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What Next For NFC?

Posted on: January 19th, 2012 by

NFC or QR codes

A few months ago we wrote that it seemed QR codes had come to life just in time to get killed off by NFC. Now at the start of 2012 it looks like this may have been a bad call.

Those lucky enough to be at CES recently reported that NFC was nowhere to be found. Moreover QR codes are becoming ever more frequently used by brands in advertising and marketing campaigns. (some very very badly it has to be said)

So why hasn’t NFC taken off, after all it’s a great simple technology, useful for a whole range of mobile applications – as a discovery method for content. for micro payments  for real world goods, for tracking people through busy spots like airports and so on. And maybe that’s part of the problem, NFC hasn’t found a killer use, everybody thinks it will be payments but that space is crowded, complicated and fraught with multiple players with competing agendas.

It may have been content discovery, Nokia did some good work here, with its NFC Hub (http://www.nfc-hub.com/) but then went and released its most promising range of smart phones without NFC.

And actually there is another problem, lack of devices. NFC is not like a QR code reader it can’t, sensibly, be installed post purchase. Few manufacturers boast a top or middle range device with built in NFC (and those that do don’t shout about it)

So we’re left with a nice technology that’s all dressed up with no where to go. No consumer demand for the coolest new thing, no big marketing budget pushing it down our throats whether we want it or not.

What next for NFC?

Posted in Mobile, Technical | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A simple guide to using Twitter for Customer Service

Posted on: December 9th, 2011 by

Really it’s hard to think of a consumer facing brand or company that shouldn’t be following these simple steps, even for the smallest business or shop. Imagine someone standing on your street corner with a placard and a megaphone shouting about how bad, (or good) your business was. I’m certain you would go out there and talk to them. Now imagine someone is doing that on the internet, and you don’t even know they’re there. And, worse still, it’s not just people in your street that can see or hear them, it’s everyone in the connected world. And you still don’t even know they’re there.

To take charge of your online reputation and not offer a great service to your customers, you need to remember and do a few simple things:

  1. Monitor your company and brand mentions. Most Twitter apps let you track searches for keywords in real time so when you’re brand is mentioned, you get notified instantly and have the chance to react quickly.
  2. Reply quickly, and always reply. Twitter is known for its speedy and steady flow of information. So when someone talks to you, talk back and do it quickly. Thank those that promote you and contact those with issues.
  3. Get the conversation going. Ask for feedback on new products, re-tweet helpful links or even just engage in small talk with those than mention you. For better engagement, send DMs to followers (not automated ones) or contact users via email, chat or over the phone.
  4. Be transparent. The internet abhors secrets and outs those fairly quickly. Keep your tweets public and if a big issue arises, openly acknowledge it and take action. And if you need to clarify a misinterpreted tweet, do so.
  5. Build trust then promote. Everyone knows you’re online to promote but do so only after you’ve built up a reputation. Think of it as proactive customer service and pleasing customers even before they purchase.
  6. Apologise. We all stumble so before things become a PR nightmare, apologise quickly and publicly.
Although written mostly with Twitter in mind the same principles apply to all online content, Facebook, blogs, forums etc. Spend a few minutes a week keeping an eye on them and react accordingly.
Think of it as taking a cup of tea out to the guy with the megaphone, you never know, he may just become a fan of yours.
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Mobile Thoughts on Black Friday

Posted on: November 25th, 2011 by

So today is Black Friday. A term which means virtually nothing this side of the pond but has grown in usage and significance in the US over the past few years and is starting to be heard a little in the UK.

The term Black Friday is used to describe the day after Thanksgiving which has traditionally been the busiest shopping day of the year for retailers. Shops open early, often in the middle of the night, and shoppers are out in big numbers. Opinions differ as to why it’s called ‘Black’ Friday but our favourite explanation is that it is the day of the year when retailers finally move into profit or ‘into the black’

So Black Friday is all about shoppers, ‘real’ ones, out in hats and scarves walking the streets. But what about online shoppers or mobile shoppers? Well we had Mega Monday (Cyber Monday for our American cousins) earlier this week. It may have passed you by unnoticed but Monday was meant to be the day that online shoppers spending reached its annual peak, estimated to be £424m in a single day just in the UK.

The total UK online spend in 2011 is estimated at £13b, mobile shopping is already estimated to be 12% of this figure. So that means, with a quick bit of maths, that just over £50m was spent on mobile shopping in the UK last Monday.

Can you really afford for your company to not have a mobile retail strategy?

Posted in Mobile | Tagged , | 1 Comment

What’s Next For TV Advertising?

Posted on: September 22nd, 2011 by

If you’ve been watching less and less TV these days, you’re not alone. Blame it on the countless other forms of entertainment readily available to us, from social networking and games to YouTube and web videos. As people shift to other screens for entertainment and information, one big question comes to mind: are we really entering the post-TV era?

The numbers seem to indicate otherwise. In the UK, total television viewing hours has been increasing 6% year on year. To put it in an online perspective, the total time the UK spent on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter was just half of the total viewing time for TV.

Advertising on TV is another thing though. Forrester forecasts that online ad spending will overtake television advertising by 2016. It’s not happening any time soon, but advertisers are slowly trying out other advertising avenues like social and mobile. Let’s look at a few ways this will play out:

  • Ads will begin to target and engage viewers more and more. With televisions becoming smarter and getting access to the web, direct interaction with shows will become the norm. IPTV will be the culmination of this, where viewers and networks will finally be able to truly interact with each other.
  • Use of mobile marketing for TV will grow. A study by Yahoo revealed that 86% of mobile internet users use their devices while watching TV. Beyond SMS, apps like GetGlue and IntoNow are letting viewers “check-in” to shows that they are watching. So while people aren’t as mindful of their TV, advertisers can still push ads through mobile.
  • Mobile TV will be the new TV. Viewing TV on the smallest screen will soon be a reality with the switch over to digital for many countries. Advertising in this medium will be different though, something the networks should remember well.
  • Embedded ads will be more popular. The best way to get a message across is to push it to as many screens as possible. But as the video is spread to different sites, regular advertising will have a difficult time following the content, which where product placements, sponsored videos and embedded ads come in.
So not the end of TV advertising, not by a long way, but there will be a new new way of doing it. Contextually aware advertising will arrive, it will be less and less common for viewers to sit on a sofa soaking up the adverts being pushed at them on broadcast channels,  IPTV will find a purpose, and the word ‘mobile’ won’t be far from anyones lips.
Posted in Agency, Brands, TV | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

SMS is Undead

Posted on: September 7th, 2011 by

 

The signs of its demise seem evident. People are starting to switch to free messaging alternatives like Facebook’s Messenger and Twitter, or apps like Kik and Beejive. Or they may be opting for more secure services like BBM from Research In Motion. It doesn’t help that operators are cutting people off from unlimited texting plans.

So is SMS really dead? Not quite yet, but it might be getting there, according to this report. But unlike the eventual demise of the telegraph, texting will be here to stay.

The reason is simple: it’s the easiest way for brands to directly communicate with a wide audience, transcending barriers like access to computers and internet connectivity. People also know that SMS just works and they don’t need to learn to use yet another piece of technology just to vote for their favorite reality show contestant.

What’s more, everyone accepts that people are often tuned into SMS and respond to them fairly quickly. Let’s face it, when have you really ignored a text? Everyone at least reads the first line before looking away.

Brands and organizations will continue to use SMS to reach people but for person-to-person communication, it’s another thing altogether. Everyone is free to choose the avenue they are most comfortable with, be it Twitter DMs, Facebook messages or BBMs. What’s going to happen is that companies like Google and Apple will start aggregating all your communications into one neat bundle, making it easier to handle all the messages you receive while still letting you use your favorite app or service.

So don’t close down those text messaging campaigns just yet. You can always adapt to the next new thing if and when it rolls around. What’s important is that your message is well received and responded to, not how it is sent.

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Thanks Steve.

Posted on: August 25th, 2011 by

Steve Jobs leaves Apple today.

So Steve Jobs is standing down as CEO of Apple, not news to any of you I’m sure.  Much has been talked about the possible impact on Apple going forward but this post is not about that.

Actually I just wanted to say ‘thanks Steve’. He made uncool stuff cool, he helped us do stuff we couldn’t do before and made us want to talk about it with our mates. Can you think of anyone else in history that has had such a profound affect on so many industries? Steve, and his companies have been largely responsible for profound changes in the music, computer, mobile phone and and the film industry (it’s often forgotten that Jobs was also CEO of Pixar and following their acquisition by Disney is still the largest single shareholder in The Walt Disney Co, owning something like 7% of the company)

I’m sure he’s aggressive and egotistical but even that single minded focus on getting it right, and doing it simply and with beauty have served him and us well.

My favourite Steve Jobs story – The iDVD one. Apple had bought a German software outfit and had asked them to work on the product that would later become iDVD. Their engineers spent days working on menus, mock ups, options and wireframes. Come the day of the meeting Steve didn’t even look at them, he walked over to the whiteboard and drew a rectangle. “It’s got one window. You drag your video into the window. Then you hit the button that says Burn. That’s what we’re going to make’. End of meeting. Genius.

So the business world is a little bit emptier today, thanks Steve for all your stuff. Be well.

(this article was inspired by a short Seth Godin blog)

 

 

 

Posted in Apple | 1 Comment

What You Need To Create Your Own Social Media Guidelines

Posted on: August 23rd, 2011 by

Are you using social media properly? Like all things online, social media can backfire if you don’t use it the right way. Reputations can be lost, brands can be burned and marketing campaigns can be ruined, even just a single misplaced tweet.

What you need is a set of guidelines that will help your company leverage social to its advantage while avoiding its pitfalls.  To help you in creating your own social media guidelines, I’ve gathered the best ones and distilled the core values within them. Use these values in crafting policies for your own workplace.

BE ETHICAL: It’s not enough to follow the law; you also need to be morally in the right. Everything you put is public and permanent, so act accordingly.

  • Keep in mind your company’s code of conduct
  • Always use your best judgment before responding online.

BE RESPECTFUL: Conduct yourself online the same way you would in the real world.

  • Avoid negative comments about other people or companies.
  • Don’t put your employer in a bad light.

BE PRODUCTIVE: Add to the conversation, not the other way around.

  • Share important news and information that people need to know.
  • Remember that before social media, your job comes first.

BE TRANSPARENT: Disclose your affiliations to gain trust and respect.

  • State your affiliations and add disclaimers, if needed.
  • Use “me” and “I” to show that this is your personal opinion, not that of your company.

BE HUMBLE: It’s been said that if you put yourself last, you will be first. This applies pretty well in social media.

  • Be the first to admit and correct mistakes.
  • Don’t overstep your bounds.

BE FACTUAL: Increase your credibility and respect by stating only verifiable facts.

  • Back up statements with proof.
  • Don’t speculate on company plans or reveal confidential info.

If you want to browse actual social media policies, check out the ones compiled by this site which includes those from BT, Reuters and the UK Government itself.

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Why Are Branded Apps not Working?

Posted on: July 11th, 2011 by

This post has in truth been mostly created already by an article we read in the Guardian, you can find it here

Guardian – Branded Apps Fail 

But it resonated so well with us that we had to share it. The articles makes some interesting pints about why Branded Apps receive relatively low numbers of downloads. We do think there’s a wider point here as well though, which is what is success? If 1000 people end up carrying round your brand on their phone and engaging with it regularly as a result of what, in media terms, would be a relatively low outlay, could that at the very least be the start of a successful campaign?

But the main point is about the promotion of the app itself. Too many brands have a fire and forget attitude to apps. In the past we’ve called it both ‘Tick Box Marketing’ and ‘i-Syndrome’. ‘Quick, build an iPhone app and get it out there, I’ve passed my annual goals and the CEO has something to talk about at dinner’

Apps and mobile in particular should be so much more than this. Mobile is being short changed.

The use of Mobile in Marketing neither starts, nor ends, with an App.

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Why do iTunes and the App Store Exist?

Posted on: June 15th, 2011 by

 

The answer to this question may seem obvious, to help Apple sell music and apps and therefore for them to make money from those sales right? No, not right in fact. At a recent session Catchy had with Vision Mobile they talked about the eco systems some of the big internet players are creating and why they do so, the answers may be a little surprising.

Let’s start with a different one, Amazon. A couple of years ago Amazon released the Kindle, a fantastic e-book reading device, the second generation of this device is promoted front and centre of Amazon.com . They clearly sell in their thousands and given the relatively simple technology they contain (black and white non touch screens for example) they almost certainly make a very healthy margin on the units themselves.

So why then, is there a Kindle App, available for free, on iPhone, iPad, Android etc etc? Bringing you exactly the same capabilities, sometimes even slightly enhanced features (eg swipe to turn the page) on ‘competitor’ devices. This cannot help sales of the Kindle. The answer is that the Kindle exists not to make money in its own right but rather to help Amazon in its core business – Sell books.

The same is true of iTunes and the App store, Apple net revenues from these channels are very small when compared to Apple revenue from hardware. They exist purely to develop the eco system, an effort to create a one source world for all my communication, entertainment and information needs. The recent iCloud product announcement makes this point even clearer. iCloud is free (except the matches music service) its purpose is to further entangle us in the Apple web.

So, Apple is all about hardware, Google is search, Amazon is products. The one we are struggling with is Facebook, is it all about advertising?  We don’t think so, there doesn’t appear to be much appetite for big media spend on Facebook ads, most seem to agree this model is flawed in some way.  Is it virtual currency? Pay real money for Facebook credits in order to get a bigger tractor on Farmville, maybe.  It’s a tough question  - What’s the commercial point of Facebook?

 

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QR codes come to life just in time to be killed by NFC

Posted on: May 26th, 2011 by

 

There’s an awful lot of talk about using NFC (Near Field Communications) as a way of discovering content, accessing mobile sites or paying for coffee, tickets etc.

The experience is, in theory, very simple, anyone that has used an Oyster card in London has already done it. Just tap and go. Many devices next year, including offerings from Blackberry, Samsung and Nokia will have embedded NFC chips.

But seeing this poster at Bath station, made me think about the much maligned QR code.

QR Code poster

QR Code Poster at Bath Spa station

Why did these guys never catch on? The kids thought it was ‘cool’ both able to download readers in a few minutes on their respective devices (Nokia N8 and Blackberry Bold) and, very quickly they had the desired train timetable on their phones.

Are QR codes now, finally entering the mainstream (I mean if First Great Western are using them…) , but where would you use one where you would not use NFC given that the end result is very similar?

It would be ironic if the QR code finally broke through now, just as it seems it will be swallowed up by NFC, another ‘old dog’ technology that looks like it’s also about to get its day in the sun.

 

www.catchymonkey.com

 

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