Written on Wednesday, December 22, 2010
I recently found out about this campaign in New York, run by City Harvest - a food rescue organization which has been active there for 28 years - that uses QR Codes to make it easier for people to donate money (especially during Christmas when people are more open to giving) directly from their mobile phones.
Here is the relevant Press Release, which contains all the appropriate info.
New York, NY - November 23rd - With demand for emergency food at record high levels, City Harvest is reaching donors with an innovative advertising campaign that uses technology commonly used by for-profit marketers but new to fundraisers. On advertisements in print, phone kiosks, transit shelters, and on Facebook, City Harvest has incorporated a
QR code, which functions like a
barcode and can be
scanned by mobile phones.
This cutting edge technology offers donors the highest level of flexibility. Cell phone users that scan the QR code will immediately have the option to go to the City Harvest website, read facts about City Harvest, view a video illustrating City Harvest's work, and make a donation online or by clicking a button to call City Harvest directly. Donors can choose the amount they wish to donate and get more information about City Harvest at the touch of a button.
The QR codes can be found on City Harvest's new advertising campaign featuring New York City residents that have taken action to fight hunger. Though the food City Harvest rescues and delivers is donated, City Harvest needs cash donations to maintain their trucks and staff that are essential to picking up and distributing food. The advertisements demonstrate the impact of donors who pull out their wallet or checkbook in helping City Harvest feed more hungry New Yorkers.
"In an era of mobile technology, potential donors want and expect to be able to act immediately," said Jilly Stephens, executive director of City Harvest. "QR codes allow New Yorkers just learning about City Harvest to get more information quickly and easily as well as give."
“QR codes are changing the future of donor-charity relationships. They allow nonprofits to interact with their donors by exchanging engaging content,” said Irina Skaya, marketing manager at Horizon Media. “QR codes can be used without monthly running costs and function without limiting the dollar amount donors give to the nonprofit.”
Despite other indicators that the recession has ended, agencies served by City Harvest have reported no relief since demand for emergency food spiked last year. City Harvest works to meet greater need at soup kitchens and food pantries by rescuing and delivering food to some 600 programs throughout the five boroughs. Currently, City Harvest helps feed over 300,000 hungry men, women, and children each week.
About City Harvest
Now serving New York City for more than 25 years, City Harvest (
cityharvest.org) is the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women, and children. This year, City Harvest will collect 28 million pounds of excess food from all segments of the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers, and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to nearly 600 community food programs throughout New York City using a fleet of trucks and bikes as well as volunteers on foot. Each week, City Harvest helps over 300,000 hungry New Yorkers find their next meal.
City Harvest also addresses conditions that surround hunger in New York City by educating individuals, families, and communities in the prevention of diet-related diseases, channeling a greater amount of local farm food into high-need areas, enhancing the ability of our agency partners to feed hungry men, women, and children, and supporting affordable access to nutritious food in low-income communities.
Definitely a worthwhile effort which deserves a lot more praise than we can give it. Here's a video for the City Harvest cause:
Finally, here's an ad that featured in New York's TimeOut Magazine:
Posted in
mobile services,
press releases,
QR codes
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Written on Thursday, December 16, 2010
You're out shopping, or for a coffee, and decide you want to go to a live event, the cinema, etc. You're worried you might not get a ticket at the door as the event / film sounds like a sellout. What do you do? (Yes I know the answer's already in the title, and that's why you're reading this, but I just couldn't resist..)
Mobile tickets are paperless tickets which you can purchase online (note: this also means directly from your mobile phone) that will be made available on your mobile phone. A unique token is sent to your mobile, which you can validate on the door - and there are a number of ways to do this.
Depending on your needs and equipment there are two main categories of ticket validation:
- using a barcode scanner,
- using the mobile web.
Barcode scanner
In this scenario, when you purchase a ticket, a unique barcode is sent to your phone, either via SMS, or downloaded via the mobile internet, which is available for offline validation. As a unique barcode, you can have this scanned on the door in order to be allowed in. Of course, the scanner software should be in a position to identify duplicates, as I can very easily send my barcode to all my mates via Bluetooth (unless I've got an iPhone :p ). However, the important advantage of this solution is that no mobile internet is required on the phone - as tickets can be purchased from the desktop/laptop and sent to the mobile phone via SMS. The disadvantage is that the event holder needs to invest in the scanner equipment. The good thing is the investment is a one-off.
Mobile Web
In this scenario, when you purchase a ticket the unique token sent to you will be validated online - and this needs to be done on the door, as this way you can ensure there are no duplicates, or fakes. The key advantage is, obviously, no need for scanners, which means no investment necessary to find out how well it works, which is obviously a big big plus for venue owners / event promoters.
The only problem is that it requires access to the mobile internet, which translates into two things:
- an active data plan from the ticket holder,
- good reception on the door, as if the mobile phone doesn't have good signal validation is going to be a slow and painful procedure.
Onto your market options.. I did a very brief search online, cause I didn't think this tutorial would be complete without providing some market-ready products which you can go look at right now. The list is by no means complete - I welcome other service providers to contact me so I can add their link below, or add theirs in the comments.
Mobile Internet (No barcode scanner):
Barcode scanner (No mobile internet):
Posted in
mobile coupons,
mobile payments,
mobile services
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Written on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thanks to Justin, from
TextBoard, for his e-mail that gave me the heads up on their latest service,
Click-Through tracking for all
URLs included in text messages sent from their platform.
What a great idea! Seriously! It is a great metric for measuring end user responsiveness - we already know everyone who will receive an SMS message is going to view it (and that's an important advantage over e-mail marketing campaigns) but who really acts on it?
Finding out things like:
- "who calls your included contact number?",
- "who texts back to win?",
- "who goes to the counter/point of sale to cash in on the mobile coupon sent to them?",
- or, as in this case, "who clicks on a link?"
..are all crucial in being able to
judge the performance of the
SMS marketing campaign.
In Justin's own words:
A few weeks ago TextBoard included click tracking capabilities within mobile terminated marketing messages and since then we've compiled some VERY interesting data on its effectiveness. We are currently seeing an average 19.3% click-through rate on all text messages sent.
Also, an extract from their website:
Click tracking was included in TextBoard after our integration with the bit.ly API was complete. This API integration allowed marketers sending messages to quickly create tiny URLs through the bit.ly shortening service.
Bit.ly offers an incredible URL shortening tool that goes beyond just creating short, easy- to-read URLs. The tracking capabilities are very detailed, and it only made sense to pull into TextBoard data that already existed on bit.ly’s end.
So that’s exactly what we did, not knowing what results to expect. A few of the pessimists assumed not many mobile subscribers were clicking links within text messages and that any data returned would be minimal.
They were wrong, very wrong, and the rest of us were very surprised.
and a very interesting infograph:
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| Click-Rate Statistics from Bulk SMS Campaigns |
Within 2 weeks of running click tracking services for text messages, TextBoard was able to compile data about link activity. The statistics rival even some email marketing campaigns.
- Average 19.3% click-through rate for text messages containing URLs.
- Links are clicked, on average, 45 seconds after being sent.
This data is clearly statistically significant and just about knocked our socks off! Even something as simple as the click rate says a lot about your subscribers’ abilities. Asking a mobile subscriber to click a link within a text message is asking a lot. Some may not have a phone capable of running a web browser, and others who have smart phones like the iPhone or Android may not have data plans.
But with such a high average click-through rate, and the data to support it, it’s obvious that more subscribers are able to view online content on their phones than ever before. There is no time better than now for advertisers to take advantage of this.
Why is this data so important and why should you care?
With click tracking you’re able to learn more about the subscribers to your texting campaigns. Viewing and segmenting those that did or didn’t click a specific URL allows marketers to provide more relevant follow-up text messages.
A good click through rate is a solid measure of your campaign success; more clicks typically means your message was of value, and the subscriber wanted to read more.
Messages sent via SMS are short, simple, and do not provide the advertiser information about the subscribers other than their numbers and carriers. But with breakthroughs such as this, advertisers can optimize data about subscribers and their preferences. Click tracking helps to further segment a subscriber list because the advertiser, knowing the click habits of its audience, can return content best suited to each person. And because you’re now driving the subscribers to a mobile site, even more data about their actions can be obtained.
Installing Google Analytics for site tracking allows you to learn specifically what devices are being used to access content, online and offline. Click tracking allows advertisers to follow users from start (text messages sent) to finish (product or service purchased) and measure ROI of the SMS campaign. With proper funnel tracking in place, you can even learn about any areas of a conversion process that need to be improved.
We expect this to be a growing trend, obviously. As more and more smart phones and web-enabled texting devices enter the market, the participation rate of online content via SMS will increase as well.
Great stuff. Thanks again for the heads up Justin - very interesting info.!...Anyone out there have similar ideas, please feel free to share.. I'll be happy to post them up!
Posted in
mobile marketing statistics,
mobile services,
sms marketing,
text marketing
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Written on Wednesday, December 08, 2010
December 7 2010 - DigiPoS, the leading hardware and solutions provider for retailers, has launched its mCommerce ecosystem, called MobileShopper. A first for the retail sector, the Smartphone based application, which presently runs on the Apple iPhone will soon be available on Google Android and Blackberry.
The MobileShopper app combines online shopping with the in-store experience, and is aimed at propelling retailers into the future; with the tagline ‘it’s so easy you won’t want to leave home without it’.
The application encompasses a full range of retail touch points, including: ecommerce, store locator, coupons, loyalty, advertising and promotions, price verification lists, in-store navigation functionality, and a facility which allows the shopper to use their mobile to shop at home using the integrated scanning tool.
For the first time, retailers are provided with a true multi-channel integration that brings together their bricks and mortar technology silos with their web/ecommerce platforms. The mobile Smartphone devices can act as touch points to reach out to customers in new ways. For example: the information they can provide relating to shopping habits will allow for targeted and timely promotions. They pose an increasingly attractive ROI, as other marketing channels begin to lose their appeal and consumer use, and they enable the retailer to differentiate themselves.
For the consumer, the phone will – in effect – become a handheld till or self -checkout device and information portal all at the same time, as well as providing queue-busting functionality. The data-driven customer will have the ability to research promotions and products, anytime, anywhere, and they will be provided with more personalised and targeted information.
Ian Patterson, managing director EMEA at DigiPoS Store Solutions, commented: “Up until now technology in retail has always been designed with the retailer in mind, making their jobs easier. Our MobileShopper app focuses on the emergence of the ‘new shopper’. I believe that the mobile phone will have the same impact on retail that the ATM once had on the banking sector. Mobile devices empower consumers to search, shop and checkout – the flexibility they offer will undoubtedly improve the overall shopping experience.”
He added: “The retail sector has touched upon elements of mCommerce for some time now, but I don’t believe that the majority of retailers have a firm strategy in place, when it comes to a true multi-channel offering. The MobileShopper application deploys a simple middleware application that acts as a catalyst between the retailer’s existing software – saving time and money, whilst protecting their existing investment.
“We are continually developing products to support our clients, and we feel confident that no other player has explored mCommerce to the extent which we have. Retailers need to see beyond tomorrow – those who don’t implement a strategy are certain to be left behind.”
DigiPoS is currently in talks with a number of major retailers, and plans to make a joint announcement on the launch of an mCommerce platform in Q1, 2011.
The app created by DigiPoS is currently available for the iPhone, and can be found at:
http://www.digipos.co.uk/msaas.html. It will be free for consumers to download, and retailers will pay £1 per download, there will also be a monthly retainer fee for the middleware gateway server application. Additional functionality is available based on the specific needs of the individual retailer.
DigiPoS is redefining technology for retailers, bringing much-needed focus, value and reliability to a competitive market. The business supports every level of the retail ecosystem, from small retail operations to the largest national and global brands.
About DigiPoS Store Solutions:
Established in the UK in 1994, DigiPoS Store Solutions has delivered it’s specifically ‘Designed for Retail’ DigiPoS hardware brand right across the retail sector.
Now operating in over 16 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, the company continues to enhance its reputation as the specialist retail solutions provider.
The group has received considerable recognition for providing cost-effective, high performance hardware and services combinations, whilst building a reputation for innovation and value. DigiPos Retail Blade, Dynamic Blade and Retail Core technologies have seen the company win numerous awards including European Retailers Supplier of the Year. Its flagship software application Retail SAAS is also set to change the way in which retailers approach application deployment.
The group now employs over 370 people and maintains an impressive profitable trading record. This has been achieved through aggressive organic growth, driven by retailer product/service demand, combined with carefully selected acquisitions. For further corporate information log onto
www.digipos-solutions.com.
Posted in
mobile coupons,
mobile payments,
press releases
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Written on Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Wow! A third of my Facebook friends uses an iPhone for mobile access... yes, that's right... 33%! If you'd asked me 5 mins ago I'd have said maybe about 10% max -- and that would be pushing it... ...Well, it wasn't!
115 out of my 347 friends currently use the iPhone app (33.1%), 26 the Blackberry app (7.5%), 8 the Android app (2.3%) and no Palm users (unsurprisingly!).
Thanks to Murat's post about
Mobile Handset Popularity, I found out how to
check for myself what percentage of my friends are using a Facebook mobile app. Here's more from the article:
All you have to do is go to the official Facebook application page for your handset and click on the ‘Info’ tab, you’ll be presented with a total number of friends, plus who has it installed.
I checked my mates and out of 168 friends:
106 have the iPhone app installed
54 have the Blackberry app installed
12 have the Android app installed
0 have the WebOS for Palm installed
There is no app for Nokia listed although one exists, in any case they would surely be fighting for scraps.
If you’re wondering why the amount of friends with the Facebook app installed is greater than my total friends, it’s because many people change phones and even borrow their phone to friends to use the Facebook, meaning that they are listed under multiple handsets. So remember these figures aren’t 100% accurate but a good guide no less.
Try it yourself and post your findings in the comments
Facebook iPhone page (click here)
Facebook Blackberry page (click here)
Facebook Android page (click here)
Facebook Palm page (click here)
Pretty interesting, I hope you'll all agree!
Posted in
iPhone,
mobile entertainment,
social networking
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