MIT, Intelligent Retail and Cereal Boxes…Where’s the Emotional Impact?

April 2, 2011 By

It’s remarkable how many new technology efforts are focused on the cereal aisle.  We’ve posted about the “light up” cereal boxes (from CES) before.

And, as you see, on our site, we use cereal boxes as our leading example of where interactive conversational engagement is a natural.

Today, we were looking at the YouTube video featured here:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/videoblogging/2011/04/02/youtube-retail-aisle-of-the-future-demos-mit-qr-codes-and-intelligent-inductive-ink/

While it’s great to see MIT thinking about cereal boxes, they seem to forget that the cereal boxes (except those on the upper shelves, out of sight of most kids and parents, are supposed to be fun!

It’s time to figure out how to get into the door at Kelloggs and suggest that these characters come to life and start interacting conversationally with us via mobile.   We can provide all of the passive data acquisition too (nutrition information, etc.), but, we can also create fun and memorable conversational experiences.

After all, it’s a cereal box.  It should be fun!

 

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

The Bridges to Mobile Converging – QR, 2D, Image Recognition, and more…

February 17, 2011 By

While we’re  mobile content folks, we always think about how Users get to the mobile experience from the real world.

There’s text messaging (keyword/shortcode), there are short URLs, but, there are the barcodes (competing formats), of QR, 2D, Tag, image recognition and proprietary formats such as JagTag that are readerless solutions.  NFC is on the way, big time.

This past week has seen a flurry of shuffling among some key barcode companies or designers who focus on barcodes:

1.  JAGTAG now offers a QR option for reader or readerless engagement:  LINK

2.  SCANLIFE now offer a readerless option (MMS, much like JagTag have offered in the past; and, I believe SPARQcode offered this first, last year):  LINK

3.  WARBASSE DESIGN, who’ve done really innovative designer QR work have partnered with an image recognition platform that also appears to grab Location Data in the process (very cool):  LINK

When you look at a product like GOOGLE’S “GOGGLES,” which has image recognition and QR reading built into a single application, what we see is the blurring of individual technologies (which have been battling for dominance based on their technology), who are now focusing on making it as easy as possible for the End User to bridge from the real-world to a mobile experience.

This is terrific to see, on all fronts.  These three companies, among others, are expanding the size of the “pie,” not just trying to protect their own niche.  Barcodes, Image Recognition and NFC will all be increasingly major factors in creating seamless and intuitive bridges to mobile engagement.

It’s great to see the focus on increasing the quality and quantity of User Engagements.

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

The Cereal Aisle: Flashing Lights or Conversation?

February 1, 2011 By

This post caught our attention:

http://calorielab.com/news/2011/01/13/fulton-innovation-and-ecoupled-ces-2011/

Specifically, the “light up cereal boxes” of the “future!” — This envisions (delivers) a future where visual, digital triggers are even more all-pervasive than the vision of BLADE RUNNER.

It’s cool.  It’s clever.  It will get my attention once or twice — But, end of the day, it’s NOISE.  I will learn to filter it out.

“Conversation” is quieter.  It is opt-in.  It is signal, not noise.

It can be like a whisper, where someone must lean-forward and actually engage.

Now, if the conversation could trigger a light-show or indoor fireworks show, perhaps that would be the best of both worlds — but, we continue to believe that in-store (to mobile) should start with a conversation.

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

New Year. . .New Features. . .Conversational Mobile Marketing Evolves

January 28, 2011 By

That was quite a lag in blog posts. The Holidays took over (after an exceptionally busy December, in part, due to the consumer-facing MySantaTalk app); then, CES (yes, lots of tablets and 3D TV, but, in general, not the most exciting CES; some work in mobile health felt pretty substantial and game changing).

What’s up here?

We’ve realized that the perception of our platform is more “how do we compare to apps?” than “how do we compare to text messaging?” — The inclusion of rich media elements in our content, really, remove us from the text-communication space, even though that is the core of our platform.

To that end, we are in the process of enhancing the overall design and user navigation of the mobile web interactive chat experience. Watch for updates throughout Q1.

In the interim, as MySantaTalk prepares to take a rest for the year — There’s a short, mobile web, demo that features our favorite fictional brand character: Capn’ Wag — As a demo of fun, intelligent packaging for kids, we hope you enjoy. Access is found on: http://contentai.com/demos/capnwag Or, just scan the QR code below:

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

Our Conversational AI Holiday App Gets a Shoutout – My Santa Talk

December 12, 2010 By

We appreciate the post from @textually for our MY SANTA TALK property that’s in the public wild’s for the Holidays.  To clarify, only the URL is sent via SMS.  The interactive chat and story is mobile web only (so that it includes graphics and video)…

Here’s the Link and the write up:

Thanks Emily!

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

Why Mobile Virtual Agents Matter — Shoppers Prefer Smartphones to Store Associates

December 10, 2010 By

The headline from MOBILE COMMERCE – INTERNET RETAILER says it all:

Shoppers would rather use smartphones than consult store associates, survey finds

http://www.internetretailer.com/2010/12/06/shoppers-would-rather-use-smartphones-store-associates

This was based on “archive and search” solutions, not our drill-down and deliver contextually relevant information via “conversation.”  Which, we believe will extend this user preference.

It’s an excellent indication for our business that virtual clerks and mobile engagement with contextually relevant conversational experiences will be part of everyone’s typical shopping experience in the very near future.

That said, we feel that Retailers should find a method to balance and use “live” Store associates in an entirely new blend of virtual/smartphone and human engagement.  BEST BUY’S @twelpforce initiative that’s gone on for over a year is an interesting model to consider; however, our position is that the @twelpforce knowledge should be automated and constantly updated, so that an “ultimate” virtual sales associate could handle the online and mobile, and the humans could concentrate on the real world engagements.

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

Nice To Be Noticed – QR, Virtual Character and Chat “Firsts”

November 19, 2010 By

We really appreciate receiving feedback and suggestions — And, it’s also nice to get mentions about our efforts.  We recently launched our http://mysantatalk.com Holiday interactive chat/story — And, we also used it as our Holiday Greeting to friends, business associates and Partners.

We hadn’t really thought about this being a “first” in terms of using QR for a Holiday greeting – thanks Helen for the mention — coming from one of the most innovative digital storytellers out there, it’s appreciated…

Looking for the QR Tag?

Happy Holidays.

Filed Under: AI and Twitter, AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, mobile marketing, Transmedia Content and AI, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Happy Holidays — My Santa Talk Unwrapped

November 10, 2010 By

It’s both a B2B “hello” — And, an example of mobile web entertainment for consumer-facing engagement:

http://mysantatalk.com

For direct access to the interactive narrative adventure story — complete with graphics, animation AND video.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, holiday mobile marketing, iPad, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

conversational AI = conversational analytics. What the Brand Gets.

November 6, 2010 By

We always focus on the User Experience first.  If that fails.  Nothing works.

But, when User Experience shines, that inherently adds value to a Brand.  In terms of other tangible value back to the Brand, using our SHOPGIRL DEMO as an example, the Brand derives “conversational analytics.”

In a very short exchange, here is the Data the brand derives:

If you look at the simple chat engagement with SHOPGIRL below — What does the Brand discover?

*  Whether Users are frequent customers (perhaps related to another campaign)?
*  What are Users favorite colors?
*  Do Users like the new line of clothing colors?
*  What is the main item people are shopping for that day?

That information is derived through friendly conversation, without forms and polls and boxing Users into fixed responses.

First, the User Experience is engaging, personal and the User gets a value specific to their interests.

But, next, the Brand gets a satisfied customer and a nice portrait as well.  Without invading their privacy (as this is anonymous user data).

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

QR and 2D Mobile Early Adopters? Start @ Age 5. Target’s Holiday Campaign

November 3, 2010 By

This was a fascinating post in Barcode.com:

http://www.barcode.com/QR-codes-and-2D/how-target-is-making-history-with-toys-and-qr-codes.html

With regard to TARGET’S Christmas catalog and a 5-year old’s quick and easy engagement via QR codes.

The article is correct that this concept should “go further.”  It’s right in line with our interactive story and character engagement platform, where we have always seen kids as being a group who would take to mobile conversational stories readily.  So, hopefully, next year, these kind of campaigns will include the child being able to “talk to the toy,” or to a doll, via mobile, as well as find hidden videos and images.  Creating a more personal engagement (that is still private and secure) will add real value to the “play” experience associated with the toys.

Filed Under: Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, Mobile, QR TAgs, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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