doug Busk, head of mobile brand strategy for global connections at Coca-Cola Co., said: “What we’re seeing in a couple of use cases is that this increases purchasing frequency … Any time you take friction out of the system, you increase frequency.”

In time, we will see how far this application of text-to-purchase makes it into the mainstream.

Payment by SMS text is also now accepted and widely used by major nonprofit organizations.

Many charitable organizations, including the American Red Cross, Feed the Children, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and United Way have started to integrate text-to-give tactics as part of their fundraising campaigns.

By texting a specific number or phrase to a short code, consumers are able to donate funds. The micro-donation is simply added to the donor’s phone bill.

By launching a text-to-give campaign, the American Red Cross was able to raise around $22 million for Haiti relief—all within just two weeks of the massive 2010 earthquake.

Shopping via mobile apps
Mobile apps that allow consumers to initiate a purchase without leaving their current experience are popping up everywhere.

Big brands from Starbucks and MasterCard to Pandora are trying to get a piece of the mobile commerce pie early.

Starbucks, keeping up with its growing tech-savvy customer base, recently rolled out an application that lets customers pay for their beverages and other goods via their mobile device.

Thanks to a partnership with MasterCard, iPad users flipping the virtual pages of Wired Magazine’s June 2011 issue—digital version, of course— had the ability to simply tap the pages to browse and buy products directly from their tablet.

Consumers can expect to see more interactive elements integrated into subsequent issues if the data proves the strategy to be profitable.

According to Apple, the Internet music service Pandora is the most frequently downloaded free iPad app. Other sources claim that it is among the most-used apps across all smart phone platforms.

As a subscriber listens to a song, Pandora provides an opportunity to purchase that song from Amazon or through iTunes. The music does not stop playing to complete the purchase. The transaction is almost instant and the listening experience is fluid.

Pandora also runs sponsored ads for other products and services between songs—all of which just require a tap on the screen to begin the shopping process.

QR codes, direct mail and print
Following the trend, traditional channels are evolving to promote instant action or purchase via mobile devices.

The integration of digital technologies with direct mail and print channels is becoming more commonplace, resulting in heightened consumer expectations.

Gift retailer Brookstone recently announced its plans to test QR codes in printed catalogs and in 30 retail stores to drive sales.

QR codes positioned next to the products featured in its catalogs and retail displays would provide consumers with instant access to product information.

Brookstone’s hope is that the use of QR codes will lead to increased purchase activity.

Many retailers such as Target, Sears, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus are also trying this new approach to engage consumers and give sales a boost.

What this is demonstrating is that the new point of sale is anywhere and everywhere, thanks to mobile devices.

Using QR codes in concert with direct mail and print can provide more accurate campaign tracking and help to keep consumer data current.

Additionally, integration of new technologies with traditional, tried-and-true media will give marketers the opportunity to collect more prospect data, intelligence about media preference and more accurately plan future marketing initiatives.

JC Penney to push QR code campaign to smartphone users...

2011-09-14T10:44:00.000-04:00

JCPenney continues mcommerce push via QR code implementation...

By Rimma Kats

September 14, 2011

JCPenney is building up its presence in the mobile space via a new QR code initiative that drives consumers to the company’s mcommerce-enabled site where they can shop the latest styles.

The company has placed mobile QR codes on its static ads that appear in newspapers and magazines.

The QR codes feature a call to action that lets consumers ship JCPenney’s entire Call It Spring collection.

“Smartphones are rapidly emerging as a device central to the purchase process,” said Kate Coultas, a spokeswoman for JCPenney, Dallas.

“Consumers use them to conduct research on items, compare prices, read product reviews and even to make purchases,” she said.

“Given these growing consumer trends, we’re building on our mobile leadership by incorporating QR codes throughout multiple customer touch points.”

Scan me After consumers scan the mobile bar code, they are redirected to JCPenny’s mobile site where they can view the new Call It Spring collection.

The QR code is featured in Cosmopolitan magazine

Customers can also browse by category such as women, men, home store, kids, shoes and baby, as well as use the search feature to find products they are specifically looking for.

JCPenney is also ramping up its mobile database by letting consumers opt-in to receive coupons and alerts.

“Our Call it Spring ad in Cosmopolitan is just the latest example of how we are using QR codes,” Ms. Coultas said.

“The code connects customers to a cross divisional landing page for Call it Spring on m.jcp.com, allowing users to browse and purchase styles directly from their phone,” she said.

Mobile QR codes

Placing QR codes on static ads is a smart move for JCPenney.

Mobile bar code scans are up almost 600 percent year-over-year, proving they are an effective medium for reaching consumers with additional branded content beyond just a static print ad.

Recently, restaurant chain Hooters of America used mobile QR codes and social media to further drive brand awareness.

The “Lee Corso’s Saturday Ticket” campaign let users “Like” Hooters on Facebook to receive a Buy 10 Get 10 Wings free offer.

“We’ll continue to leverage QR codes this holiday season but it is too early to share details at this time,” Ms. Coultas said.

Mobile Coupon Redemptions on the Rise...

2011-09-13T13:12:00.000-04:00

One in Ten Users Redeem Mobile Coupons...

Posted: 07 Sep 2011 03:43 PM PDT

A new report out from eMarketer indicates continued uptick in the popularity of mobile coupons, indicating that one in ten mobile users redeem coupons via their mobile device.

Data from eMarketer estimates that nearly 20 million US adults will redeem a mobile coupon this year, including coupons or codes received via SMS, applications and mobile Web browsers; quick response codes for redemption online or offline; and group buying coupons purchased via mobile.

By 2013, the number using such coupons will nearly double, and 16.5% of all US adult mobile phone users will redeem a coupon that year.

The popularity in mobile coupons extends from the popularity in Online coupons experienced during the recession, eMarketer speculates, and is a trend that isn’t going anywhere soon. “Even as the sputtering economy attempts its recovery, the popularity of couponing has continued, spurred in part by the burgeoning daily deals space,” said Noah Elkin, eMarketer principal analyst and author of the new report, Mobile Coupons: Offers and Deals Light Up the Last Mile. “Mobile coupons will play a central role in broadening the appeal and acceptance of digital coupons among shoppers.”

Not surprising, mobile coupon usage is much higher among smartphone users, where nearly one in five users ages 18 and older will redeem a mobile coupon, representing growth of 117.6%. Triple-digit uptake rates will be short-lived, according to the research, but by 2013 almost one-third of smartphone users will be redeeming discounts on the go.

Ford pushes dealership traffic via SMS...

2011-09-12T10:46:00.000-04:00

FordDirect pushes dealership traffic via SMS...

By Lauren Johnson

September 12, 2011

FordDirect is putting direct sales at the forefront of a new campaign that bridges television and print advertisements with mobile via SMS calls to action.

The company is leveraging location-based services on its television ads that feature specific keywords and short codes that consumers can use to find out additional information about the cars. The campaign builds on Ford’s lengthy list of mobile initiatives, which include mobile ads, applications and mobile-optimized sites.

By using a mobile call to action, FordDirect can extend the value of its investments in print and television advertising through measurement and optimization

FordDirect is a joint marketing venture between Ford Motor Company and its franchised dealers that helps promote and sell Ford vehicles.

Sell with SMS
The new campaign deal links Ford’s traditional advertising outlets with more tech-savvy options via an opt-in SMS program.

The company claims that all Ford’s print and TV advertisements let consumers interact with SMS.
After sending a product-specific keyword to a short code, consumers are then asked to enter their ZIP code to be connected with local Ford dealerships.

Consumers can then enter their names to let local dealerships call them directly.
Users can also be sent local offers from Ford dealerships via SMS.

In particular, this campaign is unique to the Ford brand because it capitalizes on consumers who already have an interest in Ford’s products and ties it directly to sales at dealerships.

FordDirect’s goal is to connect with in-market consumers through their preferred communications channel and provide relevant information that drives customers into the dealership,” said Kate Bullach, vice president of communications and public relations at FordDirect, Dearborn, MI.

So far, FordDirect claims it has seen a 14 percent conversion rate with consumers who interact with the SMS program to buy a car.

Two-fold text
The goal of any SMS program is to build up the company’s database, but by tying the program to real information for both dealerships and consumers, Ford is adding an incentive for consumers to interact.

Additionally, Ford is able to hone in on specific consumers who have a direct want to buy a Ford vehicle by adding local dealerships to the mix.

Ford is no newbie to mobile, and the company already has a plethora of apps, ads and mobile-optimized Web sites to boast.

“Within the next five years, mobile will become the preferred way for the majority of customers to access the Internet,” Ms. Bullach said.

Michaels stores to use SMS + QR codes to drive holiday sales...

2011-09-12T10:11:00.001-04:00

Michaels stores exec: QR codes, SMS will increase holiday sales...

By Rimma Kats

September 9, 2011

NEW YORK – A Michaels executive at the Mobile Marketing Summit 2011 said the company will be implementing mobile QR codes and SMS into its fall and holiday initiatives as a way to drive consumers in-store.

During the “Michaels Stores: Engaging Retail Customers Before, During and After the Sale” session, the executive discussed how the arts and crafts specialty retailer will be driving its holiday sales even though it does not have a commerce-enabled Web or mobile presence. The session was moderated by Erik McMillan, president/CEO of BestFit Mobile, Austin, TX.

“We believe that this rich content, such as QR codes, will ultimately increase sales for Michaels,” said Anthony Price, senior director of digital marketing and PR for Michaels Stores Inc., Irving, TX.
“Ultimately, we want to engage our customers in a project,” he said. “As we gear up for our fall seasons, we want to stay connected with our customers and really use our QR codes for the fall and holiday season whether it would be making a gift for a friend or a decorative item for the holidays.
“We’ll also be utilizing SMS and push notifications.”

Mobile crafts
When Michaels first decided that it would dip its toes in the mobile space, the company knew that it had to have some actionable and measurable goals.

“We needed to attract a younger demographic and make it easy for our customer and drive in-store sales via mobile,” Mr. Price said.

“We spent a lot of marketing dollars for mobile and digital to engage the customer with a deeper engagement for that two-way interaction,” he said.

“We have to be able to measure and show that we are driving the footsteps in the store.”
Michaels also saw the advantages of coupons and giving consumers timely offers.

“Customers want our coupons in the palm of their hands and be able to redeem that in-store.
Mr. Price said the company, which launched its iPhone app in the beginning of July, will release an Android app next week.

“Basically, it doesn’t stop here for us,” Mr. Price said. “It’s about how we can enhance and build other engagement platforms to further engage our customers.

“Certainly gift cards are important to us as we’re coming into the holiday season,” he said. “It should be apparent that we aim to make Michaels and crafting available to our customers.”

Consumer engagement
Michaels is implementing the mobile QR codes on its newspaper circulars that lead consumers to project ideas and how-to videos that also let them sign up and receive special deals and offers.

Although a build of the company’s merchandise is not available online or through its mobile app, Mr. Price said the company strives to make the consumer shopping experience as seamless as possible.
“It’s about engagement,” Mr. Price said. “We want to be that source of creativity.”

Quaker uses QR codes for granola bar promotion...

2011-09-06T11:02:00.000-04:00

Quaker uses QR codes to start dialogue for Nick Jonas promotion...

By Chantal Tode

September 6, 2011

The QR code featured on packaging for Quaker Chewy Granola bars

Quaker Oats is using QR codes on the packaging for certain items as a way to initiate a dialogue with customers that continues online.

Boxes of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars currently in stores display QR codes as part of a promotion featuring teen musician Nick Jonas. By scanning the codes, customers can see a preview of how they can send their kids personalized messages from Mr. Jonas.

The QR code allowed us to provide our consumers with a preview of what we were offering — further, the personalization element of Nick actually saying your name could not have been brought to life without the QR code, and we thought this was an important aspect to highlight to our consumers,” said Nidhin Mattappally, associate marketing manager of Quaker Snack Bars, Chicago.

“We believed that once moms saw the technology at work, they would be more willing to go online to redeem their own free, customizable greetings,” he said.

Instant connection

Messaging on the packaging encourages parents to send their kids a customized e-card from Mr. Jonas. Customers can find a code number inside the boxes that can be entered online to create an e-card from Mr. Jonas using the recipient’s name.

The campaign was designed to help foster the moments in the day when moms can feel good about the choices they make and put a smile on their kids’ faces, per Mr. Mattappally.

QR codes on packaged goods provide an instant way to connect with the consumer and provide the consumer with greater information about the product, or in this campaign offer an inclusive incentive with the Jonas Bros.

This campaign establishes an important dialogue between brand and the customer and incentivizes parents and their kids to purchase the product.

There are other benefits to brands from using QR codes as well, including delivering higher click-through and call rates than either a URL or 1-800 number.

It becomes all about the incentive the brand is providing for the scan.

The better the incentive or reason to scan, the higher the number of scans.

Value and relevance are key.

Given the Jonas Bros. call to action, Quaker expects that this campaign will do well.

QR codes also provide detailed information about a campaign which can enable a brand marketer to better understand its customers and tailor future communications.

The many benefits of QR codes is one reason their use is growing among consumer packaged goods companies.

This is the first time that Quaker has used QR codes in conjunction with Quaker Chewy Granola bars.

“It’s an exciting technology that allows us to engage with consumers in a new and interesting way and provide relevant content,” Mr. Mattappally said.

Smartphones now owned by 40% of American adults...

2011-09-03T10:45:00.000-04:00

Smartphone Penetration Reaches 40% in the United States, Says Nielsen...

Posted: 01 Sep 2011 10:44 AM PDT

It’s a new milestone for smartphone penetration in the United States, according to the latest statistics on smartphone usage released by Nielsen.
40% of mobile consumers over 18 in the United States now have smartphones, according to July 2011 data. And Nielsen stats show that this swelling percentage is, indeed, continuing to grow on a day-by-day basis.

Android is the most popular operating system for now, with 40 percent of mobile consumers reporting they have a smartphone with an Android OS. Apple’s iOS is in second place, with 28 percent. Among those who say they are likely to get a new smartphone in the next year, approximately one third say they want their next smartphone to be an iPhone and one third say they want an Android device.

“Among likely smartphone upgraders, it is the ‘Late Adopters’ who are most likely to say they are ‘not sure’ which operating system they’d like in their next smartphone,” the report reads. “In politics as in smartphones, these “undecideds” will be the ones device makers will be hoping to win over.”

Although 60 percent of the US mobile market remains comprised of feature phone users, all signs point to a smartphone majority in the very near future.

Express retailer using QR codes this fall...

2011-09-01T12:58:00.000-04:00

Express drives sales for fall line via QR codes...

By Lauren Johnson

September 1, 2011

Retailer Express is using mobile QR codes to drive traffic to its locations, as well as promote the company’s new fall line.

Express is a contemporary clothing retailer and has always been at the forefront of innovation, especially for their products.

The mobile QR codes are placed in the company’s print catalog and adds interactivity to the shopper's experience.

Scan to shop

The mobile QR codes are featured on the last page of the company’s catalog.

Once users scan the QR code, they are taken to a mobile-optimized landing page where they can either shop the current collection or download the Express application for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices.

Via the mobile site or applications, consumers can buy looks from the line by browsing by category or key word.

Consumers can shop Express’ products on a mobile site.

Additionally, shoppers can track their orders and find nearest locations to via the products in-store.

It’s about giving consumers options because Express is ultimately connecting with consumers via their cellphones.

Virtual guides
This is not the first time Express has tapped into the mobile space.

Last year, the company rolled out its app, which ties social, location, commerce, promotions and video. (

By using mobile QR codes, Express is leveraging its content from its catalogue.

Putting mobile QR codes on catalogs is really important because it gives a new dimension, especially with new product launches.

Consumers might have questions about certain products – how it can be worn or how it fits.

Now they can get the answer.

QR code placement important for marketing campaigns...

2011-08-29T12:51:00.001-04:00

QR code placement can make or break a marketing campaign...

By Kayla Hutzler

August 29, 2011

Bergdorf Goodman uses QR codes

QR codes are becoming increasingly present in mainstream advertising, allowing consumer brands an opportunity to enhance their traditional advertising strategies.

Despite the growing presence of QR codes, some consumer brands seem hesitant to implement the new technology. However, QR codes can be an effective tool to seamlessly take a print ad, still used by a majority of consumer brands, and incorporate the ad into a multichannel campaign.

QR codes add relevancy and interactivity to traditional media in a way that has never been possible before.

Consumer brands now have the opportunity to engage users with real-time content from an offline ad and increase brand impact by encouraging users to take the brand experience away with them on their mobile device.

Mobile optimized
For consumer brands looking to enter into the realm of QR code marketing, there are some ways to optimize the technology and increase the campaign’s effect.

The placement of QR codes is very important. It is very easy to create a disastrous QR campaign just by selecting the wrong location.

For example, placing QR codes on outdoor signs or posters can be highly effective if consumers can reach or scan the QR code, but less effective on a high billboard.

In addition, consumer brands should monitor the mobile reception of the area in which they plan to place an out-of-home QR code ad.

Using this mind-frame, interior subway ads may be a poor placement for QR codes, but inside and outside ads on buses may work fine.

Also, QR codes should not be implemented until a brand has a mobile-optimized site.

Finally, leading consumers to a non-optimized site can cause frustration and lead to a bad brand experience.

Scanning in
QR code campaigns can be extremely effective for consumer brands since they generally use traditional print media more than other industries.

Indeed, QR codes work well in print magazines, where a majority of consumer brands still take out full-page ads.

In addition, some brands have already begun using QR codes in direct mail pieces and catalogs.

For instance, symphony orchestra New York Philharmonic engaged consumers via direct mail and mobile by embedding QR codes into its mailers.

Additionally, Bergdorf Goodman’s pre-Fall catalog included QR codes that brought consumers to the product page on its mobile site.

Mobile marketing is not something that can be ignored by consumer brands — by 2012 the amount of smartphones are expected to outnumber the amount of desktop computers.

Affluent consumers are most likely using smartphones, and are always looking for innovative campaigns that differentiate one brand from another.

Luxury brand consumers are also increasingly expecting personalized and beyond-the-norm service, which a QR code campaign can provide.

Luxury brand buyers are looking for unique, high quality and prestigious goods.

Brands can use QR codes as exclusive, insider keys to unlock premium mobile content like videos, photos and contests and extend the brand experience.

New movies drive awareness with mobile QR codes...

2011-08-29T09:42:00.000-04:00

Fox Searchlight Pictures drives film awareness via mobile QR codes...

By Lauren Johnson

August 29, 2011

Consumers can scan mobile QR codes on outdoor posters for exclusive content

Film production company Fox Searchlight Pictures is drawing promotion for its new “Martha Marcy May Marlene” film via mobile QR codes.

The mobile QR codes are placed on marketing materials, including both outdoor locations and traditional print marketing materials throughout New York and Los Angeles.

The film hits theaters on Oct. 21.

For the marketer, QR codes are effective because they are able to connect media to other content and they are easy to track.

Fox Searchlight Pictures is a international film company that distributes movies under Twentieth Century Fox.
Exclusive scans
Users can scan the mobile QR codes on the promotional products and be taken to a landing page where they can watch two exclusive trailers for the film.

Consumers can also view additional information about the film via the mobile QR codes.

One of the key parts of a mobile QR code campaign for marketers to understand is knowing where your audience will see the ads and how it will impact how they interact with the ads.

One perspective is that print ads generally have good results because consumers have the most time to engage with them.

However, with advertisements that are on subways and are outdoors, consumers can potentially sign up for email blasts and more information via text messaging.

Movie magic
This campaign is not the first time Fox Searchlight Pictures has embraced mobile QR codes.

In 2009, the film company drove awareness to the movie Notorious with mobile QR codes on promotional materials around New York.

Giving consumers additional content as plugs for movies and entertainment is nothing new, but exclusive content gives consumers an incentive to engage with mobile.

According to Fox Searchlight Pictures, videos for Martha Marcy May Marlene are exclusive only by scanning the mobile QR codes.

Mobile QR codes give users added value when they scan something they can’t find elsewhere.

Do men or women opt-in to SMS?...

2011-08-24T11:25:00.000-04:00

SMS – Who’s Really Opting In?...

The data from a recent research study show that men are significantly more likely to opt in to SMS campaigns than women — with 57% of male respondents indicating opt-in opposed to just 33% of female respondents. Opt in by gender and by age group is shown on the Infographic below:

Outdoor Advertisers Benefit From QR codes and SMS...

2011-08-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

QR codes, SMS modernize billboard ads...

By Rachel Lamb

August 23, 2011

Audi A7

Implementing mobile strategies such as QR codes or SMS calls-to-action in out-of-home luxury branded ads immerses consumers interactively compared to traditional billboards, bus bench posters or telephone booth advertisements.

Additionally, this makes it easier for luxury brands to collect data and conversions to measure the effectiveness of out-of-home ads to a brand’s core customer. Consumers stopping to scan a QR code or text-in to a short code are likely to be true brand loyalists.

Outdoor, like any other traditional media, is great at generating brand awareness and consideration.

However, it typically falls short in engaging the consumer or leading to a conversion. Mobile provides an immediate tool to move an interested consumer into a more immersive experience and one step closer to purchase.

Bold moves
Mobile can be incorporated in out-of-home ads in many ways.

For instance, some brands use them to offer exclusive videos and content.

Department store chain Bloomingdale’s upped its out-of-home advertising strategy by including QR codes and an MMS call to action on phone booth ads to connect consumers with videos and content about new fashion trends.

Bloomingdale’s mobile incentives on telephone booth ads

The retailer placed ads on telephone booths in New York located near store locations.
Meanwhile, other luxury brands are using QR codes to push new products.

For instance, Audi of America launched its new A7 model with an interactive billboard in Times Square in New York that was supported by mobile elements such as QR codes and SMS.

The campaign used SMS and QR codes to drive billboard viewers to Audi’s online and mobile properties for more details about the locations featured in the programs and an interactive New York City guidebook. Audi’s billboard brought consumers to a mobile site for more information.

Implementing these tactics have both real-time and long-term effects.

A consumer can look at content when he or she is waiting for the bus or a cab right then, or sign up to receive information at a later time that reinforces the message.

QR codes can launch a number of activities in one click depending on what the brand is trying to achieve. A code can launch an opt-in email for exclusive events, a video demonstration of a vehicle’s features, an option to make a purchase or simply allow a customer to save the business contact information for a later time.

This could be especially relevant when a consumer has time to view the ad and get more content from their device.

Brands can also use mobile to incentivize consumers to go in-store or online for new launches or to receive a free gift with purchase or discount.

Scan and buy
The brand’s mobile message in an out-of-home ad should be the entire point of the ad, rather than just an afterthought.

This strategy makes the ad purposeful and attracts the attention of passers-by.

Brands can collect the data that amasses from scans and texts to find out what works for the brand and its customers and possibly use that information to drive consumers in-store or to an online location.

Taking advantage of location-based services such as foursquare, Gowalla or Facebook places can also incentivize consumers to go in-store or check-in to a retail location.

No matter what, mobile offerings force consumers to interact with the brands and could build brand loyalists.

However, since QR codes and SMS messages are relatively new channels, brands need to be careful about how they use them.

The relevance of the media is really critical when using QR codes on outdoor ads – probably more so than any other vehicle. Marketers have to think about the placement of the specific ad and whether a code will be practical for the consumer.

Best results thus far have come from commuter placements like bus shelters or train platforms. Also, t the media should be in an area with strong cell service.

Frustrating the consumer with a bad experience will prevent them from scanning again – whether it be from your brand or others.

Millennial Media Compares 2 Years of Mobile Advertising Trends...

2011-08-22T09:33:00.000-04:00

Millennial Media Compares 2 Years of Mobile Advertising Trends In 50th S.M.A.R.T Report...

Posted: 22 Aug 2011 12:43 AM PDT

For anyone within the mobile advertising industry, you’ve likely relied on Millennial’s research over the last two and half years to stay up on the ever-changing trends, devices, verticals and more that drive the market.

In fact, according to Millennial, its research is used by all 25 of the top mobile agencies, all 20 of the top ad agencies, and 70% of the top 20 Ad Age advertisers.

In addition, its research has been referenced more than 5,000 times by press, analysts, customers, etc and has seen more than 20,000 downloads to-date.

Now, on to the data. In terms of general mobile advertising growth, Millennial and Gartner reported total mobile advertising revenue in 2010 totaled $1.627B, and in June of this year, Gartner projected that the worldwide market would more than double by the end of 2011 over 2010 to total an estimated $3.309B. By 2015, however, Gartner projects total revenue to top $20.6B.

Looking at mobile vertical spending in Q2, six specific verticals experienced triple-digit growth including travel,entertainment, automotive, pharmaceuticals, retail/restaurants, and finance — the latter of which seeing an impressive 1,095% growth over Q2 2010. Retail and restaurants took the top spot for U.S. mobile verticals in Q2 while “portals & directories” took the top spot on an international scale.

In terms of mobile campaign engagement methods, “application download” grew 9% quarter-over-quarter and represented 23% of Millennial’s “Campaign Destination Mix” for Q2, while “View Map” grew 28% quarter-over-quarter as a “Post-Click Campaign Action.” Looking at general campaign destinations, driving traffic-to-site represented 52% of all campaigns, while driving traffic to a custom landing page and driving app downloads rounded out the rest with 25% and 23% respectively. It’s worth mentioning that, when compared to Millennial’s very first S.M.A.R.T report back in 2009, the “app download” campaign action has grown an impressive 667% — mirroring the massive growth in mobile app usage and smartphones in general.

Looking further in how far we’ve come in the last 2.5 years, the top 5 mobile phones in Millennial’s network in March 2009 included (in descending order) the Apple iPhone in the #1 spot, followed by the Samsung Instinct, the Blackberry Curve, the Samsung Messenger and the T-Mobile Sidekick — note two out of 5 were feature phones. Jump to Q2 2011 and the iPhone remains in the number one spot, followed by the Blackberry Curve, the Motorola Droid, the Samsung Nexus S and the Blackberry Bold 2. The entire list of the top 20 phones for Q2 were smartphones.

Daily's Cocktails Doles Out Prizes Via QR Codes...

2011-08-18T21:06:00.001-04:00

Daily’s Cocktails doles out summer prizes via QR codes...

By Lauren Johnson

August 18, 2011

Consumers can play a game to win prizes

Cocktail mixer company Daily’s Cocktails is giving consumers a chance to win prizes via mobile bar codes that are placed on its static magazine ad.

The company is running the advertisements as an extension of a summer campaign that promotes its line of mixed drinks. In addition to mobile bar codes, the company is also leveraging social media and getting the word out via Facebook, Twitter and Pandora.

“Daily’s Cocktails had a successful summer campaign last year that focused on making the most of consumers’ summers with Daily’s products, including entertaining and recipe examples,” said Michael Chadwick, partner at CCM Marketing Communications, New York.

“This year, we wanted to use print as another way to get people involved with the campaign, but still wanted it to be simple and easy for users so we decided to use QR codes,” he said.

CCM Marketing Communications is a marketing agency that works with Daily’s Cocktails.

Spin to win
Once consumers snap the mobile bar code via their QR code reader, they are taken to a mobile-optimized page where they can play a game to win various weekly prizes.

To play, consumers click a spinning bar of Daily’s Cocktails products to create a cocktail.

Each week, there is a winning pattern and users who guess the right combination are randomly selected to win prizes, such as blenders and coolers.

The sweepstakes began Memorial Weekend and is planned to run through summer.

“The mobile game is an extension of a more elaborate game that is on the company’s Web site,” Mr. Chadwick said.

Recipe swap
In addition to playing a game, consumers can view a list of 20 curated recipes that use four Daily’s mixes.

“Recipes are one thing that drives drink mixers because there’s always a new and relevant way for consumers to use the products,” Mr. Chadwick said.

“No one is going to buy the product on its own, so recipes are natural sources of content for the brand,” he said.

In addition to using the QR codes to promote the brand, Mr. Chadwick said the company was able to gain valuable insight about how consumers interact with print.

For example, five to six versions of the code were placed in various magazines.

According to Mr. Chadwick, the magazine that has generated the most engagement was Hearst’s Cosmopolitan, which shows that the publication’s readers are looking for sources of additional, relevant content.

“QR codes are a perfect shortcut for going straight from the branded message in the print ad to the more interactive brand experience,” Mr. Chadwick said.

“As the technology and the software become more universal, food and beverage marketers will expand on ways to target the perfect consumer for their products in settings where those consumers can benefit from the information,” he said.

“QR codes gives brands an opportunity to make the case for a consumer decision on a situation basis.”

Victoria's Secret New SMS Program...

2011-08-18T13:16:00.000-04:00

Victoria’s Secret offers incentives via SMS program for Pink line...

by Rimma Kats

August 10, 2011

Victoria’s Secret is giving special offers and exclusive event information via an SMS program that builds the company’s database and its relationship with consumers.
The lingerie retailer is no stranger to mobile. In addition to SMS, Victoria’s Secret also uses mobile applications and mobile ads as a way to communicate with shoppers.

“SMS gives brands like Victoria’s Secret reach to run campaigns that are accessible by all mobile users,” said Jeff Hasen, chief marketing officer of Hipcricket, Kirkland, WA.

“SMS provides a springboard to richer brand experiences – of course, Victoria’s Secret is known for its fashion and its models,” he said.

“Video and pictures can be used in embedded links that take the mobile user to the excitement and glamour that is Victoria’s Secret.”

Mr. Hasen is not affiliated with Victoria’s Secret. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.
Victoria’s Secret did not respond to press inquiries.

Message incentives
Consumers are encouraged to opt-in to the company’s SMS program by texting keyword to a short code.

Once users opt-in, they are sent a text message with a link that takes them to a mobile-optimized page where they can sign-up.

Consumers can enter information such as their name, email address and phone number.

“Provided the call to action is clear and compelling, SMS is effective in driving new customers to an offer or to information,” Mr. Hasen said. “This often leads to an invitation to a mobile loyalty club where consumers choose to interact with brands they know and trust.

“Hipcricket research says that more than one-third are interested in joining a mobile loyalty club,” he said. “Further, the study tells us that consumers are still waiting for brands to ask them to engage.”

Word of mouth
Victoria’s Secret is getting the word out about its SMS program through a variety of ways including direct mail.

A 12-page direct mailer sent to consumers last week is headlined “Pink” and promotes bras, panties, bikinis, T-shirts, flare pants and a hoodie.

In that mailer, the Heartbreaker product page has a QR code as well as the HEART keyword meant to be texted to a short code.

“SMS produces near immediate action since 97 percent of texts are opened within four minutes,” Mr. Hasen said.

“Deals via SMS break through the clutter – contrast that with the offers delivered to me via email that I will never see.”

QR Codes Resonating With Mobile Users...

2011-08-13T12:29:00.000-04:00

QR Codes Finally Resonating with US Mobile Phone Users...

According to the latest research from comScore, Inc., in June 2011, 14 million mobile users in the U.S. (6.2 percent of the total mobile audience) scanned a QR or bar code on their mobile device.

A QR (Quick Response) code is a specific matrix bar code (or two-dimensional code) that is readable by smartphones.

The statistics were gleaned from a study on mobile QR and bar code scanning which came from the firm’s comScore MobiLens service.

More than half of all QR code scanners were between the ages of 18-34 (53.4 percent).

Additionally, the study found that a mobile user that scanned a QR or bar code during the month was more likely to be male (60.5 percent of code scanning audience), skew toward ages 18-34 (53.4 percent) and have a household income of $100k or above (36.1 percent).

ComScore also analyzed “the source and location” of QR or bar code scanning and discovered that users are most likely to scan codes found in newspapers or magazines and on product packaging and do so while at home or in a store.

“QR codes demonstrate just one of the ways in which mobile marketing can effectively be integrated into existing media and marketing campaigns to help reach desired consumer segments,” says Mark Donovan, comScore senior vice president of mobile.

“For marketers, understanding which consumer segments scan QR codes, the source and location of these scans, and the resulting information delivered, is crucial in developing and deploying campaigns that successfully utilize QR codes to further brand engagement.”

QR code readers...

2011-08-12T19:27:00.001-04:00

How to read a QR-Code...

READY?. Visit from your cellphone browser application any of the following websites:

Kaywa reader, Kaywa / 3GVision - http://reader.kaywa.com
I-nigma, I-nigma - http://www.i-nigma.com
QuickMark - http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/index.asp

SET?. When detecting your cellphone model will ask permission to download the reader application. Accept, download and isntall.

GO!. You are now ready toread QR-Codes or Datamatrix from your phone.

QR code integration...

2011-08-12T16:35:00.000-04:00

Crate and Barrel increases mobile giveaway entries via QR code integration...

Posted By Rimma Kats

Crate and Barrel is offering consumers a chance to win a $500 gift card via a QR code featured on its fall catalog.

The company is running the mobile bar code on the back of its catalog.

In addition to signing up for a chance to win the $500 gift card, consumers can also sign up for the company’s email news and stay on top of their products when they come out.

“The incorporation of a mobile bar code into campaigns means that consumers can experience the brand instantly in a more meaningful way by being connected – whenever and wherever they are – to richer content,” said Laura Marriott, British Columbia-based CEO of NeoMedia Technologies.

“This interactive communication helps the consumer feel more attuned to their brand and the brand, more connected to the consumer,” she said.

“Mobile bar codes have been taking the place of 1-800 numbers and URLs in advertisements and are already helping to connect the consumer to higher value content on store shelves, on pack, and many other implementations.

Ms. Marriott is not affiliated with Crate and Barrel. She commented based on her expertise on the subject Crate and Barrel did not respond to press inquiries.

Mobile giveaway
Consumers can scan the QR code with their mobile device.
One lucky winner will get a $500 shopping trip to any of Crate and Barrel’s locations, online or purchases made through the company’s catalogue.
The mobile sweepstakes is taking place beginning Aug. 1 to Sept. 30.
Using a QR code for the mobile sweepstakes and to build the company’s email database is smart.
Mobile bar codes are emerging and more companies are beginning to see a trend and taking advantage of it to further their mobile strategy.
“The analytics that are available to a brand as part of a mobile bar code management platform are absolutely invaluable in helping them to measure and define campaign success, helping them understand who is engaging with them and when,” Ms. Marriott said.
“This data also allows brands to tailor communications even further to the consumer based on analytics including time, date and location of any scan, as well as valuable user information including gender and age,” she said. “These attribute make bar codes a must for all marketers.

Sign me up
When consumers scan the QR code they are redirected to a mobile landing page where they can sign up to enter and receive email news, as well as participate in the giveaway.
Additionally, while there, consumers can shop the latest products, check out their favorite pieces and use the search functionality if they are looking for something specific.
Users can also visit the company’s other sites including CB2 and Land of Nod.
“We see barcodes emerging as a dominant mobile media element and we will continue to see brand owners of all sizes leverage barcodes in their campaigns,” Ms. Marriott said. “The market is only starting to develop and we are on the front end of the hockey stick.”
“We expect the continued explosive growth of smartphone users making mobile barcodes all the more accessible to consumers,” she said.
“This will be backed by an increased penetration of pre-loaded mobile bar code readers by handset manufacturers worldwide, making scanning capability more convenient and instantaneous as well as the continued proliferation of barcode scanners in the app stores.”

Mobile Coupon Issues...

2011-08-12T16:24:00.000-04:00

By Jonathan Treibar

August 12, 2011

Jonathan Treiber is cofounder/CEO of RevTrax

Consumers are increasingly embracing digital deals, discounts and promotions, and with the proliferation of smartphones, a growing number are redeeming offers at the point-of-sale using only their mobile device.

Historically, marketers did not care much about mobile coupons due to minimal consumer smartphone penetration. Today, the question for marketers is not whether to deploy a mobile promotion, but instead how, when and where to execute it.

Fast clip

Although consumers are demanding coupons and deals on their phones in increasing numbers – Borrell Associates sees mobile coupons growing at a cumulative annualized growth rate of 84 percent per year – marketers may not be ready operationally to handle this deluge of consumer appetite for their promotions.

The realities of retail IT systems and hardware, when combined with the need for significant training of store personnel and customers, often make mobile coupons much more attractive for marketers than for wireless carriers.

The top five reasons why retailers, restaurants and consumer packaged goods manufacturers may need to think twice before pulling the mobile coupon trigger are:
1) Issues with point-of-sale scanning of mobile-based coupons and offers
2) Line hold-ups caused by redemption of sequential mobile-based coupon offers
3) Redemption policies that conflict with manufacturers’ coupons
4) Outdated retail systems that lack coupon functionality
5) Lackluster consumer experience viewing coupons on mobile screens
The question becomes how best to overcome these obstacles in the most reasonable time frame and cost.

Issues with point-of-sale scanning of mobile-based coupons and offers
Scanning bar codes from a mobile device involves two distinct problems.
First, point-of-sale scanners must recognize the newer types of bar codes such as Datamatrix that are best used for mobile couponing.
Second, scanning devices, which are typically laser-based scanners, often require an upgrade to the more expensive optical imagers, ideally 2D.
The first problem can be overcome with some custom software development.
The second, depending on the number of checkouts requiring new scanning devices, might break the bank.
An average grocery store, for example, might need 20 new scanners at $500 apiece for the 20 check-out lanes in a single store.
Multiply that across a chain and one can begin to understand why major retailers need to be big believers in mobile to justify that investment.
The good news is that Target and Starbucks have already taken the leap, and others are going to follow. For most others, cashiers are manually entering in the digits of the coupon into POS.

Line hold-ups caused by redemption of sequential mobile-based coupon offers
Assuming scanners and software are good to go, operations personnel still face issues with mobile coupons when a consumer seeks to redeem multiple coupons at time of purchase.
For example, consider a long checkout line where the consumer at the front of the line is completing a purchase. This person retrieves the first mobile coupon and hands her mobile device to the cashier to scan. The cashier scans the mobile coupon and returns the mobile device to the consumer to retrieve a second coupon.
This process then repeats itself until all coupons are redeemed.
For retailers looking to drive frequency of spend and speed at checkout, this is clearly a losing proposition.
Innovations are in the works to enable redemptions of multiple coupons simultaneously with one single scan at checkout.
One-scan checkouts are already a reality with the load-to-card coupons at many grocery stores, but not in most other categories.

Redemption policies that conflict with manufacturers’ coupons
Many CPG brands want to get in the mobile couponing game but do not quite know how, given that retailers must submit a physical coupon back to the manufacturer for reimbursement of that coupon value.
To solve these scanning and redemption issues, many brands are bypassing mobile devices as coupon redemption vehicles, instead using them as an engagement tool to entice consumers to load coupons onto a loyalty card or sign up and opt-in to receive future communications – email, primarily – to receive printable coupons.
With the mobile device acting as the engagement tool, CPG brands are experimenting with QR codes and SMS opt-ins in stores and on shelves, as well as in advertisements both digital and print.
Consumers with smartphones now have many options to engage with the coupon content, even if the coupon does not physically get scanned off the phone.

Outdated retail systems that lack coupon functionality
Local businesses are often immune from these headaches but face other challenges.
Often lacking advanced systems or scanners, a local merchant’s mobile couponing is much more fundamental.
Consumers flash their phone with an SMS message and some generic coupon copy sent by the merchant, and the local merchant honors it – or not.

Lackluster consumer experience viewing coupons on mobile screens
Consumer experience with mobile coupons covers two topics.
First, basic SMS text message coupons lack the sizzle and aesthetics of images and rich media.
Second, mobile Web content, including mobile coupons with graphics and rich media, are still not formatted properly for many mobile devices, leading to a choppy visual experience.
Quite simply, mobile coupon experiences are not very sexy at this time. A better mobile Web experience for consumers – and ability to scan bar codes off a phone – will create a shift away from text messaging towards stickier forms of mobile engagement.
None of this is to say that mobile couponing is not happening currently. It is, in a big way. Merchants are finding different ways to cope with their own idiosyncratic limitations and adapt with the rapidly-changing consumer.
Fast forward even 18 months and you will find a drastically more advanced mobile consumer.
Marketers will make the investments in IT systems over time to overcome many of the challenges surrounding mobile coupons today, giving way to a more mature and sustainable environment for mobile coupons.

Small Business Mobile Marketing On The Rise...

2011-08-12T14:23:00.000-04:00

80% of Small and Medium Sized Businesses Will Invest in Mobile Marketing This year...

By the end of 2011, approximately eight in ten small and medium-sized businesses in the United States will pony up and invest in some form of mobile marketing.
As the findings of a new survey conducted by Borrell Associates reveals, 83% of respondents either plan to invest or already have invested a portion of their yearly marketing budget into the mobile channel.
A majority of respondents admit that mobile marketing now captures at least 20% of their total marketing budget for the year.

“It’s fascinating the way this is evolving, and that small businesses are getting on board so quickly with mobile,” Kip Cassino, author of the report, tells Click Z “Historically the small guys wait until the technology gets cheaper and the roadmap is a little more clear; that’s how it was with online. These guys aren’t waiting. They’re plunging in, and for the most part they’re doing so without many metrics.”
The emergent popularity of “daily deals” is seen as a powerful if not primary source of inspiration behind the small business community’s escalating investment into mobile marketing and its myriad tools.

Over 91 million people to use mobile device at least monthly

2011-08-11T11:33:00.001-04:00

Generations Divide over Mobile Devices

AUGUST 10, 2011

Boomers, Gen X and millennials display differing mobile device preferences

eMarketer estimates that more than 91 million US consumers will use the internet through a mobile device at least monthly by the end of this year, up from 77.8 million in 2010. While US consumers as a whole may be increasing their mobile internet activities, the devices with which they prefer to do so tend to vary by generation.

According to a study by Affinity Research, generations are dividing in terms of mobile device preferences, with older consumers favoring tablets and ereaders and younger users adopting smartphones at rapid rates.

Although Affinity estimates that Generation X is 16% more likely than the average consumer to own a tablet, a study by GfK MRI indicates that when adding ereaders into the mix, the rate might be even higher. GfK MRI indicates that a Gen Xer is 25% more likely than the average US adult to own a tablet or ereader. Income may play a large part in this age group’s strong adoption of tablet computers. Wealthier Gen X consumers are more likely to own the “latest and greatest” gadgets—according to Affinity, Gen Xers with household incomes of more than $100,000 are 63% more likely to own a tablet PC than other Gen Xers. Tablet adoption also skews toward Gen X males.

Both GfK MRI and Affinity reference the strong inclination among boomers to own ereader devices. According to GfK MRI, baby boomers own more Kindles than both millennials and Gen Xers. And Affinity Research states that boomers are 19% more likely than the average consumer to have an ereader. Strong growth of ereader ownership among the boomer demographic may be due in part to the intuitive and uncomplicated nature of ereader platforms. Device ownership skews slightly toward female consumers.

While millennials are less likely than both Gen X and boomers to own either an ereader or a tablet, the younger demographic surpasses both age groups in terms of smartphone adoption. Labeled as “digital natives” in the technology and mobile device market, millennials are 28% more likely than the average consumer to own a smartphone; 46.5 million millennials already have one.

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, millennials and the younger end of Gen X own more smartphones than those older than age 35. Additionally, Affinity reports that more than 24 million millennials plan to purchase a smartphone in the next six months.

eMarketer estimates US advertisers will spend $1.1 billion on mobile this year. By taking demographics and usage preferences into account, mobile marketers can ensure their dollars are wisely spent.

One Third of Adults Own a Smartphone

2011-08-04T11:16:00.000-04:00

Third of adults 'use smartphone' says Ofcom report

COMMENTS (169)

More smartphone time is spent on Facebook than any other service according to Ofcom

One in three adults in the UK now uses a smartphone, according to a report by the telecoms regulator Ofcom.

Apple's iPhone was said to be the most popular brand. However, teenagers appeared to favour RIM's Blackberry devices.

The report notes that the increased uptake of smartphones has led to a dramatic rise in mobile internet use.

Facebook was the most visited website on handheld devices, with 43 million hours spent on it in December 2010.

Ofcom's annual Communications Market Report combines the regulator's own research with work carried out by other industry analysts.

The 341-page document provides a comprehensive snapshot of the UK's TV, radio, internet and telecommunications consumption.

On mobiles, it said that 58% of adult males owned a smartphone compared to 42% of females.

Among teenagers the trend was reversed with 52% of girls using smartphones against 48% of boys.

Although Apple's iPhone was a favourite device for 32% of adults, among teens its popularity was dwarfed by the Blackberry, which 37% of young people identified as their preferred brand.

Many of those taking part in Ofcom's survey confessed to being obsessed with their smartphone. 37% of adults and 60% of teenagers described themselves as "addicted".

Trending online

Ofcom's study also looked at how people use the internet via home fixed line connections.

Its analysis was based on a survey of 2,481 adults who have access to broadband.

Among those who took part, the most popular task was sending and receiving email (89%).

BBC Breakfast discusses why we are addicted to smartphones

More people turned to their computer to do online banking (61%) than used it to watch television (45%).

Online privacy was a concern for the minority of people surveyed, with worries appearing to grow as people got older.

Among 16 to 24-year-olds, 6% said they had concerns about their privacy on the internet. That figure rose to 13% of 55 to 64-year-olds.

Winners and losers

The report also examines the type of websites or online services that people are spending their time on, based on research carried out by UKOM/Neilsen.

The biggest growth area, between April 2010 and April 2011, was games, which increased by 23%.

News websites took a 33% dive on the previous year, as did adult sites whose use fell by 13%.

Away from the internet, there were also noteworthy changes around the use of broadcasting technology.

UK radio fared well, racking-up more than one billion listening hours per week

Time-shifted TV viewing, using digital video recorders, made up 14% of all viewing time in 2010, 1% lower than the previous year.

Sales of 3D capable televisions appeared to be relatively sluggish, with 125,000 sets sold in 2010, compared to 1 million internet-enabled TVs.

Radio fared well, according to Ofcom, as total listener hours hit 1.04bn per week, up 2.1% on 2009.

By the beginning of 2011, a quarter of radio listening was done on a digital platform, said the regulator.

Brand Marketers Opt for SMS...

2011-08-03T11:16:00.000-04:00

10 best-practice SMS tips for luxury brand marketers...

By Rachel Lamb

August 3, 2011

You've got a Jaguar message

Rather than developing a costly mobile application or optimized site, some luxury brands are opting for SMS or MMS messaging that delivers relevant and real-time information to opted-in consumers.

Luxury brands such as Kiehl’s, Jaguar Land Rover, Cartier, BMW and Hennessy have begun to realize the affect that SMS messaging has on their customers. It is likely that this sort of messaging is one of the most personal ways to communicate with consumers via mobile.

“SMS is the means to an opted-in database where individual preferences can be learned and mobile messages can be personal and relevant,” said Jeff Hasen, chief marketing officer of Hipcricket.

“Those benefits are especially important when your customer is affluent and accustomed to high-touch service,” he said.

Medium is the message

As an expert in the SMS field, Mr. Hasen has compiled a list of 10 tips for luxury brands considering SMS messaging. Here they are:

1. Use SMS as a customer relationship marketing tool, not just a means to provide one-time offers.
2. Use past experiences with the customer to offer luxury customers what they actually want.
3. Do not assume all luxury customers have smartphones – SMS needs to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
4. Use SMS for time-sensitive offers and information. Ninety-seven percent of text messages are read within four minutes of delivery.
5. Consider location to boost relevance.
6. Make sure SMS campaigns fit into the brand’s overall marketing strategy.
7. Use SMS as a means to connect to richer brand experiences. For example, link back to the brand’s mobile Web site or app.
8. For this audience, over-deliver on customer service – it is more of an expectation.
9. Use SMS to drive customers to the store.
10. Exclusivity is important as it makes customers feel like VIPs, so reward the brand’s best customers with something special.

Jaguar roars

Depending on what the brand wants to accomplish, SMS can be used for many different purposes.
Some brands use SMS to call attention to new products.

For instance, LVMH’s Hennessy is promoting its collaboration with the artist Kaws for a limited-edition bottle that can be previewed by scanning 2D bar codes and SMS calls-to-action.

Hennessy SMS call-to-action

Meanwhile, other brands such as Kiehl’s skincare are implementing location-based SMS messaging to offer news and sales at local store locations to drive in-store purchase...
Automakers are also making use of the real-time messaging service.
German automaker BMW personalized MMS messages to alert customers to buy snow tires during winter months while Jaguar integrated SMS calls-to-action with its television ads...

Jaguar SMS brings customers to an optimized site

Since SMS messaging is opt-in, it is a fool-proof system to deliver information to a brand’s most loyal customers.

“A permission-based SMS program creates a dialogue with consumers, giving mobile subscribers the ability to ask for and receive exactly what they want,” Mr. Hasen said.

Social Media Is Now Word Of Mouth

2011-07-30T21:51:00.000-04:00

Social Media Marketing and Word-of-Mouth Marketing Are Now the Same...

Reading several articles all based on the same survey made me realize that many people still don't get it... they don't get the fact that Social Media Marketing and Word of Mouth Marketing are now the same thing!

The first place I saw it was on the blogs section of the Wall Street Journal website... To Heck With Twitter, Business Owners Say. Then I saw it on MediaPost.com Small Biz Ambivalent About Social Media. Then just yesterday I read this headline on MarketingProfs.com Social Media Gets Mixed Reviews From Small Business.

The survey was commissioned by the Hiscox Insurance Company who worked with market-research firm Opinium Research LLP to query 304 U.S. small business owners this past May. Overall, 47% of small business owners and managers surveyed said they don't use social media for business purposes at all. The survey also broke down each of the big players in the social media world, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and the numbers for each of these individually are low with Twitter bringing up the rear as only 4% of respondents said they use Twitter.

And good luck trying to decipher what kinds of businesses these were that were surveyed, were they B2B, B2C, what industries were they in, etc... cause I couldn't find that information. You can click on any of the above links for the gory not-very-detailed details if you so choose but... what caught my eye and raised my proverbial ire was the fact that 50% of the respondents cited Word of Mouth Marketing as the one channel they couldn't do without compared to the 12% vote social media received.

Of the three articles I referenced earlier, only one, the MediaPost.com piece even made a reference to the connection between Social Media Marketing and Word of Mouth Marketing: "... Notwithstanding the obvious potential for overlap between social media and WOM..."

Potential overlap?

No, there is no potential overlap, there is a real and distinct overlap!

I'm reading these articles and wondering aloud, 'doesn't anyone get this?' There was one commenter on the WSJ piece who got it for sure...

"...What these business owners... are missing is the fact that Social Media is set to become THE way to spread word of mouth. Facebook is becoming the sewing circle of the future, and if you can get a group of people buzzing to each other online about your business, you can bring in more customers."

I will disagree with this POV only in the fact that Social Media is not set to become the way to spread word of mouth... it already is!

C'mon people, business owners, marketers, advertisers, etc... where do you think people are "talking" these days?

I will surely not trot out the latest Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn stats nor remind you of the accelerated growth of Google Plus... by now you know and have seen all the statistics.

Sure, are neighbors talking to neighbors as they mow their lawns about the new laundry detergent one just used or the great restaurant the other one went to the night before? Of course, that part will never change.

But what HAS changed is now those same neighbors, after mowing their lawns, are going back into their homes and going on their computers or back into their garages and whipping out their smartphones and telling all their friends... their ONLINE friends all about the new laundry detergent and great restaurant.

Their PCs, smartphones and tablets are now extensions of their mouths... in a matter of speaking.

They are now using their keyboards in addition to their mouths to spread the word.

Why does that seem so obvious to me yet seems lost on so many others?...

Back to School Shoppers Using Smartphones

2011-07-28T06:27:00.000-04:00

64 % of surveyed back-to-school shoppers will use smartphones: study...

By Lauren Johnson

July 28, 2011

Despite economic headwinds, 64 percent of surveyed consumers will use their smartphones to make back-to-school purchases this fall, per a study by Deloitte.

Additionally, nine out of ten back-to-school shoppers are expected to spend equal or more than they did last year. Deloitte also found that mobile shoppers will use their devices for price information and to download discounts and coupons.

“We’ve seen mobile increases in the past, but this is a particularly high percentage of mobile shoppers this year,” said Jackie Fernandez, partner in retail and distribution practice at Deloitte, New York.
“The proliferation of smartphone technology has increased over the past few years to do so many other things besides just shop,” she said.

Deal-seeking on mobile
In addition to consumers just using their smartphones while shopping, the Deloitte study found that users are primarily using them to comparison shop.

Sixty-one percent of consumers will use smartphones to get price information.

Additionally, 43 percent of consumers are expected to download discounts, coupons or sale information on their smartphones.

“The number one response in survey was that people are using their mobile devices to get pricing and discounts,” Ms. Fernandez said.

“Therefore, it’s clear that people are still going to stores, but there is still a disconnect with users getting to the point-of-sale with their smartphones,” she said.

This need of smartphones and mobile devices for prices ties into bigger consumer issues in the study.

For example, 65 percent of consumers surveyed said low prices are the most important retailer factor when back-to-school shopping.

Additionally, 55 percent of shoppers said they will only buy products their family needs this season.

Twenty-six percent say they will reuse items from last year instead of shopping.

Meeting consumer needs
Based on this study, Ms. Fernandez said that we can expect to see further use and engagement in the future, particularly around the holiday season.

“From our expectations about back-to-school shopping this year, I think it’s fair to see we will continue to see an increase in mobile shopping in the future, and it will be interesting to see how retailers try to target consumers in the next few months,” Ms. Fernandez said.

Ms. Fernandez also said that mobile has come to be expected with consumers when shopping.

“This study should be eye-opening for retailers because it’s clear that consumers are using their smartphones while shopping, and if retailers aren’t on board with them they’re losing valuable consumers, both online and in-store,” Ms. Fernandez said.

Do you have a Social Media Marketing strategy?

2011-07-21T14:32:00.000-04:00

Executives Fail to Focus on Social Media Marketing Strategy...

JULY 20, 2011

Recognizing its importance is not enough to make social strategy a reality

Social media marketing has gained its place at the table. eMarketer estimates 80% of companies with at least 100 employees will use social networks for marketing this year, up from nearly three in four last year. By 2012, usage will be even greater, and, in turn, efforts are becoming more sophisticated.

Most companies now recognize a well crafted social media strategy is a vital part of the marketing mix. In fact, a study from found 78% of executives thought a social business strategy was somewhat or very important to the future success of their business.

Despite this realization, most executives are still only in the tentative stages of making social strategy a priority.

The survey of executives who have final say or significant input on social business strategy found that only 27% listed social business as a top strategic priority. Nearly half (47%) admitted a social plan was necessary but not a strategic priority and 19% said social business strategy was simply not necessary.

Meanwhile, executives were also not overly optimistic about their current social strategy efforts. Only 17% felt their social strategy was ahead of the curve. About four in 10 (42%) felt their social strategy was just keeping up and 33% felt they were behind.

A different study from showed a similar amount of enthusiasm for social strategy. Only 11% of US and UK executives surveyed at large businesses listed social media strategy as a leading priority in 2011—tied for last place with mobile marketing. Social media strategy will receive a small boost in 2012, though, with 19% of execs listing it as a leading marketing priority for the coming year.

Many companies may be using social media marketing, but those that choose not to focus on a social strategy risk falling behind the curve in integrating social media with their overall marketing goals. Recognizing the importance of strategy alone isn’t enough; companies should start implementing a plan.

Smartphones On The Rise

2011-07-20T14:11:00.000-04:00

35% of American Adults Own a Smartphone...

One Quarter Use Their Phone for Most of Their Online Browsing

July 11, 2011

Summary of Findings

In its first standalone measure of smartphone ownership, the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that one third of American adults -- 35% -- own smartphones. The Pew Internet Project's May survey found that 83% of U.S. adults have a cell phone of some kind, and that 42% of them own a smartphone. That translates into 35% of all adults. Our definition of a smartphone owner includes anyone who falls into either of the following two categories:

One-third of cell owners (33%) say that their phone is a smartphone.
Two-in-five cell owners (39%) say that their phone operates on a smartphone platform (these include iPhones and Blackberry devices, as well as phones running the Android, Windows or Palm operating systems).
And here's how they feel about their devices:

Smartphone adoption is highest among the affluent and well-educated, the (relatively) young, and non-whites

Several groups have higher than average levels of smartphone adoption, including:

The financially well-off and well-educated -- 59% of adults living in a household earning income of $75,000 or more are smartphone owners; 48% of those with a college degree own smartphones.
Those younger than age 45 -- 58% of Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 now own a smartphone as do 49% of those ages 18-24 and 44% of those ages 35-44. Even among those with a household income of $30,000 or less, smartphone ownership rates for those ages 18-29 are equal to the national average.

African-Americans and Latinos -- 44% of blacks and Latinos are smartphone users.
Urban and suburban residents are roughly twice as likely to own a smartphone as those living in rural areas, and employment status is also strongly correlated with smartphone ownership.
Mobile phones are a main source of internet access for one-quarter of the smartphone population

Some 87% of smartphone owners access the internet or email on their handheld, including two-thirds (68%) who do so on a typical day. When asked what device they normally use to access the internet, 25% of smartphone owners say that they mostly go online using their phone, rather than with a computer. While many of these individuals have other sources of online access at home, roughly one third of these "cell mostly" internet users lack a high-speed home broadband connection.

Smartphone owners under the age of 30, non-white smartphone users and smartphone owners with relatively low income and education levels are particularly likely to say that they mostly go online using their phones.

Android is the most common smartphone platform, followed by iPhone and Blackberry devices

Phones operating on the Android platform are currently the most prevalent type of smartphone, followed by iPhones and Blackberry devices.

Demographically, Android phones are especially common among young adults and African-Americans, while iPhones and Blackberry devices are most prevalent among college graduates and the financially well-off.

Read the full report for an in-depth look at the demographics of smartphone owners and how they use their devices at pewinternet.org.

How To Maximize Opt-In Loyalty...

2011-07-20T12:39:00.000-04:00

Mobile Opt-in Retention - Rules of Engagement

The following is a guest post by Paul Faherty

When it comes to SMS Marketing, conversation touch points generally center around acquiring the opt-in and building the database. While placing a clear and enticing call to action—where it’s sure to be seen seems simple enough, there remains a large number of do-it-yourself businesses who seem to struggle with this. However, page two in my would-be-operator’s-manual would outline techniques for retaining the mobile consumer’s opt-in and include a rules-of-the-road on what types of subsequent SMS to send, and when not to send them.

Best practices necessitate that the SMS campaign should start by abiding to the message frequency they’ve outlined in their call to action. Telling me I should expect to receive 4 messages a month, then sending me 3 in the first 48 hours will find me running for the nearest proverbial text club exit. Awaking on a Saturday morning to a text from a business telling me they are now open late on Mondays isn’t going to win me over either. At Text2VIP, we are constantly reminding clients that their customers have granted them permission to be marketed to – through the most immediate and personal channel marketers have ever known. This privilege should be respected or it’s destined to be short-lived.

A great example of a well executed SMS campaign is that of a Moe's Southwest Grill. This client offered a Free Fountain Drink at the point of purchase to acquire nearly 5,000 opt-ins.
They cap their frequency of touches at 4 per month, and always offer something of value. On July 4^th, 2011, this particular location offered a burrito, chips, and drink combination at a $3 discount. Achieving 10% redemption, they drove nearly 500 customers through their door and broke same store sales records for Independence Day. Most tellingly though, may just be that of the nearly 5,000 messages sent, only one subscriber opted-out of their campaign. I largely attribute this to the quality of offer, timeliness of delivery, and restraint of messaging frequency. Not seeing the other 90% redeem an offer on what is generally considered a slow holiday isn’t the end of the world. Losing the opportunity to market to them again next week because you’ve abused your privilege-that’s another story.

Happy 4th Of July

2011-07-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

Vanity Short Codes Will Be A Thing Of The Past

2011-06-30T11:48:00.002-04:00

Vanity Short Codes Will No Longer Be Necessary...

by Derek Johnson, Founder & CEO Tatango

There are two types of short codes in SMS marketing: ”random” short codes and “vanity” short codes. Random short codes are exactly what they sound like, a combination of 5-6 numbers picked at random, outside of the clients control (i.e. 95632, 20924, 425031) and vanity short codes are 5-6 numbers that are picked specifically within the clients control, i.e. 12345 (sequential order), 90210 (Beverly Hills zip code) and 411247 (411 – directory / 247 – all day every day).

The CSCA leases vanity short codes for SMS campaigns at $1,000 per month, compared to $500 for a random short code. From a client’s perspective, there is usually one of two reasons why they see the value in paying twice as much for a vanity short code than a random short code.

Client wants a “phoneword” – the alphanumeric equivalent of a specific number (i.g. 466453 spells ‘GOOGLE’ on a mobile phone keypad).
Client wants a specific number series – making it easier for consumers to remember.

I believe number one to be useless due to the fact that it increases consumer confusion when opting into a campaign. It’s more difficult to understand texting a WORD into another WORD (i.e. “Text PLACES to GOOGLE”) as the order of the two words (which one is the keyword) can be confused.

The second reason I can understand, in that it’s easier to remember 12345 when opting in than it is some random 5 or 6 digits. Although if this is true, why doesn’t our SMS service offer vanity short codes to clients? The answer is simple — soon I believe it won’t matter what the short code is, as consumers won’t actually type the short code into their phone when joining an SMS campaign. You heard me right, no typing.

So how does a consumer join an SMS campaign in the future? By simply scanning a QR Code. If you have a QR code scanner on your mobile phone, try joining this SMS campaign I setup by scanning the QR code below. As you join this SMS campaign, you will realize how minimal of a role the short code plays in this new opt-in process.

The real drawback right now to QR codes is that most phones don’t have the required software to be able to scan a QR code. This is drastically changing however, as mobile phone providers start to release phones with the QR code scanning software built in. Just recently AT&T released their own mobile QR code scanner, which is already pre-loaded onto many AT&T devices.

It’s just a matter of time until all mobile phones will have the ability to scan a QR code, which at that point the vanity short code will have become irrelevant in SMS marketing.

77we Brookstone tests QR codes...

2011-06-09T21:54:00.000-04:00

Brookstone tests QR codes to drive in-store, catalog sales...

By Chantal Tode
June 9, 201

Brookstone is testing QR codes in stores and catalogs

Retailer Brookstone has rolled out a QR code test campaign in 30 stores, as well as in its catalogs to provide consumers with product information and increase sales.

The multichannel gadgets and gifts retailer is promoting the program in its in-store windows – the comapny is looking to roll out QR codes more broadly next year. The goal is to be able provide customers with the information they are looking for and, thereby, drive sales.

“Customers come in and want to find out more about products and how they work and to see customer reviews,” said Don Eames, vice president of stores at Brookstone, Merrimack, NH.

“Those are the things that customers are most interested in and the more we can satisfy their needs, the more motivated they are to buy,” he said.

The program was launched in 30 stores in the New York City.

Mobile bar codes for certain items in the store are posted on the floor signage and placed certain products.

The signs explain what the product is and also provides pricing information.

Additionally, when consumers scan the QR codes, they see videos and demonstrations of how the product works.

Brookstone, which sells products via catalogs, stores and online, started looking at mobile about 12 months ago as part of its interest in finding ways to make its marketing methods more relevant to customers.

“We felt that the traditional marketing methods we were using were getting kind of stale,” Mr. Eames said.

Brookstone settled on QR codes because it provides the relevancy the retailer was looking for while enabling it to reach a large cross-section of customers.

“The bar code readers are different in that they take you to pricing and promotion information,” Mr. Eames said. “Price is a losing proposition, while education around product information is a whole lot better place to be than always scanning and looking at price.”

The Father’s Day catalog featured QR codes

Brookstone store associates are helping promote the QR program by asking customers if they have a smartphone and telling them how to download a QR code app so they can scan the codes.

The windows for the store on 49th Street and Sixth Avenue also have four TVs that feature content talking about QR code technology and inviting people to come in and try it.

QR codes were also featured in the retailer’s recent Mother’s Day catalog and are in the Father’s Day catalog that is dropping this week.

The codes are featured alongside certain products and on the back cover.

“We are pleased with the results so far,” Mr. Eames said.

The product receiving the most QR code scans so far has been the Tranquil Moments Sound Machine for Sleep, which was a popular Mother’s Day gift.

Other popular scans include anything related to iPads and the Drone quadricopter.

Brookstone will continue testing mobile bar codes throughout this year and expects to roll out the program to all stores and catalogs some time during the first half of next year.

Brookstone introduced a mobile Web site a year ago.

“QR code technology is growing quickly but is still a relatively young technology,” Mr. Eames said.

“Our plan would be as we learn more, we will put it into more catalogs and stores as quickly as we are confident,” he said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode, Mobile Commerce Daily

77we Issues Facing Retailers and Marketers Using Mobile

2011-06-07T16:16:00.000-04:00

Three pressing issues facing retailers and marketers using mobile...

Posted By Chantal Tode On June 7, 2011

Marketers are looking for the

best ways to reach consumers via mobile...

There is no doubt that mobile is growing, but the industry faces several pressing questions if it wants to continue moving along the same path.

Mobile applications and the mobile Web have grown quickly in the past couple of years to the point where well-known national brands are regular players in the space. However, mobile is still fragmented and marketers need to be thinking two or three steps ahead if they want to meet consumers’ needs easily and efficiently.

“Mobile advertising – whether through mobile bar codes, on the mobile Internet or via applications – is now no longer a trial medium for marketers,” said Laura Marriott, chief executive officer at NeoMedia Technologies, Atlanta, GA. “Mobile has the ability to breathe new life into traditional and digital campaigns, enabling engagement with the consumer on impulse.”

But because mobile is such a personal communications channel, there are specific issues unique to mobile marketers must address while still keeping their eye on the overall marketing strategy, per Ms. Marriott.

Here is what industry experts have to say about the top issues facing mobile marketers.

How to best engage customers using tailored communications

While there is a lot of talk about location-based targeting via, marketers should be careful to match consumer need and behavior with their campaign strategy, considering all possible ways to tailor communications to provide value.

“Access to relevant content, discount coupons, or exclusive information can help grab consumer attention and encourage interaction,” Ms. Marriott said.

“This tried-and-true marketing strategy is a great way to increase a user base and will promote user participation in the campaign, so be sure that any communication is tailored to the target consumer using the data available to you and offers value in a form suitable for both brand and campaign,” she said.

Right now, marketers are looking for ways to engage in cross-channel targeting across every mobile channel they are in. This is not easy because mobile is not a cookie-based environment and there is no standardization across mobile ad units.

However, the payoff could be significant.

“This year we’ve seen a lot of interest in using the same targeting metrics from online in mobile,” said Zaw Thet, CEO of 4Info , San Mateo, CA.

“As this happens, there will be an exponential growth in mobile as marketers start to move their online budgets into mobile”, he said.

Geotargeting, in particular, deserves attention.

With all the attention being paid to mobile’s consumer privacy issues in Washington and by consumer advocates, many are watching to see what the impact will be on the use of location in mobile advertising.
A big focus for mobile marketers is on using mobile to send consumers a targeted mobile offer when their phone shows they are in close proximity to an advertiser.

“That is the Holy Grail of what location is capable of but, the question is will consumers be comfortable with that and do retailers need that level of granularity,” said Brett Leary, vice president and director of the mobile practice at Digitas, Boston.

“There is a big difference in the implications for privacy between targeting at the ZIP code level versus targeting three feet away and that needs to get sorted out,” he said.

Looking further ahead, however, marketers may want to consider whether it makes more sense to have apps across multiple devices or a single mobile Web presence.

As the number of platforms has grown, marketers are having to update apps and push this out to all these different platforms, which can be time consuming and expensive.

“Marketers want to want to be able to reach as wide a targeted audience as possible,” said Neil Strother, practice director of mobile marketing strategies and mobile services at ABI Research , Kirkland, WA. “The mobile Web is that standardized platform.”

What role should mobile play in a brand’s overall marketing strategy?

Marketers need to plan ahead and integrate mobile into the marketing mix if they want to get the most out of it.

“This will help insure that interactivity is a key element of the campaign itself and not simply added as an afterthought,” NeoMedia’s Ms. Marriott said. “Continued consumer engagement should be a key benchmark in determining the overall success of your campaign, so planning for it early on will only serve to bolster consumer satisfaction with your campaign.”

This means marketers should align their mobile efforts with the customer journey and not have a separate strategy for mobile.

“If you treat mobile in a siloed way, you are not able to find those insights that enable us to create greater relevancy with apps and mobile ads,” Digitas’ Mr. Leary said.

Metrics to use to measure the success of a mobile campaign

This needs to address the fragmentation that currently exists in mobile advertising.

“There is a lot of fragmentation with iAd, other display ad formats and newer emerging formats such as rich media,” Mr. Leary said. “All of these need to be smoothed into an efficient system in order for marketers to spend more in mobile.”

How the industry standardizes measurement is something a lot of players in the industry have their eyes on.

“Because mobile has the ability to connect the digital and physical worlds, the question can we find the way to close the loop between these two worlds when it comes to marketing,” Mr. Leary said.
This represents an important opportunity to differentiate mobile because if the industry can figure out a way to tie back an in-store purchase to a mobile marketing message the purchaser received. Companies such as Nielsen and 4Info and trying to make this happen.

Being able to provide a clear picture of mobile’s return on investment could have big ramifications.

“It is going to encourage repeat action, spread overall usage of the medium and investment in it by advertisers,” Mr. Leary said.

First of all, however, the industry needs to address the fragmentation in mobile ad units.

“Unlike online, there is not really an easy way to get cross-channel accountability in mobile,” 4Info’s Mr. Thet said.

What needs to happen is for marketers to be able to buy mobile ad units from one source and to easily view metrics in one report for all of their mobile activity, per Mr. Thet.

“We are starting to see more of this with more ad networks starting to support third-party tracking,” Mr. Thet said.

Chantal Tode, Mobile Commerce Daily

77we Majority of Consumers Using Mobile for Deals

2011-05-31T13:31:00.000-04:00

Majority of consumers already using mobile for deals...
By Chantal Tode

May 31, 2011

PriceGrabber's mobile shopping site

Almost three-quarters of consumers – 72 percent – are using their mobile phones to receive coupons, product deals and price alerts, according to a new mobile shopping survey from PriceGrabber.

While the numbers begin to dip for other activities, overall the results show that consumers are embracing mobile phones for a variety of mobile shopping related activities.

The survey found that 55 percent of consumers use their phones to browse the Web, 34 percent compare prices online while shopping in a store, 33 percent find nearby products and 21 percent scanning bar codes.

“It was eye-opening to see just how many consumers already use their phones to receive coupons, deals and alerts,” said Sharon Banfield, director of public relations at Price Grabber, Los Angeles. “It’s amazing to see how quickly and how many consumers picked-up on the benefits they could reap from their smartphones in saving money and finding bargains.”

PriceGrabber, which is a division of database marketing giant Experian, questioned 7,987 consumers March 3-25 for the survey.

Shopping also plays a part in the mobile apps that consumers choose to download.

According to the survey, consumers have downloaded an average of 21 apps, including three shopping-related apps.

“We’re seeing a notable increase in consumers downloading shopping apps,” Ms. Banfield said. “Just a couple of years ago, apps were an intriguing and new phenomenon, but now, shopping from a mobile phone is becoming a commonplace activity.”

One step ahead

“Mobile marketers will be smart to position shopping apps not only as the ‘new norm,’ but also as the essential tool for getting the best deal,” she said.

While mobile marketers are already doing a good job of making mobile shopping a part of shoppers’ consciousness, they need to be one step ahead of consumers and make mobile the “go-to” solution for shopping.

One way to accomplish this is to provide the information that consumers are looking for, per Ms. Banfield.

“According to PriceGrabber survey results, consumers are looking for information and the best deal in town,” she said. “Marketers need to emphasize the fact that shopping-related apps will give consumers the fastest information in an easy format, ultimately saving time and money.”

Electronics was a focus of the survey. Consumers were asked how to best describe their shopping habits when it comes to purchasing electronics, with 66 percent saying they like to get as much information as possible about an electronic device before they buy.

In addition, 48 percent said they always shop for best deals in electronics and 25 percent love to buy new gadgets and appliance.

Growing adoption

PriceGrabber points to the growing adoption of smartphones as one of the driving forces behind the trend toward mobile shopping.

According to PriceGrabber, 11 percent of consumers purchased their first Web-enabled phone in 2007, 16 percent did so in 2008, 22 percent made the move in 2009. In 2010, 20 percent of consumers purchased a Web-enabled phone.

“Web-enabled phones seem to have infinite capabilities, and consumers are intrigued by them,” Ms. Banfield said.

“With so many choices at once, it seems inevitable that consumers may not be able to use every feature to its full potential,” she said.

“At the same time, consumers have learned the advantages of mobile shopping quickly and in large numbers. With time, they’ll become even more accustomed to the mobile format and hone in on the benefits that most suit their lives.”

Final Take

2011-05-26T22:28:00.003-04:00

KINGSWAY CHURCH GOES MOBILE WITH SMS...

Kingsway Church is the first church in South Jersey to connect with their parishioners and the community at large using mobile marketing, SMS, keywords, shortcodes and QR Codes...

Today, Kingsway has realized that just reading church announcements from the pulpit and mailing church bulletins are no longer effective ways in reaching their community’s fast-paced members who live electronic communications dependent lives...

More and more, they have heard their people say “If you're not texting my cellphone, I'm not getting the message..."...

So, Kingsway Church took a huge step in connecting with 77we, a leader in mobile marketing, to stay in touch electronically by creating keywords and QR Codes for the church to send and receive instantaneous messages via SMS texting to shortcode 64842 to thousands of people at the touch of a button...

77we’s SMS technology is amazing, lightening fast and highly economical since Kingsway Church realized that expensive paper mailings are no longer practicable and will gradually become a thing of the past...

Now, Kingsway Church has access to the very same technology you've seen on American Idol and heard advertised on the radio and TV...

We all know it helped President Obama to raise campaign funds and get elected in the last election, and both political parties will use it heavily in the coming year...

Church members can now text “Connect” to shortcode 64842 or "Kingsway" to shorcode 64842 to join the church’s text message distribution list and start receiving messages from the church on their cellphones...

To promote usage, Kingsway Church is now:

Creating multiple subscription lists to categorize its group members and staff;
During weekly services announcements are made explaining to members how they can text in a keyword to 64842 to join the text messaging list;
Contests are being run to generate more signups among youth groups;
Inspirational messages, event reminders, donation requests, youth group trip reminders and more are being texted;
Parents are now starting to signup in order to keep track of their children’s church schedule;
And, it has been especially helpful for last minute updates, or event cancellations/changes due to bad weather.

In conclusion, Kingsway Church has once again chosen to be a leader in the community...

So, it encourages everyone to get onboard...

Mobile marketing, text messaging, scanning QR codes, posting videos, etc is here to stay...

Kingsway Church continues to be out front in their community and has shown the way toward more effective and efficient communication with parishioners by using mobility marketing solutions provided by, 77we...

2011-05-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

Nordstrom goes with mobile checkout at retail stores nationwide...

By Rachel Lamb

May 17, 2011

Department store chain Nordstrom is continuing its slow-yet-steady emergence into mobile with the commencement of mobile check-out in its retail locations.
Sales associates are now able to look up past purchases via the iPod touch and spend more time with consumers on the floor, which will probably boost Nordstrom’s already-lauded customer service reputation. Nordstrom has not made many moves in the mobile arena, but this in-store incorporation will certainly help.
“I believe having the Nordstrom sales associates use mobile tools will extend the personalized experience they currently give throughout the entire purchase process,” said Doug Fleener, president and managing partner at Dynamic Experiences Group, Lexington, MA. “Now the customer won’t have to stand in line at a counter and the employees will have all of the information they need at their fingertips.
“This will definitely result in a better customer experience,” he said. “With additional information at the employee’s fingertips, it could increase conversion rates and improve the average sale.
“I also think it will differentiate Nordstrom from other department stores. I could also see how this will increase floor coverage as the employees will not be behind the counter.”

Mr. Fleener is not affiliated with Nordstrom but offered to comment as a third-party expert source.
Nordstrom did not respond by press deadline.

Check, please
Perhaps the most recognizable form of mobile checkout is at Apple retail locations.
When consumers are ready to purchase products, Apple store employees use iPod touch or iPhone devices to make the transaction and email the customer a receipt.
Nordstrom plans to place 5,000 mobile checkout devices at 116 Nordstrom stores before the start of its Anniversary Sale in July.
The company has been testing devices at its downtown Seattle and Bellevue Square stores, per various reports.
This move into mobile could do wonders for the brand in terms of its mobile strategy as well as differentiating it from its competitors.
“The future of the store as a selling channel, versus a showroom, is in jeopardy,” said Paula Rosenblum, managing partner at Retail Systems and Research, Miami, FL. “As such, it is critical for retailers to find a way to differentiate the in-store experience from other channels, since you can’t just close stores down.”
Although most luxury retailers pride themselves on impeccable and friendly customer service, it is widely acknowledged that Nordstrom is at the top of the list.
Therefore, another huge benefit of this tactic is that it fully engages customers with Nordstrom salespeople.
Mobile checkout will cut down on wait times for not only buying, but for looking up past purchases and inventory information.
“This initiative provides the customer with almost immediate answers regarding store inventory,” said Courtney Albert, consultant on marketing and branding for Parker Avery, Atlanta.
“In this new scenario, the customer does not have to wait for an associate to physically check the stockroom or wait in line at the register for a simple product lookup,” she said. “The sales associate can deliver a customized experience and even though it is a mobile scheme, this means more time spent in front of the customer delivering upon their needs.”
Customer-service call
Nordstrom does not have a branded app, but it does use mobile to its advantage in other ways.
The retailer has a mobile-optimized site which allows customers to browse and buy products via smartphone and tablet.
Also, the retailer uses location-based advertising in the Point Inside shopping center app (see story).
However, as Nordstrom’s main modus operandi is customer service, that image is what should influence its mobile strategy.
“I don’t know if [new technology] is a must-have, but I do believe that retailers who bring the digital experience into their store will capture a larger share of the under-40 market,” Dynamic Experience’s Mr. Fleener said.
“Retailers shouldn’t add technology for technology sake, but rather to improve the customer experience and staff efficiency,” he said.
Rachel Lamb is editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York. Reach her at rachel@napean.com.

Mobile Barcodes Can Be A Powerful Tool

2011-05-05T07:22:00.000-04:00

Mobile Barcodes Can Be a Powerful Tool Provided Marketers Add Value...

MAY 4, 2011

Usage and awareness on the rise

Mobile barcodes, particularly the 2-D variety (such as QR codes), constitute a new tool for marketers looking to activate and measure the impact of static media, in-store displays and product packaging.

“Mobile barcodes hold promise for marketers as a mechanism for activating other media and providing a bridge between the physical and digital worlds,” said Noah Elkin, eMarketer principal analyst and author of the new report, “Mobile Barcodes: Trends and Best Practices for Marketers.” “But they also present challenges, including fragmentation between open and proprietary barcode formats and the requirement that consumers download a dedicated application to read the codes.”

In Japan, where QR codes originated, 2-D barcode usage is ubiquitous. Elsewhere in the world, usage is rapidly rising. According to 3GVision, an Israel-based provider of 1-D and 2-D barcode solutions, the top five countries in terms of barcode scanning growth in Q1 2011 were the US, UK, Netherlands, Spain and Canada.

On the marketer side, mobile barcodes hold potential for nearly every industry that needs to impart more information to consumers. And from retailers to consumer products brands to travel marketers, it is difficult to find industries that are not experimenting with mobile barcodes. Given the emphasis on activating traditional media and enhancing the in-store shopping experience, publishers and retailers, not surprisingly, are leading the way.

A February 2011 study fielded for marketing and communications agency MGH by Vision Critical found that 65% of US smartphone users had seen a QR code. They were most likely to have seen one on a product, indicating where marketers may get the most mileage out of using barcodes.

Consumers have tended to focus their barcode scanning activity on obtaining information about brands and products as well as triggering access to coupons and discounts. But marketers should note thedistinction between consumers who are aware of barcodes’ existenceand have tried scanning them vs. those who scan them with regularity.

“Marketers need to work with their carrier and handset partners to capitalize on awareness of 2-D barcodes and push consumers toward adoption and repeat usage,” said Elkin. “At this early stage, the more information the better about what content barcodes will activate, how to download the appropriate reader and how to activate the code.”

The full report, “Mobile Barcodes: Trends and Best Practices for Marketers” also answers these key questions:

How many consumers are using their mobile devices to scan barcodes?
What are the different ways marketers can use barcodes to deliver information to consumers?
Which brands and types of companies have been deploying barcodes effectively?
What are the main opportunities and challenges associated with mobile barcodes?

2011-04-29T11:15:00.000-04:00

Visa Invests in Square - Mobile Card Reader...

Visa is giving mobile payments start-up Square and its founder Jack Dorsey (Twitter’s co-founder) a great deal of credit for helping to revolutionize the way mobile users pay for products. As a result, Visa is putting some cash behind that credit.

This week, Visa announced an investment of an undisclosed amount in Square, which makes mobile phones and tablet computers – like the iPad- a mobile credit card reader.
As reported by the New York Times, the move by Visa is particularly telling of the growth and promising future of the mobile payments industry.

In addition to the infusion of capital, a Visa executive will also join Square’s advisory board.
Keith Rabois, Square’s chief operating officer, tells the NYT that the relationship between Square and Visa “was a natural one because Square could convert the 27 million businesses that don’t accept credit cards into Visa customers.”

“We’re empowering people to accept credit cards that historically have not,” Rabois says.
Visa, however, maintains that Square isn’t necessarily a rival to the credit card giant.

According to Ryan Donovan, a Visa spokesman, “We believe that Square helps to drive acceptance of payment cards in a segment that has been historically underserved.”

Square says an average of 100,000 new merchants are now signing up for the service every month.

2011-04-28T22:07:00.001-04:00

Twitter vs SMS vs Facebook...

Twitter is, nominally, a micro-blogging platform. Blogging (as most readers are no doubt aware) os a form of content generation, whereby bloggers write items called ‘posts’ which are published in a chronological and/or categorized manner for the consumption of zero or more readers. Unless readers are using an RSS feed, they will not be aware of new posts, unless they check the blog manually. In addition, bloggers are not inherently aware of who is reading their blogs (although some blogs will attempt to track reader numbers and locations. However, this is not an inherent part of blogging).

Twitter differs in a number of respects. First, it is a micro-blogging platform. Posts (or ‘tweets’ as they are known in the world of Twitter) are limited to 140 characters. Anybody can read your tweets (unless you elect to protect them), but people can elect to follow you on Twitter. When they do this they will automatically be made aware of your tweets through the client they are using to connect to Twitter.

Twitter also has a much more explicit sense of dialogue than blogging. You can ‘reply’ to a tweet and the original tweeter will be made aware of it. It will also be clear to everyone who is looking that you responded.

In addtion, you can ‘directly message’ a Twitter user. This is more private and remains between you and them.

So, how does Twitter differ from SMS? Well, SMS messages are also 140 characters long (this is not a co-incidence…), but that’s really where the similarities end. An SMS message is intended for a single user and also sent to a single device. ‘Direct messages’ notwithstanding, tweets are for all to see and can be accessed by anybody who has a Twitter client… at any time.

How does Twitter differ from Facebook. They share some characteristics; Facebooks News Feed is a form of micro-blogging and anybody can access your Facebook data (within the restrictions that you set). But, Facebook has a heavy focus on applications and on explicit networking. Twitter is positioned as a communication channel, whereas Facebook is trying to be all things to all men. This isn’t a criticism, per se, rather an observation of their differences.

There is no reason that these platforms can’t get on. You can install Twitter clients on your cell phone; you can add Twitter Apps to your Facebook profile; you can send Twitter updates via SMS; you can receive Twitter updates via SMS.

2011-04-19T10:39:00.000-04:00

SMS can drive customers back to abandoned mobile shopping carts...

By Giselle Tsirulnik

SMS should be used to complement a retail mobile Web experience and drive mcommerce sales, according to industry experts.

If a user is opted-in and abandons the mobile shopping cart after shopping a retail mobile Web site, SMS can be used to follow up and get the person back to complete the purchase. Research shows that 90 percent of consumers prefer multichannel options for interacting with businesses, with SMS topping the list.
“SMS without mobile Web leads to breakage when trying to convert messaging into action,” said Marci Troutman, founder/CEO of Siteminis, Atlanta. “Retailers must give the user someplace to go and something to do.

“Text limitations don’t allow great user experiences,” she said.

SMS/mobile Web integration

SMS can be integrated into mobile Web sites to keep consumers engaged even when they are not looking at their phones.

Retailers can create a destination point on the mobile Web and use SMS to create a transaction through coupons.

All that needs to be done, is that there should be a mobile URL in the SMS message that drives consumers to a link and a simple coupon code would drive the transaction.

According to Aberdeen research, 38 percent of retailers have adopted some sort of mobile presence, the majority of which consists of a mobile commerce site.

Sears promotes its mobile commerce site via SMS, embedding the URL within text message communications.

In 2009 Ebay used SMS to drive sales on its mobile Website.

What is a better way to let a database of opted-in consumers know that a retailer has a mobile Web site than sending a link via an SMS message?

Additionally, opted-in consumers can receive alerts based on their previous purchases that let them know that there are new items in stock. This can be used to drive transactions.

For example, a woman is purchasing a blue winter jacket at Macy's. A week later, she gets an SMS alert saying there are gloves and a hat that match her new jacket for 10 percent off. There is a URL imbedded into the message.

She clicks on the URL and is driven to a microsite where she can purchase these items.

Abandoned carts

SMS can also be used to drive a consumer back to a mobile commerce site when that individual has abandoned an item in the shopping cart.

Imagine a consumer sitting on the train and trying to buy something from Steve Madden’s mobile site.
Next thing this consumer knows, it is time to get off and so the item that was about to be purchased is abandoned in-cart.

About an hour or later the consumer is on the bus and gets a message that reminds him that this item is still in the cart. “Click on this link to complete the order.”

“If a user is opts in a retailer can send SMS texts to say there is a value offer to highlight items left on the cart or to say that you might be interested in some related item,” said Steve Timpson, president of Siteminis, Atlanta.

“Develop a strategy around opt in info gathering that allows you to better tailor specific offers to a user,” he said. “Start with offers to get the data first, also, offers don’t necessarily mean discounts.

“You must work to develop strong two-way communications to your user base. It helps create better and more targeted info to a user and helps conversion.”

2011-04-16T06:47:00.000-04:00

Mobile commerce is going to be huge: ad:tech panelist

By Rimma Kats

April 15, 2011

Mobilizing branded content is key

SAN FRANCISCO – Mobile creates an opportunity for big brands and small mom-and-pop shops. Regardless of size, companies need to find the right mobile marketing mix that helps build relationships with consumers.

During the “AT&T Sponsored Workshop: Finding the Right Mobile Marketing Mix,” panelists discussed the importance of mobilizing a brand’s content or storefront and how they can further engage their consumers in a mobile context.

The panel was moderated by Jeff Cotrupe, global program director at Osscs.

“People are buying things through mobile,” said Dan Lowden, vice president of marketing at Digby, Austin, TX. “People were buying anything from Godiva chocolates to flowers from 1800Flowers.

“Retailers should do a mobile-optimized site as a starting point and then further engage their customers by developing an app,” he said. “A stat recently came out that 50 percent of mobile users bring their phone to a store.

“The retailer has an opportunity with mobile to engage with their customers.”

According to Mr. Lowden, mobile commerce is going to be huge.

“To be able to buy via your app, that’s certainly the direction it’s going,” Mr. Lowden said. “We enable credit card purchases, gift card purchases and even PayPal.

“Imagine near field communications and waving your phone to make a purchase,” he said. “That’s coming.

“There are a lot of big rocks that need to move a little to make that happen.”

According to Robert Russell, director of AT&T mobile marketing solutions, it is important to figure out which elements of the marketing mix companies choose.

Brands should figure out whether they want to develop apps, mobile sites or use SMS.

“The key themes that permeate those tools is putting the consumers in control and making that information valuable to them,” Mr. Russell said. “If the user experience is good and they find what they’re looking for and if they get value out of interacting with your app or mobile site, they’re going to keep engaging with you.

“If they’re not at the center of the value equation, it’s not going to work,” he said.

Additionally, the company partnered with Digby to help retailers design, deploy and manage commerce-enabled mobile-optimized sites and apps.

The initiative provides businesses with a single platform that works across a variety of mobile operating systems and lets retailers provide information, pictures of products, rich media and an enhanced shopping experience when potential customers scan bar codes.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in mobile bar codes,” Mr. Russell said. “Especially with the general education around it.”

Phil Buehle, senior partner and head of planning at OgilvyOne agreed that the mobile space is emerging especially with the different tools that companies are using such as augmented reality and QR codes.

The executive also believes that mobile payments are becoming popular and more consumers are buying goods and services via their mobile device.

“As far as mobile commerce, it’s far out there,” Mr. Buehle said. “It’s still early though.”

Jennifer Shouten, vice president of affiliate marketing at Starz Entertainment also agreed that mobile bar codes are a great way to engage with consumers.

Starz used mobile bar codes in several of its campaigns where it promoted its new shows “Spartacus” and “Camelot.”

When consumers scan the code they are redirected to a mobile landing page where they can view trailers and find out more about the show.

“The landing page is designed for consumers to find what they want immediately,” Ms. Shouten said. “Hopefully it’s a positive experience for customers.

“And the great thing about it is that we’re able to track each scan,” she said.

2011-04-14T20:09:00.000-04:00

Scanbury Mobile Barcode Trend: Usage Increased 800%...

April 14, 2011

Mobile barcode solutions provider Scanbuy recently published its latest Mobile Barcode Trend Report indicating that traffic has increased over 800% from this time last year.

The report provides a comprehensive look at how actual users are engaged in mobile barcode scanning today, with data collected globally from January 1st, 2011 to March 31st, 2011. Overall barcode scanning trends, mobile operating systems scanning share, mobile device share, representative demographics of users, and share of 1D to 2D barcode scanning were among the data collected in the report as well.

Key points from the report:

Traffic increased over 800% from this time a year ago
2D barcodes like QR Codes saw more scans than 1D(UPC codes) for the first time since the 2^nd quarter of 2010
Retail and media industries generated some of the most scanned 2D barcode campaigns
Android OS continues to be the platform that generate the most scans, but more scans came from the iPhone than any other mobile device
Everyday products continue to deliver exactly half of all UPC scans from the ScanLife app

“The fact that 2D barcodes overtook 1D barcodes in overall scans is a strong sign that 2D codes, like QR codes, are becoming more commonly adopted by both marketers, publishers and users,” said Mike Wehrs, President and CEO of Scanbuy. “We saw some fantastic results from retail, media and entertainment brands that are using our interoperable ScanLife platform.The specific results around products being scanned also shows how this can really be leveraged by brands when people are actually holding their product."

2011-04-12T13:24:00.002-04:00

SMS essential to increase customer loyalty, drive brand awareness: mBlox...

By Dan Butcher

October 11, 2010

Aggregator and mobile transaction network mBlox Inc.’s consumer research revealed almost 90 percent of consumers prefer multichannel options for interacting with businesses, with SMS topping the list.

The survey shows that businesses should include SMS and other communication methods to reach consumers in regards to appointment reminders, payment reminders and coupons to improve customer loyalty and drive brand awareness.

Looking specifically at the role of SMS for business communications, 59 percent of British and 17 percent of U.S. consumers surveyed stated SMS as their preferred choice when being contacted about appointment reminders.

For payment reminders, such as credit card and utility bills, the consumer research showed that more than one in three consumers chose SMS as their preferred communication channel in Britain. But just one in 10 chose SMS in the U.S.

More than three-quarters of all consumers surveyed use coupons when shopping, with 29 percent of British and 15 percent of U.S. consumers having already used a mobile coupon.

Furthermore, the survey results revealed 71 percent of British and 42 percent of U.S. mobile users said they would be interested in receiving mobile coupons while they are shopping in a store to alert them to a special offer or promotion, indicating a pent up demand for these services.

Mobile Commerce Daily’s Dan Butcher interviewed Brian Johnson, senior vice president of sales and marketing at mBlox, Sunnyvale, CA. Here is what he had to say:

What is the key finding of the study?
Consumers want more choices on how they interact with businesses. Consumers want to select their preferred method of communications which increasingly includes text messaging, an option that many businesses have not made available as of yet.

Adoption of mobile services in the U.S. has lagged behind Britain and the rest of Europe in the past, and the results of this study show how SMS is more accepted by consumers in Britain, perhaps because it is already in use by many businesses.

What is the most surprising finding, and why?
For payment reminders, only one in 10 in the U.S. have selected text-message alerts as their preferred method of communication.

In Britain, this number is more than three times higher.

This is surprising, because text messaging is ideally suited for payment reminders because of the timing and relevance.

Text messages are a non-intrusive communication that is often read much more rapidly than emails, and they do not tend to get lost in the clutter of email inboxes.

Perhaps the reason that only one in 10 consumers want to use text messaging is because payment reminders are not as popular in the U.S. as of yet.

What is driving growth in the use of SMS to increase consumer loyalty and brand awareness?
In my view, the growth is being driven by success. We hear about companies that are only now beginning to experiment with SMS programs, and they are impressed with the results. Success begets success.

Furthermore, marketers are realizing that if they are able to supplement mobile applications with SMS, they can reach a far greater audience and improve the results of those who use their application with push notifications that increase loyalty and brand awareness.

What advice can you give to mobile marketers based on your findings?
The advice is simple: Let consumers choose how they want to interact with businesses, and include text messaging as one of those choices, because increasingly consumers like to use SMS.

2011-04-12T13:07:00.001-04:00

Mobile Advertising Spend to Reach $3.3B in 2011, to $20.5B in 2015...

New research out from Gartner estimates total spend on mobile advertising will reach $3.3 billion in 2011, growing to over $20.6 billion by 2015.

The North American market will account for roughly 1/5 of the $3.3B total this year, or roughly $707M, and 28% in 2015 — or $5.8 billion.

That’s equal to about 20% of the estimated $26 billion in U.S. Online ad spending projected for 2015.

Breaking it down a bit further for 2011, search- and map-related advertising will account for the largest share of ad dollars by far, at nearly $1.5 billion globally.

Mobile Web display and in-app display ads will each account for just over $800 million, audio/video will generate $96 million, and SMS/MMS and Instant Messaging advertising will make up $112.5 million.

By 2015, however, the split in ad-spending will level out a bit as display closes the gap with search.

Search in four years will account for about $7 billion; mobile Web display, almost $6 billion; in-app display, $5.3 billion; audio/video, $2 billion and SMS/MMS/IM, $247.3 million, according to the research.

The most interesting tidbit from the data was Gartners predictions for the mobile app vs. mobile Web debate.

The research firm expects mobile apps to have the upper hand when it comes to drawing ad dollars until 2013, “when the mobile Web will eventually return as HTML5 standards become established.”

”While the growth rate for mobile advertising will peak in 2011 and in 2012, more than doubling each year, it won’t reach its optimum point for some time,” stated the report.

”We expect that targeting and contextualization, especially in social sites and applications, will carry on improving throughout the forecast period and beyond.”

2011-04-12T12:55:00.000-04:00

Teen Smartphone Purchase Plans at Record High...

Posted 040711

By MMW

More and more US teenagers are entering the US smartphone market.

According to the findings from a new survey by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, teen attitudes toward smartphones – and, in particular, those made by Apple – have never been stronger or more favorable.

Based on the input from the 4,500 students surveyed, 37% of teens expressed plans to purchase an iPhone in the next six months. For one of Piper Jaffray’s bi-annual surveys, this figure represents an all-time high.

17% of teenagers presently own an iPhone, which is an increase from 14% six months ago.
Corresponding to the growing interest in iDevices, Apple’s market share in portable media players has never been stronger in the teen market – 86%, an increase from 78% six months ago.

Equally impressive is the permeation of the tablet computer among teenagers. The survey found that 22% of students either own a tablet or have one in their house. What’s more, an additional 20% anticipate buying a tablet within the next six months.

Where there’s smartphones, there’s music and social media. 65% of teens report using peer-to-peer music sharing networks. The percentage of students who actually download music stands at 77%.

2011-04-11T14:03:00.000-04:00

Mobile Makes Millions — But It’s Not as Simple as It Seems...

By David Rowan

Do you seriously want to become rich? Here’s the secret — and it’s got nothing to do with building an online social network, or even getting the government to bail out your bank. To paraphrase Mr. McGuire from The Graduate, I want to say one word to you. Just one word.

Mobile (SMS).

‘It is the fastest-growing giant industry of the economic history of mankind, and it’s barely begun.’

Like, duh, yeah, you knew that mobile phones were the next big thing, what, a dozen years ago? And in between playing Angry Birds and tweeting from the Apple Store, you didn’t need reminding that apps were going to make us all millionaires.

Except … there’s a far more fundamental business opportunity facing you right at this moment, and most people are unaware of the vast economic possibilities right in front of them. Quite simply, the mobile internet is undergoing such unprecedented growth today that anyone with a smart, relevant idea has a head start in building a profitable mobile business.

A few numbers will explain why mobile is today’s big growth opportunity. Remember how excited we got a decade ago about this new thing called the desktop internet, which AOL was persuading consumers to sign up to en masse using a blitz of CD Roms? A little over three years after AOL

had launched its service, it had 9 million customers, which is pretty good going.

Yet in the same timescale after launch, Apple had sold 120 million of its mobile online devices (iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches).

As Morgan Stanley points out, that’s a growth curve for the mobile Internet that’s around 12 times as steep as that for the desktop internet when rolled out — and we all remember how transformative that was. The speed of mobile-internet take-up, says Morgan Stanley, is a revolution “the likes of which we haven’t seen before”.

Here are a few other numbers.

The money won’t be in smartphone apps. It’s in reaching the billions who simply want to be connected, whether by SMS or old-fashioned services such as WAP.

In Kenya, where a 4-year-old business called M-Pesa lets you send and receive cash through your cellphone, it’s proved so popular — replacing the banks in ordinary citizens’ lives — that a quarter of the entire Kenyan GDP now passes through it. That’s behavior change on a massive scale.

A couple of months ago, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorser launched a new business called Square that allows anyone with a smartphone to send and receive credit-card payments by plugging a small plastic card-reader into their phone. Already he’s forecasting $1.1 billion in transactions by June.

Then, there is the amazingly fast-growing industry in virtual goods traded on mobile devices in games such as Farmville and Pet Society. Last year, we spent $1.6 billion on virtual goods in iPhone apps alone — four times as much as was spent on advertising in App Store apps.

Mad numbers, right? So what does all this mean for you? This, says Finnish mobile-industry consultant Tomi Ahonen, is just the start — because mobile is going to get much, much bigger. “It is the fastest-growing giant industry of the economic history of mankind,” Ahonen says, “and it’s barely begun.” Because, though it’s worth $1.1 trillion now — 10 times as big as radio — over the next two decades that value will rise to $5 trillion. And who wouldn’t want a piece?

Ahonen has just written an extraordinary 24,000-word blog post on where he sees the opportunities. The Internet, he points out, did not change everything, as has often been claimed: Sure, it reaches 1.7 billion people, but that’s nothing on the 5 billion with a mobile.

Very few industries can serve us, and make money out of us, from early childhood to old age, he says — and even reach us in our sleep, thanks to our habit of keeping our phone close to the pillow with the ringer on. So this magical technology will inevitably transform “retail, banking, insurance, travel, entertainment, education, health, government, farming, fishing, forestry — everything!”

Where do you start, then? According to Ahonen, the money won’t be in smartphone apps. iPhones reach just 2 percent of the planet — and apps generate tiny revenue compared with more traditional text messaging and multimedia-messaging services. Last year, we sent something like 6,100,000,000,000 text messages — that’s 200,000 every second. With 4.2 billion active SMS users, think of a service that can persuade just a million or two of them to pay you a few pennies. You can deliver everything from horoscopes to airline tickets to cash with SMS. Old-school, but proven.

Nor is the money in location-based niche services such as Foursquare Ahonen says, or in glitzy browser-based video. It’s in reaching the billions who simply want to be connected, whether by SMS or old-fashioned services such as WAP. And, they’ll spend if you offer them a service.
After all, the world’s richest man is no longer Bill Gates. It’s Carlos Slim — who, remember, made his fortune in the mobile industry. And he won’t be the last...

2011-04-08T13:17:00.000-04:00

Home Depot rolls out Scanbuy QR codes nationwide...

23rd March 2011 by Deborah Corn

Home improvement retail chain Home Depot is teaming with mobile barcode solutions provider Scanbuy to launch a new QR code initiative spanning across more than 2,200 U.S. stores. Introduced

this week in conjunction with a print ad promoting the Martha Stewart Living kitchens brand, the Home Depot campaign incorporates 2D barcodes to give consumers mobile access to product ratings and reviews, How-To guides and product-specific videos.

In addition to print advertising, Home Depot will include the Scanbuy codes in its direct mail efforts and will also roll out unique codes to store shelves, signage and other marketing materials. Shoppers may also purchase items via mobile device both in and out of stores.

Consumers can download Scanbuy’s ScanLife application at Homedepot.com/scan or they can text HDscan to 43588. Estimates indicate that roughly 25 million U.S. consumers own mobile phones integrating barcode scanning technology...

2011-04-08T12:00:00.001-04:00

So, Just How Big is the Internet and Where Does SMS Fit?...

These statistics come from a report from Royal Pingdom and can be found at http://royal.pingdom.com/2011/01/12/internet-2010-in-numbers/.

EMAIL:

♦ 107 trillion sent in 2010.

♦ 294 billion per day.

♦ 2.9 billion email accounts.

♦ 1.88 billion email users worldwide.

♦ 480 million new uses in 2010.

WEBSITES

♦ 255 million as of December 2010

♦ 21.4 million added in 2010

INTERNET USERS

♦ 1.97 billion worldwide (June 2010)

♦ 475.1 million users in Europe

♦ 266.2 million users in North America

SOCIAL MEDIA

♦ 152 million blogs

♦ 25 billion tweets on Twitter in 2010

♦ 100 million new Twitter accounts in 2010

♦ 600 million people on Facebook

♦ 250 million new people on Facebook in 2010

♦ 30 billion pieces of content shared on Facebook per month

♦ 20 million Facebook apps installed daily

VIDEOS

♦ 2 billion per day are watched on YouTube

♦ 35 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute

♦ 84% of internet users view video online in USA

♦ 20 million videos uploaded to Facebook per month

IMAGES

♦ 5 billion photos hosted on Flickr (September 2010)

♦ 3000+ images uploaded from Flickr per minute

♦ 3+ billion photos uploaded to Facebook per month

SMS MARKETING

OVER ONE (1) TRILLION TEXT MESSAGES SENT
450 MILLION SMARTPHONES WILL BE PURCHASED IN 2011
ONE OUT OF THREE AMERICANS OWN A SMARTPHONE
GOOGLE ESTIMATES SIX (6) FOLD GROWTH IN THREE (3) YEARS

2011-04-06T17:48:00.000-04:00

Cell Carriers To Roll Out "Mobile Wallets" In Utah

by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

text size A A A

SALT LAKE CITY April 6, 2011, 10:17 am ET

A joint venture between three of the nation's four largest cell phone carriers will soon offer the United States' first commercially available mobile fare payment program to a public transportation system.

Isis, a mobile commerce joint venture between AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, announced Tuesday it will roll out the pilot program in Salt Lake City in 2012, offering an alternative to credit and debit cards for Utah Transit Authority fare payments.

The program is also set to work for point-of-sale purchases at retailers in the area.

"This is the evolution of moving off of plastic," Isis CEO Michael Abbott said in an interview Tuesday. "This is the future of payments."

Abbott said the idea is to eventually make Salt Lake City, and other cities across the country, places where consumers don't need to carry their wallets anymore, communities where your cell phone is as good as cash or credit.

The idea sounds simple: Hop a train, swipe your phone, payment made. Grocery shopping? No cash? No problem.

"Salt Lake City: The Place You Can Leave Your Wallet At Home," exclaims a company news release.

Not so fast, say industry watchers.

"This is simply a silly claim on the part of these vendors," said Charles Golvin, a principal analyst with Forrester Research, Inc.

The chips needed to make the so-called Near Field Communications wireless technology work aren't yet available in most cell phones. Many carriers will be rolling them out next year, but it will take time to get them in the hands of consumers. And while the Utah Transit Authority is already equipped with the necessary technology to read the phones, retailers will also have to begin upgrading their systems.

"There are some out there already but not the majority and it won't be the majority for quite some time," Golvin said. "This is almost certainly going to be like most technology adoption, a slow and steady build over a long period of time."

However, the fact that three of the four largest wireless carriers are now supporting the program means it should gain momentum in the coming years.

"They have their own incentives now to see profit and improve their business through NFC, and that means they will most likely demand that many of their suppliers include that function in the phones they sell," Golvin said.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd., has said most new BlackBerrys will have NFC chips by later this year. Google Inc.'s Nexus S already has one, and the company's latest Android software for that and other phones has NFC support. Nokia Corp., the world's largest maker of phones, has committed to putting NFC chips in all its next-generation smart phones.

There's also speculation the new iPhone model due this summer will have an NFC chip, though Apple isn't commenting.

Abbott acknowledged the move will take time to catch on, but said the industry is serious about making mobile payments the future of purchasing transactions.

"This isn't a science fair. This is three carriers across multiple platforms," he said. "It's a transition. It's an evolution.

"If you look back 10 years ago and wanted to get a phone with a camera, you might be able to find one. Today, you can't buy a phone without a camera," he added, noting NFC technology will also soon be standard.

AT&T's Mark Siegel said the companies expect the program to eventually expand nationwide, much like how text messaging became wildly popular once cell phone companies began allowing messaging between different carriers.

"So what happened after that is text messaging exploded and really started to grow," Siegel said. "That's kind of similar to what's happening now with Isis."

The industry has been talking about including NFC technology in phones for years, largely to do just what Isis is proposing, turn them into "electronic wallets." But beyond a few trials, not much has come to fruition except in places like Japan where a similar technology is in place and most cell phones are equipped with the needed chips.

It works like this: A consumer attaches a specific account to their cell phone — a credit card or a checking account, for instance — and simply swipes it for purchases or to board trains or buses and the charge is automatically pushed through and paid.

Still, Golvin said it will be a long transition on the path to persuading people they simply don't need to carry their wallets anymore.

"Consumer behavior changes slowly," he said, noting it took "decades" for debit and credit card use to overtake cash and checks. "It will certainly be a slow build, but they have to start somewhere."

2011-04-06T17:30:00.000-04:00

Giant Food launches mobile application...
Washington Business Journal - by Jeff Clabaugh

If you shop at Giant, there’s an app for that now...

Giant Food has launched a mobile app for iPhone and Android that includes the most recent coupon circulars and syncs to customer loyalty accounts.

The app also lets users shop for home delivery and place their Peapod orders from their phones...

“We’re thrilled to launch our mobile application and look forward to continuing to develop new ways to engage and satisfy our customers in the months ahead,” said Giant Food public relations manager Jamie Miller...

The app is free to download at either Apple’s App Store or Android Market...

2011-04-04T21:32:00.001-04:00

Mobile Phones Celebrate 38th Birthday!...

38 years ago today the first mobile phone call was made

Martin Cooper was walking the streets of New York, talking on the phone. As he did, people were staring at him in wide-eyed wonder. Why, you might ask? Because it was April 3rd, 1973 and this was the first time that anyone had made a mobile phone call in public.

Oh sure, they had happened in labs. But until this point, the idea of a mobile phone seemed improbable, if not impossible. Cooper worked for Motorola at the time and, according to anarticle on CNN, made a very important point:

People want to talk to other people — not a house, or an office, or a car. Given a choice, people will demand the freedom to communicate wherever they are, unfettered by the infamous copper wire.

38 years later, we carry phones that don’t even begin to resemble the old Moto “brick” devices (as Cooper is seen with, on the right). Our sleek, highly-custom devices are far more akin to portable computers than phones, and in fact often times do phone calls the least well of all of their abilities.

Cooper is still around, and still working in technology. He’s 82 years old and my what we’d give to hear his thoughts on how things have changed. Did he ever dream that SMS would be built on cellular networks to assist people in times of disaster? Would today’s staggering mobile ownership numbers surprise him? These are questions that maybe we’ll get to ask, one day.

There’s a good chance that Cooper would answer a phone call for an interview, after all.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brad is a music and tech junkie who calls Nashville home. While he writes across many channels on The Next Web, he has a particular interest in startups located in the Southern US.

Find him on Twitter @BradMcCarty.

Android: Poised for worldwide domination...

T-Mobile’s LG G2x Android phone
with a 4-inch shade will have an NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobileprocessor with a dual-core CPU...

By Suzanne Choney

Android: It’s king of the world! At least it will be this year, according to new forecast from IDC research firm.

“Android is poised to take over as the leading smartphone operating system in 2011 after racing into the number 2 position in 2010,” said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC’s Mobile Devices Technology and Trends team, in a news release.

“For the vendors who made Android the cornerstone of their smartphone strategies, 2010 was the coming-out party. This year will see a coronation party as these same vendors broaden and deepen their portfolios to reach more customers, particularly first-time smartphone users.”

And the after-coronation party will continue; based on IDC’s projections, Android will have 39.5 percent of the global smartphone operating system market this year and reach 45.4 percent in 2015.

Next on the list: Nokia’s Symbian OS (used heavily in Europe), which will have 20.9 percent of market share in 2011, but free-fall to 0.2 percent in 2015, IDC says. However, with Nokia due to add Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS to its mix in 2012, by 2015, IDC “expects Windows Phone to number 2 operating system worldwide behind Android.”

(Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal.)

Apple’s iOS mobile operating system stay about the same in the years ahead, the firm projects, going from 15.7 percent of the market in 2011 to 15.3 percent in 2015.

And RIM’s BlackBerry OS will decline slightly from14.9 percent this year to 13.7 percent in 2015.

Meanwhile, the overall demand for smartphones globally continues to grow, says IDC, expected to increase49.2 percent this year as “more consumers and (business) users turn in feature phones for smartphones with more advanced features.”

“Smartphone vendors will ship more than 450 million smartphones in 2011 compared to the 303.4 million units shipped in 2010,” IDC said. “Moreover, the smartphone market will grow more than four times faster than the overall mobile phone market.”

Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, says 2010 growth was “exceptional,” and due in part to “pent-up demand from a challenging 2009, when many buyers held off on mobile phone purchases. The expected market growth for 2011, while still notable, will taper off somewhat from what we saw in 2010.”

Check out Technolog on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

2011-04-02T08:43:00.001-04:00

SCOR Reports 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share...

Android Platform Now Accounts for 1 in 3 Smartphone Users

RESTON, VA, April 1, 2011 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending February 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.8 percent market share. Google Android led among smartphone platforms with 33.0 percent market share.

OEM Market Share

For the three month average period ending in February, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 24.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, up 0.3 percentage points from the three month period ending in November. LG ranked second with 20.9 percent share, followed by Motorola (16.1 percent) and RIM (8.6 percent). Apple saw the strongest gain, up 0.9 percentage points to account for 7.5 percent of subscribers, on momentum from the release of the Verizon iPhone, the most acquired handset in the month of February.

Top Mobile OEMs 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2010 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Nov-10	Feb-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Samsung	24.5%	24.8%	0.3
LG	20.9%	20.9%	0.0
Motorola	17.0%	16.1%	-0.9
RIM	8.8%	8.6%	-0.2
Apple	6.6%	7.5%	0.9

Smartphone Platform Market Share

69.5 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in February 2011, up 13 percent from the preceding three-month period. Google Android grew 7.0 percentage points since November, strengthening its #1 position with 33.0 percent market share. RIM ranked second with 28.9 percent market share, followed by Apple with 25.2 percent. Microsoft (7.7 percent) and Palm (2.8 percent) rounded out the top five.

Top Smartphone Platforms 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2010 Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Nov-10	Feb-11	Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Google	26.0%	33.0%	7.0
RIM	33.5%	28.9%	-4.6
Apple	25.0%	25.2%	0.2
Microsoft	9.0%	7.7%	-1.3
Palm	3.9%	2.8%	-1.1

Mobile Content Usage

In February, 68.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device. Browsers were used by 38.4 percent of subscribers (up 3.1 percentage points), while downloaded applications were used by 36.6 percent of the mobile audience (up 3.2 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 3.3 percentage points, representing 26.8 percent of mobile subscribers. Playing games represented 24.6 percent of the mobile audience, while listening to music represented 17.5 percent.

Mobile Content Usage 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2010 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Nov-10	Feb-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Sent text message to another phone	67.1%	68.8%	1.7
Used browser	35.3%	38.4%	3.1
Used downloaded apps	33.4%	36.6%	3.2
Accessed social networking site or blog	23.5%	26.8%	3.3
Played Games	22.6%	24.6%	2.0
Listened to music on mobile phone	15.0%	17.5%	2.5

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

2011-04-02T06:09:00.001-04:00

The power of storytelling: What nonprofits can teach the private sector about social media...

Learn how to harness the power of social media in this case study excerpted from The Dragonfly Effect, by Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith. Then hear more from the authors in a conversation with McKinsey’s Dan Singer.

FEBRUARY 2011

Is this a revolutionary platform that can drive everything from customer relationships to product development—or just another form of marketing?

In a new book titled The Dragonfly Effect, Stanford University marketing professor Jennifer Aaker and marketing strategist Andy Smith seek to answer these questions by examining numerous examples of social media at work, distilling a framework for inspiring infectious action.

One of the four “dragonfly wings” that comprise the authors’ framework and give the book its name is engagement, which they define as “truly making people feel emotionally connected to helping you achieve your goals” through storytelling, authenticity, and establishing a personal connection.

Presented here is an excerpt adapted from the book, followed by a discussion between the authors and Dan Singer, a director in McKinsey’s New York office.

The conversation focused on lessons useful for leaders seeking to boost their organizations’ marketing effectiveness by engaging customers through social media. The bottom line: using social media to capture people’s attention is different from traditional advertising, and companies that measure the effectiveness of these new channels by simply counting Facebook fans should rethink their approach.

Social-media engagement: A case study from The Dragonfly Effect
Scott Harrison was at the top of his world.

The 28-year-old New York–based nightclub and fashion promoter excelled at bringing models and hedge-fund kings together and selling them $500 bottles of vodka.

He had money and power.

Yet his lifestyle brought something else: emptiness.

Harrison felt spiritually bankrupt.

So he walked away, volunteering to serve on a floating hospital offering free medical care in the world’s poorest nations.

Serving as the ship’s photojournalist, Harrison was quickly immersed in a very different world.

Thousands would flock to the ship looking for solutions to debilitating problems: enormous tumors, cleft lips and palates, flesh eaten by bacteria from waterborne diseases.

Harrison’s camera lens brought into focus astonishing poverty and pain, and he began documenting the struggles of these people and their courage.

After eight months, he moved back to New York, but not to his former life.

Aware that many of the diseases and medical problems he witnessed stemmed from inadequate access to clean drinking water, he decided to do something about it.

In 2006, he founded charity: water, a nonprofit designed to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

Harrison launched the organization on his 31st birthday by asking friends to donate $31 instead of giving him a gift.

It was a success—the birthday generated $15,000 and helped build charity: water’s first few wells in Uganda.

In the three years that followed, Harrison’s simple birthday wish snowballed into donations that today total more than $20 million, translating into almost 3,000 water projects spanning everything from hand-dug wells and deep wells to protection for springs to rainwater harvesting.

The organization has now provided clean water to more than 1.4 million people spanning 17 countries. Its success can be explained through four design principles for generating engagement with a brand through social media.

Tell a story. Harrison’s personal journey—evoking themes of redemption, change, and hope—engaged others on an emotional level. By candidly discussing in media interviews and YouTube videos why and how he started charity: water, the thoughtful, accessible, and youthful Harrison helped viewers fall in love with him and his cause.

Empathize with your audience. Let people engage with your brand to learn what’s important to them and how it relates to your campaign. charity: water evoked empathy through the use of photographs and videos that revealed the urgency of the water problem in the developing world. Instead of relying just on statistics, the organization promoted compelling stories that forced people to think about what it would be like to live without access to clean water.

Emphasize authenticity. True passion is contagious, and the more authenticity you convey, the more easily others can connect with you and your cause. Because of charity: water’s commitment to transparency, donors not only understand the history that gave rise to the organization but also know exactly where their money goes. Reports and updates on the charity’s Web site connect donors directly to the results of their generosity.

Match the media with the message. How and where you say something can be as important as what you say. charity: water has a staff member dedicated to updating various social-media platforms and creating distinctive messages for Twitter and Facebook fan pages. The organization also relies heavily on video.

One of charity: water’s most effective video projects involved convincing Terry George, the director of the film Hotel Rwanda, to make a 60-second public-service announcement in which movie star Jennifer Connelly took a gasoline can to New York City’s Central Park, filled the can with dirty water from the lagoon, and brought it home to serve to her two children.

The producers of the reality TV show American Idol agreed to broadcast the spot during the program, ensuring that more than 25 million viewers saw it.

Applying the lessons beyond the social sector: McKinsey’s Dan Singer talks with the authors of The Dragonfly Effect

Dan Singer: If you look at powerful social-media campaigns or initiatives, what’s the essence of good storytelling?

Jennifer Aaker: Good stories have three components: a strong beginning, a strong end, and a point of tension. Most people confuse stories with situations.

They’ll tell about a situation: X happened, Y happened, Z happened. But a good story takes Y, the middle part of the story, and creates tension or conflict where the reader or the audience is drawn into the story, what’s going to happen next.

Treating stories as assets is an underrealized idea right now.

Stories serve as glue to unify communities.

Stories spread from employee to employee, from consumer to consumer, and, in some cases, from employee to consumer or consumer to employee.

Stories are much more memorable than statistics or simple anecdotes and are a mechanism that allows communities to grow.

Strong stories can be told and retold. They become infectious.

There are at least four important stories that all companies should have in their portfolio.

The first is the “who am I?” story—you know, how did we get started?

The second is the “vision” story, the “where are we going in the future?”

This may or may not be connected to the “who are we?” story.

A third is the “apology and recovery” story. In any long-term relationship, there is inevitably going to be transgression.

But it is remarkable to see how few companies have thought through what a transgression is for them and how they might respond to it.

The final type of story that becomes really important for corporations to have in their bank is the “personal” story: what are the personal stories that are being incubated and cultivated within the organization?

This is a very different type of story.

This shines a light on people rather than the organization.

Dan Singer: Is it the story that resonates? Or is it the storyteller?

Andy Smith: The story is the most important thing.

You don’t have to be famous to tell a good story.

Where it really does come back to the storyteller is authenticity.
People have to believe you.

And you have to believe in the story yourself in order to be effective.

Jennifer Aaker: The reason authenticity becomes important in social media is that as you think about customers or employees stepping toward a cause, it’s oftentimes done when they trust the entity.

When they step away from an organization, cause, or goal, it’s often because they feel it’s overly manufactured, overly professional, something to potentially distrust.

Dan Singer: What can businesses learn from folks in the social sector who use social networks and social media?

Jennifer Aaker: All four “wings” of the dragonfly act in concert.

The first wing is focus: what is your single small, concrete goal?

That goal should be measurable over time so you see how close you’re getting to it.

The second wing is grabbing attention, making people look.

That is very similar to more traditional means of marketing.

The third wing is engagement, telling the story, which also has been important in the past.

But how do you enable action on the part of employees and customers?

That is very new to the social-media world.

When you execute on these four wings—when four small acts are taken in concert—that’s when you get amplification or infectious action.

Dan Singer: So how do you assess companies’ efforts to date against the dragonfly framework? Are we in the early days?

Andy Smith: It’s not exactly the earliest day. There’s this hangover effect from traditional media.

You can call it “campaign thinking.” Companies are pretty slow to take ownership of the ongoing back and forth with consumers that’s required to build a relationship.

As public companies, they have whole departments devoted to nurture relationships with, say, financial analysts.

They need to apply the same kind of approach to their social-media constituents. The platform itself is relatively straightforward. The mind-set needs to come with it.

Dan Singer: How do you think companies should measure their success in deploying social media or engaging with customers?

You’ll hear companies talk about the number of Twitter followers or the number of Facebook fans they have.

Are those the right measures?

Andy Smith: It reminds me of the early days, when people counted hits on your Web site.

With each new media comes different meaningless statistics.

It goes back to wing one: before you deploy an effort, you need to be thinking about your goal.

That’s been a challenge for brand builders. Setting those goals and actions and measuring yourself against them is the way that companies configure the clearest path forward.

Dan Singer: An unstated assumption is that the medium through which the communication happens is electronic—Facebook, e-mail, Twitter.

As those platforms become mature and probably fairly cluttered, will people get social fatigue?

Andy Smith: Oh, I think people have already started to show plenty of fatigue.

It seems like the more things change, the shorter the life span between early adopters and people burning out.

How many Twitter people can you follow?

Jennifer Aaker: There’s one study that we’re running right now that looks at the degree to which a subject gets asked to contribute some money or time to a cause.

The number of people who delete something like this immediately from their inbox is somewhere around 95 percent.

So you’re already seeing people feeling inundated by “asks,” especially in the social-good realm.

Then there’s another big group of people who feel that social media is overhyped and has gotten too much attention.

Dan Singer: This is eerily reminiscent of traditional forms of advertising.

In television, there’s so much clutter that what differentiates the effective from the rest is the quality of the story and the resources of the advertiser.

Would you say the same is true here?

What’s going to differentiate the 5 percent that get read from the 95 percent that get deleted?

Andy Smith: For advertisers, [it will be] creativity and the depth to which they really apply the principles of understanding what’s going to make people go.

You literally just can’t throw a switch and write a check and buy it.

But you can certainly get more airplay and more attention if you nurture your community and build your followers, build your fan base, build the things that matter, and then activate them.

Jennifer Aaker: It’s about the people driving the technology.

You have to be cognizant of where the true power of social technology lies. It’s not in the technology—it’s in the people using it.

2011-04-01T12:54:00.000-04:00

B2B Social Media Success...

by Anne, MkgProfs
Where does social media fit into your marketing mix? If you're like a lot of B2B businesses, you may still be skeptical whether it even should. But before you dismiss it as a passing fad (it's not!) or not relevant to business buyers (it is!), consider that it can deliver real benefits to your bottom line. Here are three ways B2B brands can integrate social media into marketing routines.

Augment your Email
Email marketing is essential to your direct marketing, lead nurturing, and client services strategies. While naysayers may proclaim social media as the death of email, the truth is they complement each other more than compete. Use platforms like LinkedIn or a corporate blog to attract new leads and feed your list. Reimagine your social capital—videos, photos, customer comments, and more—as content to make your messages pop in prospect inboxes. And, don't forget to integrate social media sharing tools into your messages to boost their reach and put you in front of more potential buyers.

Super-charge your SEO
If you want to increase your odds in the search engine game (and let's face it, we all do), add social media to your SEO strategy. Its influence on keyword rankings is growing fast. In fact, social media mentions show up in keyword results quicker than changes to your website, keeping you and your news fresh on the fly for the people who are proactively looking for products like yours. Plus, making your content shareable and linkable through social media creates more chances for people to find it—and you. And when you make it easier for people to find you, you make it easier for people to buy from you.

Strengthen your Research and Customer Relations
B2B marketing doesn't start with promotion or end at the sale. Best-in-class companies listen to customers before, during, and after initiating products or campaigns. Think of social media as a finger on the collective pulse rather than a daunting new discipline to undertake. Use it to gain real-time feedback about your products and services—those on the shelf and in development—and fine-tune your offerings to reflect real customer wants and needs. Or, create communities to address and reward your distributors, buyers, end users, or employees, and increase their loyalty and lifetime value.

2011-04-01T12:48:00.000-04:00

How Storytelling Can Spur Business Growth...

by Rich Nadworry

The business impact that great storytelling can have
To connect intimately with your audience
To monitor and gauge the efficacy of your storytelling

When you have a well-known and fabled story attached to your business, it should be easy to go out and succeed in social media, right?

For the Trapp Family Lodge resort in Stowe, Vermont, the challenge wasn't telling the old story; it was finding a way to connect the past with the present. Ultimately, the von Trapps turned to social media to tell stories of the next generation of family members, and found they could use their stories to help grow their business.

When Johannes von Trapp, the youngest son of Maria in the Sound of Music, started the transition to hand the business over to his son Sam, they turned to my firm to see how we could use online marketing. We noticed two things right away: Sam was starting to implement a lot of changes, and he was telling us stories about these changes every time we saw him.
We realized we had an opportunity but needed to put some structure around the idea of using those stories. We asked ourselves a few key questions:

Granted, there were a lot of changes and stories. But how could we develop a structure and format for capturing the stories from Sam and his sister Kristina (and others), and then write them in a very personalized way?
Once we had the stories, what channels should we use to disseminate them?
How would we monitor the responses the stories elicited?

The challenge for most companies isn't having a lack of stories to share—each has many. They just can't figure out a process for telling them.

For Trapp, we started by...

Conducting weekly interviews. Usually we had a phone call (30 minutes to an hour long) and email follow-ups with various people—resort staff and siblings Sam and Kristina von Trapp. We did interviews for 2-3 weeks.
Writing test stories, with style and tone variations. That led us to a writing style that was personal, direct, and easy to replicate. It "sounded" like what we heard.
Setting up our social channels, including a blog on the site, a Trapp Twitter account, and Facebook fan page.
Using free monitoring services. We didn't want to invest a lot of money in a paid service before we knew its value. We used tools like Social Oomph, BackType, Topify, and Google Alerts to monitor what people said about the Trapp Family Lodge resort.
Focusing on our e-newsletter as our main storytelling vehicle. With it, our stories became easier to write. We could then repurpose them to the blog and promote them on Twitter and Facebook.
Monitoring our email responses, Tweet stream (using CoTweet so that multiple people could tweet under the same account), and Facebook insights.

We had one of our copywriters write the first two stories, then the Trapp Family team took over and followed the style. Remember, the style was an authentic reflection of how Sam and his sister actually talked. We just translated it.

In one of our initial stories, Sam told us about a time when he was gathering sap up on a mountain to make maple syrup, when two owls attacked him. The response to this story was overwhelming. People responded, in email and on social media, as if he had told them the story personally. In another story, Sam's sister Kristina wrote about how she and her kids nursed a highland cow back to health. Again, the response was strong and immediate.

That's when our monitoring started paying off. Or, should I say, our listening started leading to insights like these:

Monitoring is only as good as the people listening. We weren't interested in volume as much as real sentiment. And the best way of measuring sentiment isn't through automation; it's through personal attention.
Half of the responses were from current resort guests expressing their desire to return.
The other half had never visited the resort. They were just big fans of the von Trapp story and the Sound of Music.
The half that never visited was consistent in its response: "Our dream is to one day come and see where your family lived."

This listening got us thinking. What would entice Sound of Music fans to overcome their inertia and finally visit the resort?
Around that time, Sam von Trapp had started giving family history tours with his father and sister for resort guests. So we came up with the idea: What would happen if we created a "Meet the von Trapp" package for new visitors? They would stay at the lodge for 2-3 days, and have the opportunity to take a virtual experience with the Sound of Music and turn it into a personal connection.
We launched the package in the deadest travel time of the year (what we call Stick Season in Vermont, between foliage season and Thanksgiving).
Our campaign for the package launch included the following:

Creating Facebook ads, targeted by geography and at our fans
Using Google AdWords to promote the campaign
Publishing through our e-newsletter and blog
Training the call center staff about the package, including how to discuss it
Getting all of the above, package included, approved and published in 10 days

At a time when many hotels close up for the month, the "Meet the von Trapp" deal started driving new business. It was business that dropped right to the bottom line. And it was business that turned into repeat business.

It all started with the stories and listening, which helped us figure out what people really wanted and needed, and how we could deliver it. After all, people don't want relationships with brands, they want relationships with people—like Sam, Kristina, and Johannes von Trapp.

Some of the best validation came from our monitoring after the package launched. People weren't merely signing up, they were also happy to see our ads. When was the last time that happened to your business?

2011-04-01T11:28:00.005-04:00

Cellphone Can Now Pay Parking Meters In Bethesda, MD...

April 01, 2011 - Parking rates may be going up in Montgomery County, Md., but drivers will have a new way to pay. For those tired of lugging around handfuls of quarters to feed parking meters, they will now have an alternative: a cellphone.

Steve Nash is with the county's Department of Transportation. He says the first meters that can be paid for via cellphone are in Bethesda.

"Every single meter has a little decal that identifies what that unique meter number is and the phone number to call," Nash says.

He adds that text messages are sent when you have just five minutes left on the meter, at which point you can add more time.

By the summer, similar meters will be installed in Silver Spring, North Bethesda, Wheaton and Montgomery Hills.

LISTEN TO AUDIO...

http://wamu.org/news/11/04/01/cellphone_can_now_pay_parking_meters_in_bethesda.php?utm_source=feedburner_medium=feed_campaign=Feed%3A+WAMU885LocalNews+(WAMU%3A+Local+News

2011-04-01T05:27:00.001-04:00

WHY SMS MARKETING MAKES SENSE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES...

By Daisy Mae

Ask any small business owner how much the business has in the budget for marketing and you will probably find that this is one thing that has been completely underestimated and in amy cases has already been overspent. But there is a way around this problem as you discover that some forms of marketing can be much cheaper than you think.

SMS stands for Small Message System. SMS marketing enables businesses to get a simple and short message across to customers at an extremely cost effective rate. It may be used to advise customers of a weekly special deal. While email marketing hits the inbox and stays there as an unread and mostly unwanted communication, SMS messages have a much higher success rate for being opened and most are opened within an hour of being sent. One of the advantages of using this new media is that people take their phones with them everywhere they go. So if you want to let your customers know about an offer that is extremely limited and the first 50 customers to respond will get the offer price, then SMS is a great way to do this.

Getting customers to sign up to a regular SMS service is a very good idea and you can advertise on your website and on your marketing literature to tell your customers exactly how to sign up. They also need to have the option of stopping your messages at any point so using a specialist provider to help you set up your system would be a good idea.

Another alternative system would be to sign up with an SMS marketing company that covers your geographic area. If you are a restaurant and want your special offer for the day to get out to the people in the area, then these companies can get that message out there in real time.

There are also coupon companies that advertise on line and customers can download coupons for them selves. Businesses can alert their customer base to this facility by SMS message and they will be able to repeat of replace the offers knowing that their customers will bookmark and scan the latest deals, regularly making the most of the offers available.

With the ability to opt out at any time, the customer can gain the benefit of being the first to know about the special deals on offer and will also have the option of being able to immediately respond. By sending these short SMS messages in a method that is becoming more familiar with people of all ages, customer loyalty can be gained and repeat business can be won at a fraction of the cost of alternative marketing methods.

Marketing Solutions You Can Trust

QR Codes Best Way to Bridge Digital From Print...

Coupon Mailers Use QR Codes For Promotions...

Why Every Brand Needs to Think About Mobile First...

5 Reasons Why Every Brand Needs to Think About Mobile First...

September 28, 2011 -- By Justin

Marketing Campaigns Use SMS To Make Purchases...

Taking marketing campaign integration a step further with SMS mobile commerce...

JC Penney to push QR code campaign to smartphone users...

JCPenney continues mcommerce push via QR code implementation...

Mobile Coupon Redemptions on the Rise...

Ford pushes dealership traffic via SMS...

FordDirect pushes dealership traffic via SMS...

Michaels stores to use SMS + QR codes to drive holiday sales...

Michaels stores exec: QR codes, SMS will increase holiday sales...

Quaker uses QR codes for granola bar promotion...

Quaker uses QR codes to start dialogue for Nick Jonas promotion...

Smartphones now owned by 40% of American adults...

Express retailer using QR codes this fall...

Express drives sales for fall line via QR codes...

QR code placement important for marketing campaigns...

QR code placement can make or break a marketing campaign...

New movies drive awareness with mobile QR codes...

Fox Searchlight Pictures drives film awareness via mobile QR codes...

Do men or women opt-in to SMS?...

Outdoor Advertisers Benefit From QR codes and SMS...

QR codes, SMS modernize billboard ads...

Millennial Media Compares 2 Years of Mobile Advertising Trends...

Millennial Media Compares 2 Years of Mobile Advertising Trends In 50th S.M.A.R.T Report...

Daily's Cocktails Doles Out Prizes Via QR Codes...

Daily’s Cocktails doles out summer prizes via QR codes...

Victoria's Secret New SMS Program...

Victoria’s Secret offers incentives via SMS program for Pink line...

QR Codes Resonating With Mobile Users...

QR Codes Finally Resonating with US Mobile Phone Users...

QR code readers...

How to read a QR-Code...

QR code integration...

Mobile Coupon Issues...

Small Business Mobile Marketing On The Rise...

80% of Small and Medium Sized Businesses Will Invest in Mobile Marketing This year...

Over 91 million people to use mobile device at least monthly

One Third of Adults Own a Smartphone

Third of adults 'use smartphone' says Ofcom report

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Giant Food launches mobile application...Washington Business Journal - by Jeff Clabaugh

Giant Food launches mobile application...

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38 years ago today the first mobile phone call was made

Giant Food launches mobile application...
Washington Business Journal - by Jeff Clabaugh