ThinkMobi.ly

Mobile campaign for RedBull's "Crashed Ice" event exploits the mobile-social convergence

isaacnaor — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:19:46 -0700

Mobile campaign for RedBull's "Crashed Ice" event exploits the mobile-social convergence:

Great post by Chantal Tode at MobileMarketer.com about a campaign promoting RedBull’s Crashed Ice event that focused on exploiting the effectiveness of the mobile/social convergence.

The [Near] Future of Fashion & Mobile

isaacnaor — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:52:03 -0700

This past June I wrote a post called How Mobile is Fashion?. As of the end of September, 2011, I still receive comments from you on how great the topic is, and I’ve also received various requests to expand on that post as technology evolves. This post is a reaction to the requests I received, and I look forward to receiving your feedback below as well.

One of the new leading technologies in both the mobile and social realms is NFC technology (I’m using the term “new” loosely, as NFC technology has been around for years, but its integration into smartphones is a relatively new use for NFC). If you think you’re unfamiliar with what NFC technology is, you’ve probably already seen it in the form of an NFC chip in your credit card(s), even though you’ve also probably never used it. The latest data on NFC technology adoption indicates there are over 100 million people globally that used NFC technology for mobile payments; however only ~3.5 million of those people are in the US.

In the above referenced How Mobile is Fashion? post, QR codes and their creative incorporation into fashion was discussed. QR code technology has many advantages over NFC technology; however, I believe that once Apple integrates NFC technology into iPhones, NFC will take the front seat. When that happens, QR codes will (for the most part) be forgotten (much like MySpace was forgotten once Facebook came around) even though the two channels of communication can be complimentary, simply because of how easy NFC technology is to use (just touch your phone to a call-to-action).

That said, I’m not suggesting that QR codes shouldn’t be implemented – rather, I’m suggesting that NFC technology should have a good amount of your attention if you’re looking to incorporate the next big thing into your marketing strategy.

Although I don’t expect mainstream adoption of mobile payments (or any other use of NFC technology) until Apple incorporates an NFC chip into their iPhones (for more on this see another one of my popular posts, Mobile Payments Probably Won’t Take Off in 2011), I can assure you with great certainty that NFC technology will be incorporated into an iOS device in the next two years (this is clearly evident by Apple’s latest patent filings), and that NFC tech will take center-stage very quickly once Apple does incorporate it into iOS devices.

Over the past few years, mobile helped bridge the gap between the real and virtual worlds through LBS (location based services) and social media. In the coming years, that gap will be closed even more through the use of NFC technology because it is extremely simple to use (just wave your phone) and is both platform agnostic and functionally flexible (can be used at the POS (point of sale) as a payment source (that considers mobile coupons as well!) and integrates seamlessly with social media and LBS).

Earlier this year, Diesel ran a trial campaign in Europe that let people scan a QR code at select Diesel stores that would automatically “like” a product on Facebook and post that like your wall. Please check out the video below to see the campaign in action:

Taking this concept one step further, imagine if you could simply touch your smartphone to the tag/call to action near a product and have that action (touching your phone to a call-to-action) automatically post the same “like” (as in the above example) on your Facebook wall, add the jeans to your wish list on your smartphone’s Diesel app without having to download a QR code scanning app or taking any pictures, and help you find a makeup, shoe or jewelry collection that compliments the jeans well . This same action (touching your phone to a call-to-action) could also allow you to instantly purchase the jeans, tweet about them (or the brand – in the form of a preprogrammed, location-specific and branded tweet), and check-in to the store on Foursquare. The point I’m trying to make here is, NFC technology is unbelievably secure and can initiate almost any action your smartphone can take…that’s essentially the power of NFC and all of its potential can be harnessed by simply waving your phone!

What do you think about NFC technology – have you had positive or negative experiences with it and does the prospect of paying with your phone excite or scare you? Does the incorporation of technology like NFC and QR codes into fashion excite you, or do you like that the fashion industry as a whole lags far behind virtually every other industry in the realm of technology?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Ever wonder why some QR Codes are well-received, while others...

isaacnaor — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 08:18:00 -0700

Ever wonder why some QR Codes are well-received, while others may as well be a picture of an ice-cream sundae?

Check out the infographic to find out why, and while you’re at it, let me know if you agree with the data in the comments section below!

Image Source: http://blog.lab42.com/scanapalooza-qr-codes

QR Codes and Fashion: A great post by Stephanie Buck for Mashable

isaacnaor — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:36:26 -0700

This post is a direct re-blog from a Mashable post written by Staphanie Buck.

The artist who brought you Twitter’s fail whale has joined the fashion realm — but still with a tech twist. Yiying Lu debuted Wednesday two of her 10 illustrations that will appear inMeets Obsession magazine’s “10 Most Intriguing in Fashion” feature next month.

Lu shared her interpretations of fashion icons Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Anna Wintour, on whose likeness she incorporated QR codes. When scanned, the codes will direct readers to Lu’s site where they can download the free artwork to iPhones and iPads.

“I am personally obsessed with the interplay between art and technology, and between digital content and real world content, and this project brings this all together in an innovative and interactive way,” says Lu.

Technology and fashion have been intertwined for decades, but today’s direct interplay between the two is unprecedented. Lu’s artwork comments on that dynamic. “Yiying Lu has discovered the future of fashion,” says artist and cultural critic Jonathon Keats. “Clothing and accessories printed with personal QR codes are the ultimate in mass customization.”

The entire Meets Obsession feature will debut when the magazine’s inaugural print issue hits newsstands August 5. Apart from Wintour and the Olsens, Lu won’t divulge what fashion icons to expect, but she has agreed to share some photos, the first of which is an exclusive sneak peak of the remaining illustrations.

analyticisms: This is a good infographic and great news for...

isaacnaor — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:14:10 -0700

analyticisms:

This is a good infographic and great news for social media marketing

How Mobile is Fashion?

isaacnaor — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:46:00 -0700

Fashion leads trends in so many different ways, but when it comes to mobile, fashion lags far behind other industries.

Mobile is social, instant, broad-reaching, accessible and actionable — all attributes of fashion as well! So why has the fashion industry lagged behind when it comes to mobile? There are a variety of reasons, but the most important is probably timing.

Mobile marketing’s (essentially, marketing’s integrations with consumes through mobile devices) growth has been fueled by smartphone adoption, which really only started taking-off mid-2007 (with the introduction of the iPhone). During the subsequent years our economy (and as a result, the luxury and fashion industries) has suffered much negative growth. This encouraged the most innovation in the couponing and savings industries (which are a great fit for mobile), but neglected virtually all luxury-oriented industries.

However, now that our economy is recovering and smartphones (and tablets!) are in the hands of about half the US population, why doesn’t fashion catch-up to the times?

Think about your last retail shopping experience (that may as well have been 15 years ago, considering the technology used); wouldn’t it be helpful to have a virtual fashionista (instead of a sales-person, if you actually wanted and got their attention) at your side explaining which colors and clothing lines suit you and your body’s shape best? What about when you dressed yourself this morning — what if the tags on your clothes included custom QR codes that you could scan to view matching items that you already own from the same designer, or see (and buy) matching clothes from the current season’s line with the swipe of your finger? Would that completely revolutionize your daily dressing experience (and help designers with brand loyalty)? What if the tag on the dress you’re about to buy had a QR code that leads to a Twitter search (using a hashtag) that would include the words, “How are you wearing your <insert your favorite brand name here>” and display Twitter posts of others who have the same dress and [links to] images of them wearing the dress (which could encourage posting of the pics by featuring a brand advocate once-a-week on their website)?

Let’s take these concepts one step further to the brand identity level. What if more brands incorporated QR codes (and eventually some form of a micro-NFC chip) into the logos that are already being displayed on clothing which would lead to either a website/app where the clothing can be purchased, a hilarious (or scary) viral video from the brand, or (in the case of “cause marketing” brands like Tom’s) a map of the places that are being affected positively by the purchase of the garment you’re wearing? How much more powerful could the logo/brand be?

In short, both the fashion industry and our population are ready for the mobile revolution. Brands, digital/social/mobile marketing managers, what are you waiting for? The time is now and people are asking for it!

Have you seen any creative uses of mobile or social elements in the fashion industry? Please let me know in the comments below!

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Written by Isaac Naor and posted to ThinkMobi.ly on June 29, 2011 at 8:25amPDT. You can follow the author or the blog on Twitter at @IsaacNaor, or @ThinkMobily respectively. Please click here for the source of the image at the top of this post.

Great campaign and very creative use of social &...

isaacnaor — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:18:52 -0700

Great campaign and very creative use of social & mobile!

thenextweb:

(via Coca Cola adds 10,000 recycle bins to Facebook places in Israel - Social Media)

Jessica Stuart rocks QR Code Dress @ Webby awards FYI - the QR...

isaacnaor — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:37:00 -0700

Jessica Stuart rocks QR Code Dress @ Webby awards

FYI - the QR code links to here

According to a Nielsen report from Q1 2011, [in the US] we...

isaacnaor — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:48:00 -0700

According to a Nielsen report from Q1 2011, [in the US] we use our tablets most while watching TV and lying in bed, our smartphones while watching TV and shopping/running errands, and we prefer to use both while with friends and family.

Note to Marketers: When you’re looking to reach couples for joint purchase descisions, tablets are the way to go! If you’re looking to tie TV spots to an interactive campaign, optimize it for tablets and smartphones!

Are Social Networks Really at the Mercy of Mobile Operating Systems?

isaacnaor — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:27:00 -0700

Social network usage is still increasing (although according to InsideFacebook, Facebook recently lost 6MM, or 4% of its users in the US), and many believe the current exponential growth is attributed to the sharp increase in smartphone penetration.

To put this all into perspective, consider the following: more people own smartphones than personal computers in India, India’s population communicates more via social networks than email, and social network usage data for the region reflects these points. So how do mobile OS (operating system) developers control social networks and their prevalence?

Nature follows the path of least resistance, and (in general) human nature is no different.

If there’s a better (or more valuable) UI (user interface) for certain social networks on popular OS’s, most people will choose the social networks with a better UI over others with an inferior UI. Furthermore, if there is a better (or more valuable) UI for social networks than native email (the email system that’s installed from the factory on devices), people will use social networks more than native email (for communications they can control — professional communications are subject to professional standards, and I’m in no way suggesting that business professionals will begin communicating via social networks instead of email). Obviously the user-base (or the number of people that you can connect-with) on any given social network or communication platform is an influence as well, but after that, people are looking for the best UX (user experience — a combination of the UI and the value perceived by the experience), as is evidenced by the sharp decline of email usage and corresponding sharp increase in social network usage. This phenomenon is occurring because many social networking apps have a better UX than their native email counterparts, in-spite of the fact that email has a larger user-base than any social network.

And so, are social networks really at the mercy of mobile OS’s? Absolutely! We have to look no further than the recent announcement that Apple made at WWDC about Twitter being a fully integrated component of iOS5 (Apple’s newest mobile OS which has yet to be released). Although iOS5 has not been released (and we, therefore, cannot quantitatively measure the true result of this announcement), virtually every thought-leader in the mobile and social media industries believe that Twitter will realize exponential growth in both their user-base, and proportion of active users as a result of Apple’s integration.

To further support this conclusion, think about the mass adoption of Twitter in 2008 and 2009 and how it correlates with mass adoption of smartphones during that same period. In 2007 US smartphone penetration was just ~3% and it (roughly) doubled every year since (to ~7% in ‘08, ~15% in ‘09 and ~30% in ‘10)!

Let’s take this one final step further; I’ve used devices running on virtually all of the major OS’s (iOS, Android, Blackberry WP7 and WebOS) and found that apps on Apple’s iOS provide the best UX for social networking (please let me know in the comments below if your experience is different than mine!). If that’s true, and many refrain from switching to an iPhone due to the lack of a physical keyboard, could adding an iPhone with a physical keyboard to Apple’s single-product phone lineup actually increase social networking usage?

Do you believe the sharp rise in social networking usage is due to some other factor?

Image Source: Engadget, in a post about BoxWave’s Keyboard Buddy iPhone case.

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Written by Isaac Naor and posted to ThinkMobi.ly on June 14, 2011 at 8:25amPDT. You can follow the author or the blog on Twitter at @IsaacNaor, or @ThinkMobily respectively.

A great depiction of the GeoSocial universe, by the good people...

isaacnaor — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:43:02 -0700

A great depiction of the GeoSocial universe, by the good people at Jess3

Has Apple Created the Perfect Social Mobile Device?

isaacnaor — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:18:00 -0700

The convergence of social and mobile has never been more apparent or critical, and this blog will focus on the intersection of the two platforms.

Most industry experts agree that social networks are being accessed by mobile devices more than computers (and this is only trend is only expected to increase in the coming years) and yesterday Apple announced the integration of Twitter into iOS5 at WWDC.

What does this mean, you ask? Well, with a single sign-in on your iOS device you’ll be able to share any photo, video, article, or other content with your Twitter followers. Furthermore, all of your contacts can be linked to their Twitter accounts and, if you choose to allow this, each contact’s profile picture (on your phone) can even be updated with their respective Twitter avatars.

This is HUGE!

Until now most have considered Facebook as the owner of the social graph. Facebook has enjoyed the benefit of a similar level of integration for a while now, and FB’s massive user-base has supported its dominance.

As of the release of iOS5, the monopoly will be challenged by a serious contender. Interestingly, our mobile lifestyle has formed new tools which will help level the playing field for competition in the social space.

In the past, juggernauts like Google and Apple have challenged Facebook and have not gained much traction. So why will Apple be able to take on Facebook now? Apple’s approach is remarkable — pick a platform that everyone knows works and most iOS users already utilize, and make it the primary social communication channel on all iOS devices.

As if that wasn’t enough, Apple also introduced two other revolutionary products at WWDC; the much rumored iMessage platform and highly anticipated iCloud service.

Many people who have chosen to stick with their Blackberry devices do so because of BBM, Blackberry’s instant messaging service that shows ‘read’ and ‘delivered’ notifications in conversations, and links devices from PIN to PIN. Many developers have tried to create competing products with no success. The iMessage platform is a direct competitor to BBM, and truly rounds off the social experience iOS devices were missing.

And, to dynamically shift the content consumption experience, iCloud allows iOS users to access any music, iBooks and other content they purchased from any of their iOS devices through Apples new cloud servers. What this means is you no longer need to sync your iPod, iPhone, or iPad with your computer to get content you already purchased. Instead, you can start the iTunes app on any of the aforementioned devices and download any content you’ve already purchased from anywhere! (for more information about Apple’s iCloud, click here).

Apple realizes the mobile device helps shape our social interactions, and has massively capitalized on the opportunity to build the most social device to-date. With these new tools in its arsenal, Apple is certain to play a dominant role in the future of mobile. Are you considering ditching your Blackberry or Android device(s) in favor of any iPhone because of Apple’s new services?

Written by Isaac Naor and posted to ThinkMobi.ly on June 7, 2011 at 8:15amPDT. You can follow the author or the blog on Twitter at @IsaacNaor, or @ThinkMobily respectively.