• by Chris , September 20, 2010

I was at the Ball State Football game last Saturday and I saw an interesting advertisement. On the scoreboard there was a trivia question sponsored by Qdoba. All I had to do was text the correct answer to the number on the scoreboard and I would receive a prize. I decided to try it and sure enough, I got the right answer. I received my free queso coupon and quickly unsubscribed from the SMS list. I felt as if I had beaten the system. I won something and I did not have to keep getting those annoying text messages from Qdoba.

Do I think Qdoba lost out because I unsubscribed from the list? No, they still achieved the goal of getting me to come and visit their restaurant. The only thing they lose is the constant presence on my phone. I actually think additional text message advertisements would cause me not to want to visit the company any more. No one likes to be overwhelmed and annoyed with advertisements.

I like the concept of having coupons on my cell phone. It allows me to get the good deals without having to flip through the paper or cut coupons. It is portable and I always have my phone on me. However, I wish there was a way I could get coupons sent to my phone on demand without subscribing to any SMS lists. This would allow me to get the deals I want when I want them.

If there was a business that provided this service, I think that many college students would be registering as soon as they could. It would be the same as having the coupon books they distribute on campus, but without all the hassles. If there is a company that already does this, I am unaware of it. I think this truly maybe the future of coupons.

Qdoba and other companies may be onto something with these SMS advertisements. I like the concept, but I think it can be improved. I will be on the lookout for the first company to do on-demand coupons and I will be telling all my friends about it. Keep up with the creativity in the field of SMS messaging campaigns, but do not go overboard. Just keep it simple, and do not drive us crazy.