Two Key Features of Google Glass and its Impact on Marketers

The Google Glass is slated to be launched for the consumer market in 2014, and much anticipation has been revved up amongst marketers and users alike. For the consumers, it will be more of the “cool” factor and entertaining user-experience; while for the marketers, we will be keen to find out how to maximise advertisers’ value through the Google Glass channel.

Due to the mobility and personal nature of using the Glass, two key features are expected to be integrated in the Glass – location-based searches and personalised ads. Through Google Glass, the wearer can get instant information and marketing messages about his/ her surroundings through image recognition app; making it more informative for the wearer as well as a great marketing channel for retailers, restaurateurs and other location-based advertisers. In my opinion, it can be super exciting and fun for some users, but could be also be a nuisance to some users. Nevertheless, having an activation-deactivation option within that app would be a great feature for users. Althernatively, we will be expecting permission-seeking feature being used when marketers are engaging the Glass users. For a start, I can also foresee that advertisers would need to put up signage at their retail stores to remind and encourage shoppers with the Glass to use the location-based search app, to know more about, sales promotions and other merchandise-related information, at least in Singapore.    

In the case of personalised ads, it is believed that with Google’s dominance in the internet search business, it is expected that Google will eventually reach a level of expertise and capability to create highly-personalised search information packages for individual users through the Google Glass medium. Now, users are definitely very interested to experience such a phenomenon; especially it is something that has been created in SCI-FI genres a long time ago. I would love to try it as a novelty experience but in the long-run, I would still prefer to have the option of varying my degree of information exposure to Google, in terms of my personal interests, search preferences and “likes” within the digital world.  As a marketer, we can predict a more positive ROI for advertisers due a more targeted marketing campaign like never before. In terms of market analytics or feedback, it will be even more accurate.    

From a technology point of view, I would foresee a flooding of aggregated and customised information between users and advertisers that has not been seen before, which would require humongous technical capacity and speed to process.     

Welcome to the new digital age!

Tony Leu

Buying Google AdWords against competitors: A good sign for Southeast Asia, so learn to deal with it

http://sgentrepreneurs.com/2013/07/25/buying-google-adwords-against-competitors-its-more-common-than-you-think/

The startup community in Southeast Asia is up in arms over Rocket Internet again. This time, it’s about their perceived unethical bidding of keywords and placement of ads to siphon from competitors to their own websites.

In Indonesia, Zalora was “caught” buying Google AdWords against smaller rival Below Cepek, although the Rocket Internet company later retracted the ads and issued a vague apology.

In Singapore, Zalora engaged in a similar practice against online cosmetics store Luxola, and the campaign was even extended to multiple countries in the region.

Since the issue was brought out into the open, however, Zalora seemed to have tweaked its approach:

Before. Screencapped by TechinAsia.

After.

In Southeast Asia, this tactic has in fact been practiced under-the-radar for a few years. Since 2011, Philippine daily deal sites Ensogo and Metrodeal were found buying ads on the search result pages for CashCashPinoy and Deal Grocer, and the campaigns are ongoing even now:

Metrodeal on CashCashPinoy’s search result page.

Ensogo on Deal Grocer’s search result page.

So it’s not just Rocket Internet that’s doing it. The practice is so common worldwide that there’s a term for it: Competitive Keyword Advertising. It’s controversial for sure, and battles have been fought in courtrooms to settle scores, but often with cruel results for trademark owners.

The root of the unhappiness stems from how small business owners are disadvantaged against larger counterparts. Google AdWords placements work through a bidding process, which means bigger players have the upper hand due to their financial muscle. It’s no level playing field when smaller competitors don’t have the wherewithal to outbid the likes of Rocket Internet.

Trademark infringement comes into play here. Competitive Keyword Advertising isn’t evil per se, especially if the ad doesn’t cause any confusion and Google users are clear that the ad refers to a different company.

But a line is crossed when ad buyers deliberately use a competitor’s trademark in its copy, leading consumers to think that the Zalora ad, for example, is referring to Luxola. Ethically, the needs of consumers rise above all since e-commerce companies are ultimately serving shoppers.

Unfortunately, in terms of legal or arbitrary recourses, small business owners will find it tough going. Suing a trademark infringer is a costly, time-consuming process with no guarantee of victory.

Google has a well-documented arbitration process for such disputes which allows trademark owners to prevent ad buyers from using their names.

The problem though is that ethics is as useful as soiled tissue paper here. The process is subjected to intellectual property law, and again small business owners are disadvantaged.

Given the global nature of e-commerce businesses, a trademark infringer could easily place ads on the search pages of multiple countries. Small business owners, on the other hand, would unlikely have registered his or her trademarks at that point in each of these countries, a necessity since intellectual property does not cross borders.

And since Google requires trademark owners to show proof of their ownership, a registered trademark would have an advantage over an unregistered one since the former provides more clear-cut documentation.

Unfortunately, the process of registering trademarks can take a long time. I was told that it takes one to two years in the Philippines. And that’s an eternity in the startup world.

This is a reality that e-commerce companies in Southeast Asia must deal with. It can be a good omen: If competitors are willing to duel over keywords, there’s surely plenty of spoils to be won in the region’s e-commerce sweepstakes.

For startups and small business owners, their best recourse for now might be to apply public pressure on these large companies to change their practices. It’s an approach that appears to have the best shot of working.

Since the law favors the rich, it’s far better to appeal to the consumer’s moral sense.

Four Limitations of Mobile Marketing within a Geo-Fence

After reading the case study on “Proximity marketing” by iSIGN Media Corp, I did a bit more reading on the term “Geofencing”. It is quite an interesting topic for me to understand what are the other applications and challenges beyond supermarket mobile marketing.

“Geo-fence” is a fairly new term in the world of digital marketing. Basically, it depicts a virtual boundary created within a real-world geographical location. This boundary could be dynamically generated within a store or at a point location. Beyond that, geo-fences can also be set within school premises or neighborhood boundaries. It can be used for tracking of people's movement as well as providing crucial messages to users.

Although this form of mobile marketing is new, more targeted and more cost-effective as compared to standard in-store advertisements; it apparently has its limitations. Here are limitations that need to be addressed when using geo-fencing methods.

1. Call to Action - It is imperative that the marketing message and value preposition are attractive enough to entice users giving up their location privacy. Without participation, no campaign can be launched. Thus, the message needs to be succinct, location-relevant and one that calls for action.
   
   
2. Collect, analyze & refine – It is important to make use of the data collected during the marketing exercise to continue to fine tune the campaign based on data about buyers' behaviors, demographics and movements within the boundaries.
   
   
3. Permission Marketing – Make sure that customers' privacy are respected and permission is sought from them so as to prevent unnecessary interruption or intrusion to their shopping experience. They need to be well-informed of how the data are being used, why they are being invited to opt in and what they will be receiving in return.
   
   
4. 4 minutes rule & others – Within a relatively smaller geo-fence, the basic rule-of-thumb is to maintain the targeted location to be within 4 minutes walk or drive of the customers. If you are marketing to the customers while they are at the target location, then the call-to-action message must be more emphasized. Lastly, pre-event marketing for store, may be conveyed within a geofence that is not even at the store's vicinity.

Cheers!

Tony Leu

A Fantastic Website To Help You Build Your Digital Marketing Knowledge

http://searchenginewatch.com/

Totally love this website. As a traditional marketer moving into the digital marketing space, I really need a lot of reading and learning on this topic, especially on the latest digital marketing tools, trends and news.  

And Search Engine Watch is indeed one authoritative website that covers very much the whole of the internet marketing industry. I can really find loads of up-to-date news and practical information about the online marketing space. It is a well-organised site with topics on SEO, PPC, Analytics, Social Media, Mobile Marketing, Videos, Companies News and latest Technologies. 

Whether you are using a desktop or a mobile device, it allows you to enjoy intuitive and convenient website user experience through an optimised interface, supported with lively images and attractive colours.   

On a daily basis, if time permits, I will scan over the website for 20 to 30 minutes so as to "download" some of the latest news and information. Besides that, I've even followed this site on Facebook for added convenience in receiving any news updates.

If you are interested in building a career in digital marketing, this is definitely a fantastic website that I would recommend to follow regularly. It is entertaining and informative at the same time.    

Have a great week! :)

Tony Leu

Riding the wave of Mobile Advertising

In recent times, the number of users on tablet devices has been increasing together with the users of the mobile applications. Users now access information or create contents using applications installed in their mobile applications to share on various online social media platform.

Some popular applications even have high usage rates. This gives advertiser an alternative platform to expose the users to their products and services. Many free versions of the mobile applications contain advertisements to support the development of it. Most users of such applications do not mind having advertisements being streamed to them while using the applications as these free version of the applications served the general needs of the users in comparison to premium version of the applications.

As most of these free mobile applications serve advertisements from online advertising network, we can subscribe to the various advertising network for our advertisements to be served to these audiences. Certain developers or owners of the popular applications (STOMP) have their own advertising network (Eg: SPH). As the users of various applications are of specific interest, it is easy to identify the target audiences which we would like our advertisements to be targeted.

The advantage of serving advertisements to the users of mobile applications is having eyeballs and exposure to our targeted audiences anywhere and everywhere. Our advertisements are always on the move and not fix on one location. In comparison to the cost of advertising on print media, online advertising is significantly lower.

Some disadvantages of mobile advertising could be low click through rate. Most users of the applications are task-oriented. They may not react to the advertisements as their focus is on using the application to access information and to create or share contents. Another disadvantage would be advertisers will have to bid for the best advertising timing, position or frequency of exposure.

Hence for most advertisers, mobile application would be good for branding of the products and services. However, with careful planning to the advertising collaterals and eye-catching creative, as well as a good call-to-action messages in the advertising and good campaign, we could get users to click on the advertisements. We can also have a media strategy to serve the advertisements on times where users are most active on the applications. As well as narrow down on the advertising network or channels to advertise on.

Mobile advertising is relative new but it is a good channel for advertisers to promote their products and services. 

My thoughts on the Case Study on L'Oreal Redken Mobile (Feb 2013)

          Previously, when I did the Marketing Plan for the Avengers, while googling for research on mobile usage trend & statistics, I came to realize that with advancement in mobile devices like tablets & smart phones, which is so easily available & affordable, it has brought about a dramatic shift in consumers behavior, whereby many (my guess) companies (those smart ones) are taking advantages of this powerful & effective platform to reach out to their potential customers.

Thus, the way the marketing content is delivered should be as much as possible, tailor to the individual taste & preference; bottom line is that the content must be relevant.

Definitely, the way the content is delivered is also important i.e. how the marketing content is display on the smart phones & tablets, need to be aesthetic in terms design layout, entertaining, engaging & also informative (educational as cover in this case study).

From this case study, it clearly demonstrate the power of Mobile Marketing via a customize apps, educational program & salon locator.

My sudden thoughts on improving it (maybe has already been done) are:

i) On the salon locator apps, making use of GPS to know yr location & give info on the nearest saloon & any promotion currently (Proximity Marketing...)
To further entice the potential customer, with discount voucher, etc.

ii) On the Apps, if it can be more interactive, such that it will allow customer take a picture themselves then super-impose with different hair colorings for them to visualize how they will look.
In doing so, it speed the call to action....very effective!!!

To conclude, Mobile Marketing will be the hype & trend for the next 10 to 20 years...
why 10 to 20 years?....becruz when Nero-technology (use yr imagination!!) becomes so advance with tremendously improvement, certain trend will might shift by then....

Whats New

Instagram Introduces Web Embeds

This allows ease of sharing for photos and videos from another person's web profile.
The embed code is allowed only if they are declared public by owners and hence there is no privacy issue.

The embed content can be traced back to the owner of the photo or video who had shared those content.

The added embed feedback allows for sharing and referencing back to their origins.

Google Plus Updates

Google+ launches “a bunch of new plugins that help visitors to connect with you on Google+

1. Follow Button
2. A new badge for Communities 
3. Updated badges for Pages and Profiles 

Paving the way for nationwide deployment of 4G


The allocation of 4G spectrum is expected to drive innovation in high-capacity mobile services.

4G is a cellular mobile communications system which is capable of evolving to achieve data rates of 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps, depending on whether the mobile devices are fairly stationary or in rapid motion, for example, in trains, buses or cars. The spectrum allocation is expected to drive innovation in high capacity mobile services and bring about a better user experience and service quality compared with existing 3G services.

Going forward, the new spectrum rights will commence on 1 July 2015 for spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band and 1 April 2017 for spectrum in the 1800 MHz band, upon expiration of the existing spectrum rights. Operators may continue to provide mobile services (including 4G) over the existing spectrum rights prior to their expiry.
Winning bidders will be required to provide nationwide street-level coverage for 4G by 30 June 2016, and coverage for MRT underground stations/lines and road tunnels by 30 June 2018.

The enhancement is expected to drive the digital environment towards a greater quantum of progress, development and revolution.

NFC Technology: The Time is Right?

UNICEF Hong Kong's donation drive campaign utilising NFC stickers was certainly an interesting one. Innovative and Inspiring it was called, and rightly so. Facing difficulties in acquiring volunteers and reaching out to donators, UNICEF turned to technology as their saviour and were hugely rewarded for it. By pasting NFC stickers on donators, and encouraging them to seek other donators as well, the campaign brought a 30-fold increase in the number of volunteers, and each sticker raised an additional six donations each.

There's no denying that this was an innovative campaign, and a successful one. But is the time right for the technology to be utilised more extensively? And in different countries?

Hong Kong certainly had a suitable mobile landscape for this project to succeed. They did their legwork, saw the opportunity, and jumped onto a successful campaign. But for similar success to be replicated in other countries, is hugely questionable.

As has been pointed out, Singapore is a good case in point. We are not quite a backward nation when it comes to adoption of new technology, but we tend to 'take our time' in most instances. In Asia, countries like Japan and Korea often become a 'test-bed' of sorts before the technology sets foot here. I can't quite put my finger on why this phenomenon is so, but perhaps it is to do with the difficulty in changing the mindsets of Singaporeans. We often get into our ritualistic habits, and find it hard to jump into something new. Old habits die hard..

A case in point could be seen when the new ez-link cards were introduced some years back. Singaporeans practically had to be forced to pick up a new card that would open new doors and channels to them in terms of convenience of purchase. Right till the last day, there were still scores of people yet to arm themselves with the latest in technology.

I doubt it's that Singaporeans scorn technology. But we tend to have a mindset that the 'evil corporations' are trying to rip us off in some way with every new technology they introduce. Before I meander off-course, the point I was getting at is the neccesity to re-educate and change mindsets of consumers here. And with NFC, at this point of time, I think it will be necessary to dedicate a bit of marketing dollars if the belief is that NFC will play a significant role in marketing in the near future.

In some ways, we're already seeing some of this with VISA and their payWave system, which is essentially paying for your purchases via NFC technology. They've invested quite a bit in advertising dollars already with some prominent TV ads. They've had prizes given out for some lucky payWave users. More recently, they've started giving additional points out for using payWave. All this to encourage an adoption and a change of purchasing habits.

At the end of the day, I feel all these will have limited success. NFC can be a prominent technology at the forefront of our daily lives and purchasing habits. But, at this juncture, the main barrier to its success is quite simply the availability of NFC Technology to the masses.

NFC would have a huge chance at success if it was already in the pockets of the masses. At this stage, it is perhaps only in pockets of less than half of the masses. With the proliferation of iPhone users in Singapore, and Apple's draconian insistence on trying to be the next Microsoft, this means that most mobile users in Singapore do not have access to NFC technology as the iPhone is not equipped with NFC technology.

This could all change quickly though as Android phones are fast gaining headway in this market, and Apple themselves could change the landscape quickly by introducing NFC enabled iPhones (upon which the first thing we should do is to buy shares in companies producing NFC contactless gateways ;)). But till then, as promising as NFC is, I think for both consumers and marketeers, it will remain in its own little niche instead of jumping onto the mainstream. But, as with everything, it is just a matter of time, and we would be wise to keep an eye on NFC and its growth.

Case Studies: Red Bull proximity marketing campaign distributes mobile coupons via Bluetooth

As a mobile user, I feel that the proximity marketing campaign via bluetooth is a very convenient way for shoppers like me to get a comprehensive information on the current discounts and promotions that are going on in the store. I am always attracted to drinks which are priced more attractively than others. From the marketing point of view, I feel that there are some limitations of measuring this bluetooth campaign. As message is pushed to and redeemed by random users via serial no., it is very difficult to capture which demography is more actively using the coupons. The target audience would not be as precisely established as using a loyalty card as a marketing tool for example.

iSIGN Media Corp

This report was written in reference to iSIGN Media Corp location and permission-based messaging solutions.

This product might not be popular in Singapore, as Singaporeans will not usually have their WIFI and Bluetooth switched on. Data plans are relatively cheap and easy to subscribe to. Malls and landmarks are pretty close to each other unlike other countries. All the stores are situated in a prime location of the neighborhood and will take a short time to travel to.
By using this service, the antenna might not be able to identify the precise location of the users due to interference and the close proximity of other individuals are in the same area but not the same shop.

However, by using this product, it could be a very powerful tool. Tracking can be very accurate based on individual consumers. Consumers will appeal to the product for its discount vouchers. In exchange, for the discount vouchers, they are willing to share their information. The results could be pretty accurate as the devices are personalized to each individual. The information received will be accurate and real time. And companies will get to know if the product is working immediately as the consumers are given a choice to reject, redeem or accept the offer.

The cost is low as compared to traditional SMS and companies get to change the message in 4 minutes. By using traditional SMS, there will be a need to go through various parties, which could lead to a longer lead-time to change the message.  SMS will only be available to a certain Telco and will not be able to blast out the information to the existing consumers on site. However, SMS can ensure that consumers will be able to receive the SMS as long as the mobile phone is on.

With this service, companies can also send out music, movies, videos and flash content, which will be more interactive and easier to catch the attention of the consumers. More information can be included in the blasts as compared to SMS.

With this technology incorporated, there will be a decline of using print.  The resources can be put to better usage. Data collected can be used for future marketing campaigns. Companies can also get to know about the popularity of it’s products and the immediate effect it have on its consumers.

However, this technology can only appeal to products that are PMEBS, Youth and white collared or even tourists oriented. Only Smartphone users will enable their phone to connect to WIFI or Bluetooth. Tourists will also try to connect to WIFI whenever possible.

Each product have its pros and cons, so companies will need to evaluate their needs, requirements and objectives when selecting a suitable product. There are many different products available in the market at this moment which given companies a better choice when they are launching their new product. With the right technology and media used, the product might be a success even before it is officially launched.

Reebok Premier League – InMobi

Personally I feel that the interactive marketing campaign conceptualised by Reebok is a creative and innovative way to engage users. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the newest and highest-profile league in domestic professional cricket. The targeted users of this application will be the League and team supporters. With the objective of driving purchase intent of merchandise through mobile advertisements, Reebok made use of special features such as “Gift a Jersey” and “Refer a friend” to increase the awareness as well as encourage users to purchase the merchandise.

There is also the “Store Locator” function which makes use of local and proximity marketing. This makes it more convenient for users to locate where to purchase the Reebok Indian Premier League merchandise of their choice at the nearest retail outlet. Users will also be able to check out the stocks available before they head down to the outlet. This is a crucial factor to ensure that fans will not be disappointed should their favourite merchandise run out of stock.  

As cricket is a sport with a huge fan base in India, the number of users clicking through the mobile advertisements and downloading jersey wallpapers is overwhelming. This is an effective platform to showcase the various designs of the merchandise and encourage people to “share” with their friends. This will lead to more people to view the content and hopefully increase the sales of merchandise.

It would be good if this mobile application is able to link to various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to reach out to a greater fan base. By using hashtags #ReebokPremierLeague, #FavouriteIPLJersey, etc, users will be able to connect with other League and team supporters regarding the IPL. 

Thoughts on Case Study: Redbull Proximity Marketing

I'm surprised why there's not much firms in Singapore using proximity marketing, since one can easily envision its popularity with the penetration of smartphones in Singapore.

Why, just imagine visiting Watsons convenience store, while queuing for payment when you receives a prompting that shows you a coupon for a snickers bar on discount that ís on display on a nearby shelf. Chances are high for chocolate lovers to purchase since its on discount! At least that's what I'll do... Impulse shoppers like myself are motivated by discount coupons, even though there was no initial intention for purchase. It creates a sort of reminder or a lure to tempt shoppers on the products being marketed. At least the novelty will serves at as a good marketing campaign.

I recently went to the shopping mall at Serangoon Nex, whereby at the customer service counter people were showing their smart phones over the counter. As a typical Singaporean, I queued before I know what I’m queuing for. While queuing, I see a poster nearby showing instructions to download the app "Perkd". Being the ever curious kind, I did and walaa! There's this coupon under “Nex Foodie” ecard that allows me to redeem 2 Cokes and a Wafer!

While I applaud the promotion effort by Nex Shopping Mall to encourage shoppers to download the “Nex Foodie” ecard shown here (see picture) for encouragement of spending at its tenants stores, it could have been more savvy by introducing proximity marketing eg. Using Bluetooth to push out the message and instead of waiting for the customers to make the first move by finding out what is the available promotions (not all customers are like me!)  Even better, the push out message signal points can be place near the participating merchants eg. Anderson Ice Cream whereby shoppers around the vicinity can be prompted of the offers and even make a purchase direct at the store before collecting the freebies via the downloaded app!

Anyway, this is my observations at one of the shopping mall that is trying to promote engagement and loyalty. Thumbs up for effort in mobile marketing but can be better improved!

UNICEF HK NFC Campaign

Good points
 

·        Remove the needs to depend on volunteers on a certain timing. It is as good as 24x7 as long as the volunteers have the stickers on them. Volunteers can still go around on their daily routine.

·        May last longer if the volunteers paste on the stickers on their bags or on the case of their tablets or laptops.

·        Remove the competition against other organizations for manpower and good locations with high traffic flow.

·        More “fun” as it allows other to learn new things. It is not surprised that a lot of people has been buying NFC smartphones but they don’t know about this function.

·        Sticker can come in different designs: features different themes according to the seasons etc.

·        Protect the integrity of the volunteers as they don’t physically handles the money.

·        Remove the need to count the cash and deposit into the banks.

 

Bad points

·        Depends on people with NFC smartphone. However, NFC smartphones are becoming more popular nowadays.

·        Drop very easily if the stickers are pasted on cloths.

·        Cannot be reused. Once web address is entered wrongly means the whole batches of NFC stickers have to be disposed off. This is because generally the NFC stickers will be programmed to disallow rewriting to prevent frauds.

·        No cheap to produce as a sticker can cost US$0.83 each for an order of 1000 pcs.

 

Consider

·        Getting others like NFC keychains because they can be hooked onto the bags etc and they last longer than others (Hello Kitty or Minions design).

·        Consider making NFC card as their ID card which contains the web address for donation for regular volunteers.

·        Can have NFC stickers in various donation amount like $5, $10 etc

·        Include QR code as part of the design so that people who are holding on to smartphones without NFC function can still use the QR code to donate.

 

 

 

 

Case Study : Unicef NFC campaign

After reading the case study, I was initially skeptical of the positive report as I had felt that NFC may not yet be so wide-spread yet. I believed the reason of my initial "gut-feel" was based on Singapore's mobile landscape.
Nevertheless, I decided to do a little research and was extremely surprised to find out that an official study had earlier conducted and concluded that HK was quite ready for such a technology like NFC to be used for contactless payment etc.
Coming back to using NFC in Singapore, I would feel that if similar campaign was to run here, most likely it would not be that successful. Not because the idea was not novel and fresh but more so because of the constraint by the devices that most people had. For a start, there are still a big proportion of iPhone owners and Apple did not put NFC into their phone. And Samsung and BB had only NFC enabled phone for their top range of their line of models.
I asked myself that If I were to implement such a similar campaign in Singapore, would I still be using NFC? My reply would be a BIG resounding YES. I really liked the idea and I think people especially the younger lot would be excited of such interaction for such a primeval thing like collecting donation.
However, I would not simply go for NFC alone if I really want some success. I will compliment the NFC sticker to contain a suitable QR code. In this way, people would not be hampered by the lack of functionality of the phone as they can simply scan the QR code and redirect them to the donation page.

The key to begin with making good TV programmes and creating good marketing campaigns is RESEARCH- a reflection on L’Oreal Redken Mobile Marketing Strategies.

Based on my professional working experience as a TV researcher-writer-director producing a wide variety of TV programmes- news and current affairs documentaries; informative; informative-and-entertainment; and variety programmes, I conclude that research is the key to begin with creating a good and engaging TV show.

On the other hand, as a marketing student reading the article- “L’Oreal’s Redken drives salon visits and increases user engagement with robust mobile strategy”, I can see some common elements in producing a good TV programme, as in creating a good marketing campaign.

To begin with, I reckon any great marketing campaign has to start from working on some thorough research- knowing your audience, your objectives and the best approach in speaking to them.  Likewise TV producing, creating TV programmes is like story-telling.  You ought to know your audience, the story that you’re telling, and the best structure to tell the story.  

In any good non-fiction and fiction films, research is almost the first and most important step to take; before any other elements that could come together to produce a good film.  Take documentaries for instance, choosing the correct profile to feature is the key to telling a compelling story.  Hence, one cannot do so without first, doing some research.  As for fiction films, research is equally important as the key to begin making a good fiction film is actually the script.  In order to write a good script, the script writer ought to have done some good research.

Based on the article “L’Oreal’s”, it seems that the marketing team has a very clear idea in what their objectives are, their target audience(s) and thus, they were able to implement three different marketing approaches to speak with their three different types of audiences.  

The marketing team created custom mobile experiences for (1) cosmetology students, (2) professional hair stylists, and (3) consumers.  The team tailor made three different mobile marketing approaches to reach out to these three groups of target audiences.  Namely a mobile-friendly site for consumers; an engagement-focus approach for professional hair stylists; and an educational-focused tablet teaching materials for the Redken Exchange Academy students.

In my opinion, the choice of identifying and focusing on the three target audiences is a wise decision made.  First of all, the company has already first engaged its students who will soon become some professional hair stylists, who might in turned influence the brand choice of their customers.  The three different mobile marketing apps also speak to the three different groups of “customers” or target audiences, in fulfilling their needs. 

Even Sarah Liang, the Director of Integrated Marketing Communications for L’Oreal USA admitted, “Ultimately what we’ve learned is that you have to know your audience, and develop a robust strategy across screens that fits their need the most.”  Indeed, the L’Oreal mobile marketing strategies did seem to have done their research, know their target audiences and had chose the best “story-telling methods”/marketing approaches to speak with their audiences. 

Case Study: Innovative & Inspiring Use of NFC Stickers by UNICEF Hong Kong

Seriously, I know nuts about NFC technology and its uses until I attended Session 3.
I was reading the case study on the innovative and inspiring use of NFC charity stickers by UNICEF Hong Kong, and I am intrigued by how far technology has advanced and how much it has become part of our everyday life.

Indeed, the campaign is somewhat successful in that it has garnered a 30-fold increase in the number of volunteers, by which each volunteer raised an additional 6 donations.

Shortcomings of the NFC campaign

There are several ways to implement mobile marketing campaigns and I wonder why did UNICEF Hong Kong opt for NFC.

According to a presentation delivered by Mr Peter Pang of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on 27 March 2013, Hong Kong possesses good market conditions for the use of NFC in that 85% of its non cash transactions are already contactless, while 90% of mobile phones shipped to Hong Kong in 2013 will be smartphones and over 40% of smartphones are expected to be NFC enabled in 2013. See Development of Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile payment services in Hong Kong

No doubt, Hong Kong has good market conditions for the use of NFC; however, UNICEF Hong Kong's chip stickers must be scanned with NFC-enabled Android smartphones, by which users will then be redirected to Google Play Store to download and install an app to make donations, sign up as volunteers, etc. This campaign has therefore limited its outreach to only people who are using Android smartphones. 

Moreover, not every Android smartphone is NFC enabled. Even if they are, the campaign simply redirects users to Google Play Store to download and install an app to make donations. Does it guarantee that a donation will be made after the app is installed?

NFC technology is very versatile in that it can be easily adapted into many uses and applications, but would UNICEF Hong Kong's campaign to recruit volunteers and increase donations be even more successful if it had opted for a technology that is independent of user device? Would it have been more effective to create a "tap & go" mobile donation campaign? Would the ROI be higher if they have used QR code instead?

Will such NFC campaigns work in Singapore?

Even though smartphone penetration rate in Singapore is high, only a limited number of these phones are equipped with NFC features. Furthermore, even if they are NFC enabled, users still have to switch their SIM cards to NFC-enabled ones, and pay an activation fee. In light of the factors that hinder the adoption rate of NFC technology in Singapore, I will not recommend the use of NFC marketing campaign as yet. 

Case Study: NFC Charity Stickers - Unicef HK

This is an interesting case study about how Unicef HK made use of NFC technology to increase the number of volunteers. Donors are given a NFC Charity Sticker and instantly they become a volunteer as anyone who taps their phones to the sticker would be brought to a page where they could make a donation.

If you have not read the case, you may watch the video here:
http://youtu.be/a9hPxsnBlik

I think that it is a really smart idea as it creates that 'multiplier' effect, allowing a greater reach within a shorter time span. However, I'm not sure how sustainable this may be as part of the improvement in performance could be attributed to the novelty effect of this idea. Will people choose to ignore the NFC charity stickers once the novelty wears off?

Also, besides being brought to a page to make a donation, it is probably a good idea to include a form to allow people to fill in their particulars such as email addresses so that they could be contacted in future for other charity events and activities where they could volunteer not just their money but also their time. 

Another suggestion is to make the NFC Charity Sticker more eye catching. For e.g.the sticker could be made bigger and in a more unique shape and it could say 'Tap Me!'.


QR code technology would work as well for this idea. In Singapore, considering the high number of iPhone users which do not have NFC, having QR codes on the stickers may be a better idea. Nonetheless, some people may still find it a hassle to download the QR scanner to scan the QR code. It would be best if there is an in-built QR code scanner in our phone cameras (as suggested by Sergio).

Choice of Proximity Marketing Platforms

The growth of proximity marketing has increased over the recent years, big brands like Red Bull and Coca Cola are not lacking behind. Enter Red Bull, an international brand that has a diverse international marketing campaign. From team ownerships, sponsorships to sports/extreme sports/e-sports most recently events. A few stadiums and circuits under their belt and we are talking about an energy drink.

Here's a story from Mobile Marketer:

The program works in 1,400 Macs/Couche-Tard convenience stores in Canada and all begins on digital signage at the point of sale. The digital signage broadcasts ads for various products and services that the convenience store offers such as Coca-Cola and Cadbury. Red Bull is using digital signage to push its power drink. The brand is giving visitors to convenience store shoppers across Canada. The coupon offers two cans of Red Bull for $4. The digital signage asks consumers to enable the Bluetooth on their device for a message from Red Bull.  The display is at the point of purchase, reaching consumers who are waiting in line to pay or just walking around the store. Once consumers enable the Bluetooth on their device, they receive the coupon. The set up within a Mac's/Couche-Tard store is to have one 32-inch screen in the store aisles and two 17-inch screens near the point of sale. Red Bull is able to receive real-time feedback on each advertisement sent to shopper’s phones, from every sign and location.

Red Bull made the bluetooth technology platform their choice for their Proximity Marketing Campaign. Lets look into the many possibilities of their choice over other platforms like NFC or GSM. Currently, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are the primary platforms which are used to transmit proximity marketing messages, but some analysts expect NFC to become a competitive rival. Some even believe that NFC will eventually overtake other proximity marketing communication methods and become the dominant means. However I am not standing at any sides yet. To date almost every mobile phone are bluetooth enabled from my more than a century-old 3210 Nokia phone  to the extravagant fancy Samsung Galaxy S4 equipped with the coolest features. Wi-Fi hotspots are growing as rapid as Wi-Fi smart mobile phones. Every shopping mall or least a shop in a mall has Wi-Fi hotspot most commonly a food and beverage outlet.

A SMS from a GSM network lacks interaction. Too little colours and designs to represent your brand and draw the attention of the consumer.  The counterpart MMS would be less cost effective. NFC the highly anticipated platforms and its own drawbacks. It is a very small amount of consumers with NFC enabled phones. But sources say, by 2015 the percentage of the NFC enabled phones available on the market would 53 percent. There could be another technology within the next 3 years. NFC watch this space.

To use the NFC tag to receive messages, users may have to download an app, while virtually every smartphone already comes equipped with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities. Another potential barrier is that NFC ad campaigns require consumers to initiate the engagement. First, they have to read the poster or sign, and then they have to decide to tap their device to receive the message. Since many consumers are already engaged with content on their devices in public spaces, they are less likely to notice the invitation to receive the message. Besides, since NFC has a limited transmission field, consumers must not only notice the printed ad and decide to make the connection, they must get close enough to the NFC tag to initiate the message. So it’s an open question whether or not consumers will be willing to read and respond to advertising messages that require that level of effort on their part.

In contrast, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-based proximity marketing campaigns use a technology that is already standard on nearly all handsets to deliver an opt-in message directly to the device that consumers already use for most of their communications on the go. Consumers are not required to initiate the transmission instead, a well-designed Bluetooth/Wi-Fi campaign sends a message to all consumers who came within a range as far away as 10m/300 feet. Consumers who opt to receive the marketing message can do so by simply touching their device screen. Both technologies are familiar. This familiarity gives Bluetooth and Wi-Fi a distinct advantage over competing technologies when it comes to proximity marketing.

Lets not write off NFC just yet, NFC brings a lot of conveniences and is getting more and more popular, there’s no surprise marketers will include the NFC or all the above as their approach. After all, the key for marketers is to examine potential ROI and make the right decision.

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Case Study: Red Bull Proximity Marketing Campaign Distributes Mobile Coupons via Bluetooth

After reading the article, personally I thought the concept is quite refreshing; literally helping marketers today to take their campaigns, and reaching out to their target audience, anytime, anywhere....and everywhere.

Some leaning points I've picked up from the case study are as a smart marketer, using proximity-marketing to reach out to targeted consumers may be worth considering as part of an integrated digital marketing campaign, simply because of various benefits received namely:

1. Low-cost and cost-effective - content delivered via such medium platform is engaging, interactive, and informative; and the distribution of rich media content and applications to mobile phones, laptops, and other Bluetooth-enabled handheld devices may be low cost and pretty cost-effective.

2. Effective human touch-point: A highly effective touch-point for mobile content delivery in reaching out directly to target consumers because they can provide a clear call to action to them , allow instant gratification, and deliver the content at no cost to them.

3. Potentially & possibly attracting a segment of pass-by-foot traffic - to visit the store and end up purchases from this group - generally, such consumers will be more receptive and result into some impulse buying simply due to receiving an offer that is within their immediate reach, and does not require too much effort on their part to make a purposeful route to the store.

4. Enhance mindshare of the brand - and, it can integrate with the pre-existing network of digital banners or kiosks, and increasing connection with target consumers.

5. Real-time measurements - unlike traditional advertising, proximity marketing is done in real-time and marketers can manage and measure their campaigns immediately, and quickly changes to further enhance their campaign if need to.

However, proximity marketing might also be largely overlooked because marketers are bombarded with all the new-age marketing channels, and using such marketing method may be left out in the entire plan.

Whilst integrating a proximity marketing campaign may sound like a good concept or with some proven benefits like possibly resulting into an unexpected in-store traffic sales from passers-by or get more mindshare. There are some other complementing actions worth considering taking in order to further help boost up brand exposure or increase sales, such as:

1. Combine with social media - using social media pages to direct targeted consumers to opt-in to receive the mobile marketing messages - this helps to get more sign-ups.

2. Create a mobile website - it’s a must to have a mobile website design instead of a traditional website design that will put consumers off.

3. Keep the mobile site user friendly - make sure mobile website is user friendly and simple as consumers are reading or viewing the content from a smaller screen.

4. Be mindful of time - in sending out the mobile messages as it will appear silly of marketers if targeted consumers receive messages at odd hours.

5. Create Mobile-Friendly emails - mobile-friendly emails, including the subject line should be kept short as consumers' attention is usually short-lived.

Case Study: Reebok Premier League

What did Reebok did right?

- Cricket is the most popular sport in India. By tying up with the Indian Premier League, Reebok had probably managed to capture most of India’s sports fans base

- Reebok used a professional cricket event to engage consumers, which will subconsciously get consumers to associate Reebok with professionalism and as the ‘sports brand’ in India. Good for brand association and brand image too.

- Reebok chose the right medium to engage the Indian consumers. Statistics from Nielsen Informate Mobile Insights showed that there are roughly 900 million mobile phones currently being used in India. Forty million of those are smartphones.

What more could Reebok have done to increase purchase, engage on a deeper level with the consumers or even to get more coverage instead of just driving purchase intent?

- To further engage consumers, Reebok could have held contests (click through from the banners) to perhaps win jerseys or meet your favourite cricket team

- To drive purchase, or for added incentive to purchase, Reebok could explore e-vouchers for jersey discounts – show the voucher on your mobile phone to get a percentage off discount

Now, let’s look at executing a similar campaign in the Singapore context to see if it would be feasible…

In my opinion, maybe on another medium within the mobile device…

An Experian Hitwise study revealed that Singaporeans spend the most time on Facebook - 38 minutes and 46 seconds per session. Rock Publicity also revealed that more than half the nation spending one-third of its Internet time on Facebook daily. And from SocialBakers - an average Singapore user is a fan of 23 brand fan pages!

Of course, remember that Singapore has mobile penetration rates very well exceeding 100%.

This means that running a consumer engagement campaign on Facebook in Singapore will likely be more effective, as Singaporeans live part of their lives on Planet Facebook (yours truly, a half-Facebook citizen too). Campaigning on Facebook is also a good method to kick off or to increase your Facebook fan base.

From a personal perspective, I am also more likely get updates on a certain brand from Facebook over visiting the official website. I think it’s a Singaporean trend.

A quick look on the statistics from SocialBakers.com with the top 10 brands on Facebook (ER stands for Engagement Rates):

Takeaways

- As mobile penetration and usage rates increase, it is important that we choose the right medium within mobile devices to reach our target audience – very simply, do your homework before deciding lah

- Maybe it’s time to look at pursuing a career in a mobile-related industry, haha.