From BOOK BUSINESS:  http://goo.gl/jjTD

From 2d Code: http://goo.gl/kAn1

What is fascinating to consider is how QR Codes could lead to interactive narrative experiences are natural to incorporate within linear narrative stories; i.e. making this part of a cohesive story experience, not merely adding access to supplemental Content.

28 May 2010

Summer Events, with Brands and Sponsors promoting, are fast approaching.  With our new relationships, we’ve turned our attention toward mobile engagement at events.

While Events offer many promotional opportunities, these opportunities can be extended to also include event information and guides, all within the same narrative mobile experience (No more paper).  Our Events demo is now in private Beta; just ping us for access.

And, here is our favorite Tweet of the past two months, now that embedding is up and running:

goonth

Narrative immersion critical to deeper mobile experiences – a balance of utility, consumption & participation. #InnotechPDX 8 minutes ago via HootSuite

5 May 2010 (Cinco de Mayo)

]]> http://contentAI.com/http:/contentAI.com/events-tags-narrative-contest-and-ecouponsvideo/feed/ 0 http://contentAI.com/http:/contentAI.com/qr-tags-and-interactive-conversation-instinctual-engagement/ http://contentAI.com/http:/contentAI.com/qr-tags-and-interactive-conversation-instinctual-engagement/#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:05:25 +0000 admin http://contentAI.com/?p=789 In digital-years, our awareness of QR Tags was pretty late in the game — about 1.5 years ago – but, in market-year (U.S.) the shift in general awareness over the past year and a half has been remarkable — with market-years “use” just coming into play in a serious way.

In that same time period, our interactive narrative engine has been evolving with a focus on mobile engagement.

The intersection of QR Tags and Interactive Narrative (SMS, IM, Mobile Web, Apps) seems like the most natural end-to-end mobile “pull” engagement because it replicates the User’s typical mobile engagement with friends and family.   So, instead of migrating online ad units to a mobile space, we engage with Users through what is unique to mobile: QR tags are unique to mobile; interactive text conversation is the most common use of a mobile device.

We use medium-specific tools for instinctual engagement.

Mobile marketing has been limited to “push” marketing and very brief, generally non-contextual engagement.  That all changes now.   As we see Central Park being “tagged” with QR Codes (pointing the direction toward “episodic” QR Tags and conversational story episodes), we’re seeing the “internet of things” come to life…

29 April 2010

A User launches a QR Tag to begin an SMS (or mobile web IM) conversation, etc. etc. etc.

Today, we see that WHEATIES are the first to start down this path:

http://blogs.msdn.com/tag/archive/2010/04/21/new-wheaties-boxes-tag.aspx

Except, they connect, but don’t take the next step — and converse.

Let’s unleash the conversations with the Cereal Boxes…they’re waiting to happen…

21 April 2010

We are in pre-App preview mode as we evolve our My Santa Talk franchise for Q4 2010. This is one where we want to include all of the bells and whistles of personalized, interactive narrative. And, where we are looking forward to new technology partnerships that will further enhance the end product.

As we move to the next stages of product development, we’ll be assessing the sponsorship/white label model v. paid App. Regardless, what we’re looking forward to is delivering a uniquely personal and contextualized User Experience that evolves annually as we manage the Franchise across emerging delivery platforms (Yes, this year will include iPad).

12 April 2010

* It’s wonderful, but it’s limited. It is a digital content consumption tool, with very limited abilities for Users to create anything…particularly, anything original.

* We miss APPLE’s early efforts to get digital creation tools into the hands of the Masses. iMovie, Garage Band and the early compatibility and processing kick for Photoshop were all wonderful (After Effects, morphing tools, etc. etc., going back to the early ’90′s). It would be great to see an iPAD+ that could run programs, not just apps.

* That said, iPAD Apps can incorporate our interactive narrative platform as a component or feature, which encourages the User to be ‘textually creative,’ where we bridge the conversational content to the images (in both directions). We’re reaching out to App developers to see about how we can best integrate with their needs in order to allow the User to be more engaged and creative from their side.

The prospects for eLearning and Children’s entertainment content seems most natural to explore — during this early version of personal tablet devices — where we add-value through the Users ability to personalize and change elements within storied experiences through conversation.

Rush out and buy one? Tempted. But, not enough to head to the store…

5 April 2010

Announcements coming soon with regard to new Partnership relationships that will expand our network reach and add new options to elevate the User Experience.

26 November 2009

Now, what if it could include SMS messaging WITH characters?

It can.  contentAI studios have just completed beta test integration with an SMS platform partner that is extremely cost efficient (not per message pricing), where our “characters” can engage in SMS conversations with Users.

The first thing we noted was how basic Text Messaging is a great User Experience with AI characters.  “It’s addicting” was the common response from our beta testers.  While proprietary apps may include more bells and whistles, basic Text Messaging for conversation is fast (apx. :08 second reply times) and clean.

As we’ve been assessing and adding In Store::Mobile solutions, this one is excellent.  And, of course, the “conversations with” film and television characters is a space we’ve targeted for transplatform story-telling.  We utilize an SMS shortcode plus Brand identifier to start a conversational session. User’s opt-in their Replies to keep the discussion going.

User’s can also subscribe for further alerts or “next episode” updates for extended conversations.  Please CONTACT US for access to Beta character TXT shortcodes to try for yourself.

6 October 2009

The Panel consisted of those in robotics, “intelligent” ad placement engines and utilitarian “personal assistant” apps that acquire realtime knowledge from partner domains and reshape it for the End User. All very interesting and robust technologies.

However, what was lacking was any discussion re: the “human” side of Artificial Intelligence and the extensive business applications that open up when AI is focused on simulated humans, not only on data retrieval and data driven response.

Historically, it’s been chatbot and IVR platforms that have sought to carve out limited business apps based on (mainly) pre-scripted customer service products with some level of natural language processing; it was interesting that there were no companies represented on the panel from that side of the coin – However the Moderator did open with a statement about how there “…should be an AI TWITTER character on the panel.” (if he’d only asked, we’d have provided one).

To emulate humans and “connect” with the End User AI character/agents must engage in story. Humans relate and respond to one another through story…it’s how we remember. Creating AI characters in a story environment is an interdisciplinary craft that has AI technology at it’s heart, but requires additional features and skills. Why do humans spend so much time watching television (old tv or internet tv), movies, reading or re-telling the events of the day over dinner? The need for “story” remains essential to the human experience. Interaction with AI characters in a story-based context delivers extensive and valuable business applications for AI.

People are attracted to good stories. And, they enjoy re-telling them (stories are viral).

When we consider how Mobile and Retail In-Store relationships between Brands and Consumers will evolve, particularly with mobile devices, we think about connecting and engaging the Consumer by bringing them into the story making process. This creates a memorable and impressionable experience that goes beyond the transfer of data. It fulfills an essential need for story-based communication. For transplatform story and media properties the inclusion of User conversation and engagement is a unique tentacle to add into the matrix.

Will machines will be perceived as human as they become great story tellers?

contentAI studios have story and character “overlay engines” that work in conjunction with the core artificial intelligence engine; when combined, they create fascinating storydriven conversational experiences that are rich in knowledge and can also connect on a near-human level.

The conversational experiences are further enhanced through the sourcing of real time data via 3rd party APIs or other processes, as well as the inclusion of “memory fields” to personalize each conversation. The AI “characters” we create are multi-dimensional and deliver an End User experience that simulates human interaction; all drivenby a core AI conversational engine that continues to self evolve and evolve through new programming initiatives.

We thrive on interdisciplinary AI technologies and techniques. That’s our story.

22 September 2009

However, we’re often asked “Where will it permeate people’s everyday lives first?”

One scenario is at the Retail level, between products/brands and consumers. Where “conversations” between product avatars/characters will engage the Consumer and provide more than data; it will provide a memorable connection through conversation.

From AdAge HERE. “…the killer app of mobile media may yet be in the store, as more consumers use their mobile devices to scan barcodes…”

And, we see Microsoft Tags finally coming out with a bit of fanfare this month HERE; which is a platform we’ve watched closely since it’s Beta launch.

What do we envision? Stir these concepts and technologies around, add conversational artificial intelligence for mass communication with a “personal touch,” then watch the retail experience evolve into an entirely new Consumer/User Experience as the line blurs between the real world and digital world.

UPDATE: 23 September 2009:  Continued discussion from MOBILEMARKETER.COM from Mobile Ad Summit Panel:  “…Mobile goes far beyond simple ads, which is why it’s one of the most exciting platforms out there…”

We agree.

Also noting 23 Sept gigaOM post re:  The Superphone Era Demands an Improved Retail Experience. Our conversational Apps could readily be applied to adding value in that space…

21 September 2009