Interactive Stories for Mobile Entertainment – Waiting in Line Should be Fun

November 2, 2010 By

We were routed to a terrific blog post today from Jeff Greenhouse about a mobile entertainment SMS/text application he wrote about from UNIVERSAL/ORLANDO:

http://www.jeffgreenhouse.com/2010/11/01/make-waiting-fun-not-deadly/

It sounds like the old text-adventure format, with a mobile twist.  It sounds entertaining.

From our side, while we can deliver this kind of experience, via SMS, we really prefer our WAP/Mobile web delivery option for a few reasons:

*  No per message costs, which in a deep Session, could add up

*  No impact on a User’s SMS plan, and their costs (particularly, for extended sessions with children)

*  The ability to include graphics, animation (and, underway, we’re testing video) within the interactive narrative adventure experience.

Basically, it’s chat on steroids, to overuse an expression.  It’s also what Google WAVE promised, but, never delivered.

Finally, another consideration is that WAP chat can be entirely private and anonymous, SMS can’t.  For Children’s content, that can be important.  We also run pretty severe child-safe filters on incoming content so that the experiences can remain as intended for families.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, mobile marketing, sms, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mobile, QR, Conversational Marketing – Stars are Aligning

October 26, 2010 By

Today was one of those days when the news and perspectives offered in mobile marketing blogs all lined up to participate in telling a wonderful story.

Each of these separately are terrific, combined, is where a bigger picture emerges.  For contentAI studios, this is the kind of affirmation that when we decided, a year ago, to focus on mobile, it was the right decision.

From the NY Times, referencing how QR Codes lead to interactive experiences:

“this is the holy grail of advertising — interactive media in public places,”

NY Times http://nyti.ms/aiXUXb

Related, in what is our favorite QR/content and “location aware” campaign we’ve seen:

From TDA_Boulder Agency for 1st Bank: http://bit.ly/cLStOF

Why is it brilliant?  I read the sub-text here as “we understand you.”   The ad “understands” that the User is sitting around waiting and they offer them some fun diversion.

Finally, kudos to the Microsoft Tag team for their claim to the current thrown of QR/2D world and to bringing wider adoption of scan-to-mobile experiences to the Masses.

Their press release is here:  http://goo.gl/Z03i

How does this all point to virtual characters, agents and interactive stories in the Wilds of Mobile?

Give us a call or drop us a line to discuss how we can create engaging and valuable experiences.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, Mobile, mobile marketing, QR TAgs, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

QR and 2D Codes — Real Numbers (Finally) — Ready for Primetime?

October 13, 2010 By

It was great to see some real campaign numbers released on a QR or 2D campaign today.  The more we see like this, the more it’s clear that QR and 2D in the U.S. is about to shift from “early adopter” to “mainstream.”

http://www.gomonews.com/mobile-barcodes-allure-results-from-microsoft-tag-725k-give-away/

That can be combined with Scanbuy’s “general” numbers that were released last week here:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://blog.scanlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ScanLife-Mobile-Barcode-Trend-Report_9.10.pdf

It’s still about “what does the QR/2D lead to?”  Is it valuable and intuitive for the User’s mobile experience?

But, as a legitimate new mobile marketing and content distribution channel?

It’s arrived.


Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, Mobile, mobile marketing, QR TAgs, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mobile Marketing Stew: Apps, Mobile Web, SMS, QR, 2D, Tagless. . .

October 7, 2010 By

Aye yi yi.

The past day has seen so many conflicting statements emerging about what should, and shouldn’t, be done in a mobile marketing campaign (Ah, the CTIA headlines continue to keep it all stirred up).  The “Apps” v. “Mobile Web” v. SMS is one battle (all three have their rightful place).  And, over on the other front is QR v. 2D v. Image Recognition v. Tagless (all have their rightful place) with Goggles waiting in the wings (in a Goggle blog this week, Google  proclaimed “no more QR”).

This is not the 1970′s and a Beta v. VHS showdown where only one format will win.

Within the QR camp, there’s a whole other sub-branding skirmish that does need to resolve itself.  It doesn’t do anyone any good to add a layer of confusion to the game.

We have little doubt that there is room for “all of the above,” in mixing and concocting campaigns across Apps, mobile web and SMS/text.   There’s a time and place for text-only SMS.  There’s a time and place for mobile video.  There’s a time and place for mobile web; Apps offer terrific experiences, provided you can reach everyone you want.

The contentAI.com platform, includes reach to SMS and mobile web/WAP (and, no reason we can’t integrate within native Apps too) is founded on one basic premise.  Text-based conversations are the #1 use of mobile devices for communication. Regardless as to how you get there, or where the text conversation takes place, it’s how Users (Customers) prefer to engage.   We can add value to SMS (via ReST APIs); mobile web (via our WAP partnership; and through integration into native Apps.  You can launch a mobile marketing conversation from nearly any 2D, QR or readerless tag option; or, from a simple URL or Link.

That’s our offering to the Stew.  We like to think that it’s both the spice and the substance.

Filed Under: Brands and Mobile, Mobile, mobile marketing, QR TAgs, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In Store Mobile Marketing and Customer Engagement – Putting Virtual Agents to Work

October 5, 2010 By

While we’re watching a number of different “solutions” presented for engaging Customers in-store or at events, sometimes, well, we’re left scratching our proverbial heads.

We think about the Customer’s mobile engagement, their time and the value they receive, throughout the process of developing a Virtual character (Virtual Guide, Virtual Clerk, Virtual Agent…what’s in a name?).  We compare this to video, proprietary apps, even mobile web pages that require focused navigation to drill down to relevant data.

Basically, a Virtual Clerk needs to deliver a positive and memorable experience for the User quickly.  Not unlike the surprise many of us experience when we have a great Customer experience with a human — something that’s become too rare.  In fact, we want the Customer Experience to be be identical to when they find that great sales clerk, or waitperson or person behind the Counter who actually seems to care about them as an individual – the upside is, we can replicate that experience 24/7.

Yes, we want to clone your best customer support, wrap it up in a package and get it onto your Customer’s mobile phone.  We want to deliver consistent, wonderful customer engagements.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

QR Tags as Killer App – IF: “Content Remains King”

September 24, 2010 By

It’s an interesting day in the news.  It’s hard to remember so many Mobile Marketing articles all pointing in the precise direction we have embarked upon.   From MOBILEMARKETER.COM comes a very timely article re: QR Tags HERE.

These are the salient points:

*  “QR codes are very close to the ‘tipping point,’ and the fourth quarter will push us over the top…”

*  “Carriers are doing their part to create awareness. For example, Sprint is preloading the application and Verizon is using codes in marketing….”  (OUR NOTE:  T-Mobile is doing a terrific job as well)

* QR Tags:  “established the dialogue with the consumer…”  (OUR NOTE:  Particularly, when using Conversational Mobile Marketing!)

*  “Codes offer a great way to drive people into the store, or incite purchase on the mobile device…”

*  “Ensure that the consumer’s experience and privacy of interaction is safeguarded in all instances….”

*  “Have fun and get creative in the campaigns that you deploy…”

*  “You have to provide end users with compelling content at the end of a scan…”

OK, for anyone who’s read our Posts here about QR Tags, this concise summary is going to appear rather redundant.  We aren’t in the QR Tag business, but, we do launch our Interactive, Conversational Engagement from QR and 2D Tags (or, even image detection that resolves to a mobile URL).  We think they can be part of an intuitive and natural User Engagement.

The only thing lacking in the summary was raising the questions:  Can QR Tags lead to conversational text engagement, since that’s how Users typically use their mobile devices?  Or, can a QR Tag lead to a Virtual Agent conversation?  Can a QR Tag deliver great Customer Relations Management?

Of course they can.

Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, Mobile, mobile marketing, QR TAgs, Transmedia Content and AI, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Holiday Mobile Marketing – Opportunity for Brands

September 24, 2010 By

This is one of those rare articles that is on-point on so many items.  It’s worth a full read at MOBILE COMMERCE DAILY.

Best take-aways:

* …allow advertisers to engage in a deeper dialog with mobile users…”

* “There is a new retail audience that can only be reached through mobile and that means it is imperative to invest now in mobile for this holiday season or risk missing out on revenue that can only be gained through mobile…”

* “it is imperative that brands double down with mobile for the 2010 holiday season…”

It is late in the Calendar for new commitments to media buys and campaigns for November/December — As we just launched our WAP conversational mobile marketing channel, we’re introducing our  Virtual Character Holiday themed chat application and can deliver for the Season.  Hope we can get this one in the market this Year…it’s an ideal opportunity to demonstrate the engagement value that conversational marketing can deliver.

Filed Under: AI and Twitter, AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, Mobile, mobile marketing, QR TAgs, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Mobile Virtual Agent and Location Based Services = Chocolate and Peanut Butter

September 23, 2010 By

The technology and User Experience of Virtual Agents in a specific Location are ideally suited for one another — they complement and create something greater than the sum of the individual parts.

By working from a specific location, as well as specific activity focus of that location, this restricts the sphere of knowledge that a Virtual Agent has to consider — It only needs to be context aware. Additionally, it allows the Virtual Agent (or “Character”) to “take the lead” in a conversational engagement and serve as a location guide. Simply, they  appear smarter, with less raw data, since they interact within the limitations of a specific time/place.

Creating mini-LBS networks with a Virtual Agent for a Retailer, that is based on opt-in technologies without the need of an “App” — using 2D and QR Tags — is fast and affordable.

The rule of thumb is that a Virtual Agent costs 1/50th the cost of human customer service. Our Virtual Agents and Virtual Characters take the “best of” a Brands customer relations knowledge and roll it into a single entity.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, QR TAgs, Transmedia Content and AI, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

WAP Chat and Mobile Virtual Agents – New Partners

September 17, 2010 By

contentAI studios are pleased to announce our partnership with ICONA s.p.a, provider of the WAMAJA chat engine for WAP Chat channel delivery of the characters, stories and virtual agents from contentAI.

WAP chat means reaching all mobile web enabled devices.

No SMS per message charges.

Delivery of in-chat stream graphics, including mCoupons.

Optional Group Chat Feature for Location Based Social Media Engagement.

The same personalized and contextual narrative engagement — in your own Branded mobile web site.

Connecting and engaging Users with their preferred form of mobile communication: TEXT — With the added value of an App-like interface (without the need for an App — The chat engine detects and is compatible with over 13,000 handsets)

The Demo is available HERE.   Including QR and 2D Tag access.

We’ve been searching for a mobile web solution for quite some time.  ICONA/WAMAJA have an elegant and rich platform that we are extremely pleased to now offer to our clients and partners.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, QR TAgs, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Mobile Marketing – LBS, Apps, SMS & Mobile Web – Some Thoughts

August 31, 2010 By

Hardly a day goes by that the Apps v. Mobile Web argument isn’t posited by a dozen blogs.

Or, where Location Based Services (LBS) are touted as the next sliced-bread killer.

Or, where the success/failure of QR and 2D Codes in the US is debated.

It’s great to find some reasoned and objective discussions.  Recently, the post:  MOBILE APPS…ALL SAUSAGE, NO SIZZLE from DIGITAL MINISTRY by David Jarvis was an example of extremely well written and considered thought on the subject with more perspective than most, concluding  with his call for:

“I strongly feel our industry groups should work towards some sort of commonality, leadership and self-regulation now to avoid another potential massive bursting bubble to the ultimate detriment of everyone.”

What I believe Jarvis is seeing, as we do, is that Brands and Agencies are already starting to realize that much of their mobile marketing efforts in the past year have been based on hype-and-circumstance.  That is, they’ve followed the “technology” and forgotten the consumer.  Below are the few points we feel are relevant and speak to how contentAI studios and interactive conversational mobile engagement will be a lasting and valuable platform:

*  LBS – There will be the emergence of private, Brand-to-Consumer LBS services that do NOT require Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook Places, etc.   Private being the operative word.  Cutting out the middleman being another value.  A QR/2D Tag can launch a location based engagement, with some Session Management (we offer) and fun game or conversational exchange (we offer).

The Forrester Research seems overly kind is estimating that there may be 1% of the US market who are active Users of LBS Services.  Our estimates are about 1/4 of that.  Regardless, LBS services are not and may never be mainstream.  While private, direct Location based engagement between a Brand, Retailer, Restaurant may have some legs, if done well.

*  QR/2D – As above, they should be used for location based engagement in addition to brand packaging.  Their failure to date is that they are rarely used in integrated campaigns where the “story” that starts with print (a magazine ad) is then extended to the mobile engagement.  Once Tags are used as a “bridge” to extend storied engagement, Users should start seeking these out.  The current Tag-to-Push campaigns are examples of wasting people’s time.

* Mobile Web, Apps & SMS - How do people use their mobile devices for their non-marketing communication?  Voice is in decline, Text is increasing (including a 50% increase in mobile IM last year).  Mobile video chat is really voice with images, so, it may level off Voice.  But, Text is King.

We are going to see (we know, since we’re working on this), more mobile web chat.  No need for SMS or IM.  Apps will start to incorporate chat functions within them (we’re offering our platform for App integration).  SMS pricing will drop (between Twitter and Google, someone is going to get it down to near-free) and SMS will remain an effective conversational communication platform.

Brands who want to “start a conversation” with their Customers should look no further than the tools Customers use in their day-to-day conversations with friends.  Mobile is a perfect device for conversational engagement.  It’s remarkable that so little of it has been done.

We hope to be a part of very successful campaigns that point to win:win scenarios for Brands and Consumers with their mobile engagement.  We want Consumers to “want more,” not to have turned away from mobile marketing due to App-burnout, Location Based privacy invasion or lack of value, or a failure to deliver appropriate Content within context to where a Customer took their valuable time to engage with a campaign (i.e. pushing a video to someone on a street corner).

Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, QR TAgs, Transmedia Content and AI Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »