Commentary
Mobile Tech & Riding along the Back of the Old
- by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, July 9, 2013
Some of the innovative mobile technology seems to be finding a home
in old, traditional places.
In a snail mail promo I received from Bank of America this week there was an offer to earn bonus points on purchases through my Visa credit card account. All I had to do to activate was call a phone number and then type in the 16-digit registration code provided when prompted.
The chances of me taking the time to do that were about zero. But next to the directions was a simple QR code with the message “scan this QR code for automatic registration,” which I did in a matter of a few seconds. Registration done.
The value of the QR code here is obvious: fast and functional. The QR code did the work for me, with all the necessary information embedded.
Augmented Reality (AR) also is moving into the conventional spaces in magazines and now in direct mail.
After spending some time in the real estate market in the Netherlands, AR pioneer Layar found that magazine readers could be provided with additional information like videos and options to purchase through AR.
For example, in the last issue of Inc. Magazine, readers could scan pages to see video interviews, a welcome video from the editor and dynamic ads.
Now AR is moving into the world of direct mail, with coupon behemoth Valpak adding it to its well-known Blue Envelope mailers for the next two months.
After downloading the Valpak app, consumers can aim their phone at the blue envelope and then see available coupons in the vicinity as they scan their surroundings. Coupons within a range of five feet to 25 miles will pop up on the screen.
While I have no idea how many people will actually use the AR feature, it is clear that a lot of people will see it, since those blue envelopes are sent to about 40 million households each month.
The new mobile tech is bringing the tried-and-true forward. It’s also riding along its back.
__________________________________________________
OMMA mCommerce, July 15, New York. Mondelez, Autotrader.com, IHG, MasterCard, BBDO, Rapp, Joule, ScanBuy, Huge, Spyderlynk, Rue La La, BYNDL, Catalina, Giant Eagle, Ansible, Moxie Interactive coming. Here’s the AGENDA.
Chuck Martin is Editor of the AI & IoT Daily at MediaPost and writes the daily Connected Thinking column. He is a NY Times Business bestselling author and his latest book is “Digital Transformation 3.0” (The New Business-to-Consumer Connections of The Internet of Things.) He is CEO of Net Future Institute and a frequent keynote speaker internationally. Follow him on Twitter @chuckmartin and contact him at Chuck@MediaPost.com.
I'm really curious about the security steps with such an exchange. What kind of verification was required using the QR code so that it prevented just anybody from scanning a found piece of mail if all the information was as you say, "Embedded?" The advantages are obvious to me, but I haven't yet received such an offer for myself.
Good question, Dan. The embedded information was the 16-digit code that was also on the mail piece to be typed in after making a phone call. The QR code totally automated the process. A person finding the piece of paper could just as easily call and enter those s well.