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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Conversational AI – Wide Ranging Applications

December 7, 2010 By

Today was one of those days when the human conversations about “conversational AI” spanned a very wide range.

Interestingly, our MY SANTA TALK application works well as an example for both intelligent packaging and brand customer relations as well as for conversational mLearning, particularly ESL (See our ESL initiatives at:  http://ESLai.com).  Our SHOPGIRL application also is a terrific example of a very concise engagement that can work for both commercial and educational applications.

As we see sessions running from 8-19 minutes on the MY SANTA TALK app,  clearly, we’re engaging and holding the user’s attention.  Our original projections were that 5 minutes would be the maximum mobile web engagement period.  We were wrong.

We haven’t posted anything recently about mLearning — Our ESLai.com site has not been migrated over to mobile web applications — but, one of the primary reasons we embarked on mobile web delivery was around mLearning — the ability to incorporate graphics and video easily within the interactive chat creates a complete learning experience.

More updates soon.

Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Friendly machines, mobile marketing, 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: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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: , , , , , , , , ,

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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

conversational AI, virtual characters and “storied engagement” – more benefits

October 19, 2010 By

While we don’t have a dedicated section on our web site (yet) to how conversational AI can add to consumer insight gathering, however,  it is an inherent benefit of our platform.

This quote is specific to how “storied engagement” adds even more value:

“Asking consumers to write stories allows the benefit of context and adjective generation when it comes to finding out how they relate to a brand, product or category.”

The full blog post on Consumer Insight is well worth reading and found HERE.

It concludes with:

“Get more bang for your research buck by allowing consumers to work harder and be creative.”

In many respects, our conversational AI, story platform makes “working harder” more fun.  Text based “conversations” are “harder work” than checking off a couple of boxes on a form or survey — But, it’s also a chance for the consumer to express themselves, in a manner and style they are most comfortable with (text based mobile conversations).

We like the combination of anonymity combined with archived chat logs.  We get a lot of insight into the real feelings of those who engage with the virtual characters we create.

Allowing users/consumers to become part of the story making process is integral to the design and function of the contentAI platform.


Filed Under: AI conversation, AI conversational network, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents 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: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Retail, Marketing and Entertainment – Storied Engagement and Virtual Characters

October 11, 2010 By

After a couple of weeks of being very focused on technology, platforms, compatibility, integration, pricing. . .

Well, it was refreshing to reach a LINKEDin Discussion today from @GavinJohnston a business anthropologist, who reminded us of “why” we created our platform and “why” we enjoy the work so much.

It’s about story and entertainment.  Sure, it’s about a lot of other things as well.  But, at it’s heart, we have a story and virtual character engine that’s, well, fun and entertaining.

These lines stood out:

“…entertainment and a memorable in-store experience probably have more to do with a sale than the product…”


“The retail environment is essentially an expansive, immersive media platform”


“The products may mean less than the underlying value of “story” being told.”


This is not intended to demean the value of the product – particularly, once it’s been purchased, used and enjoyed.   But, the in-store experience for customers is not always logical and rational.  It is emotional.

Emotions are best reached through story.

UPDATE: The discussion thread resulted in a follow up from @GavinJohnston that should be included here:

Increasing sales revolves around more than getting people in the store, it involves getting them to think of the store as a destination and thinking of it as a “Place” rather than a “Space.” Place comes into existence when humans give meaning to a part of the larger, undifferentiated space. One of the most affective ways to do this is to incorporate people into an experience and directly involve them in the story.



Filed Under: AI conversation, Brands and Mobile, Conversational AI, Introduction, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WAP Chat and Rich Media = Best of Mobile Marketing

October 5, 2010 By

People use their mobile devices to engage in text-based conversations — all day long (some, hundreds of times per day).

Brands like images and interactive graphics.  Some even like video still!

WAP chat with in-chat stream graphics (including audio and video) is a winning combination.  It’s the best of all worlds.

Please take it for a spin on our WAP chat demo that we’ve just released:

http://contentAI.com/demos/retaildemo


Filed Under: AI and Twitter, Brands and Mobile, Mobile, mobile marketing, Virtual Agents, WAP Chat Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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