Mall Bluetooth Campaign Fail - Bluetooth Advertising and Proximity Marketing News

I definitely don't have much time to write today, so I'll keep it short and sweet.

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I headed down to the local mall for shopping and mostly to allow our girls to run off some energy at the indoor playground. While at the mall, I walked past a sign that spun me around for a closer look. It said "you've entered a Blue Zone. Activate your Bluetooth to receive specials, blah, blah, blah."

The problem: I was almost certainly the only person within the Southeast U.S. that knew what the little Bluetooth B symbol referred to and what the poster was all about. No large banners; no video screens; just a couple of bland signs telling you to turn on something to receive something else.

Unlike the UK mall Bluetooth campaigns linked to the right of this column, the folks at my local capitalist monument completely failed. I'm sure that the command (and the posters) came down from the corporate offices on high with little or no instruction. Hence, mall Bluetooth campaign fail.

Perhaps their next Bluetooth campaign could feature at least an LCD display showing folks the basic steps to turning on and receiving content and perhaps an actual picture of the priceless content to be received in exchange for opening your Bluetooth soul to The Man.

Gotta run...

Bluetooth 3.0 and Bluetooth Advertising - Bluetooth Advertising and Proximity Marketing Blog

If you've got your ear to the ground on tech tools & gadgets or you're an ad exec pondering Bluetooth advertising, you no doubt caught the late April release of Bluetooth 3.0. Nutshell version: the big leap forward in this latest, greatest Bluetooth specification is the lightning fast transfer rates that will soon be possible. Check out this article for a great synopsis.

Bluetooth 3.0 will open incredible doors for Bluetooth advertisers. Before 3.0, you could go to a U2 concert and download a ringtone or text to enter a contest. Soon you'll be able to download their entire new album to your cell phone! On Bluetooth 2.1, you could attend Tech Ed and snag small, "download-friendly" program to try and later upgrade. Soon you'll be able to opt for the fully-functional version of the latest Blackberry goodie!

But what about existing Bluetooth 2.1 and earlier equipment? Will Bluetooth 2.1 owners soon be in possession of their own Commodore 64 redux? Not as far I this blogger can see. As the above article mentions, firmware updates moving devices from 2.1 to 3.0 should be readily available as Bluetooth 3.0 products hit the market later this year and into 2010.

T-Mobile to Trial Bluetooth Marketing in UK - Bluetooth Advertising and Proximity Marketing Blog

In search of new customers during this global economic downturn, T-Mobile is set to trial Bluetooth marketing in U.K. retail locations. As this quick article reports, T-Mobile will ping shoppers with special offers and more.

As the article further reports, the T-Mobile campaign will also test the waters on Bluetooth advertising to folks who have not previously demonstrated--either by attending a special event or attraction--their interest in the content at-hand. And this is where I believe the T-Mobile campaign will go off the tracks.

Why annoy people and invite the wrath of regulators with content aimed at no one in particular? Why not rather ping folks in T-Mobile stores, who have already shown interest in T-Mobile's products by walking into their store?

And instead of sending out lame coupons and discounts--who are the ad wizards that came up with that one?--how about a free HiFi Ringer or CallerTune?

Bluetooth advertising is a highly effective targeted marketing tool, not a mass market medium for pinging unsuspecting folks with mobile billboards. Unfortunately, the T-Mobile marketers that dreamed up this campaign will prove initially successful--driven largely by fascination with the new advertising medium not actual interest in T-Mobile offerings. But then the magic cloud will wear thin and customers will just avoid the T-Mobile end of the mall.

As many of the articles linked on our blog report, targeted Bluetooth marketing can be incredibly successful, especially compared to print and broadcast advertising. Mass market Bluetooth campaigns are destined to fall flat, as T-Mobile gurus will soon discover.

Northern Ireland Bluetooth Advertising Campaign - Bluetooth Advertising and Proximity Marketing Blog

I've obviously been remiss in publishing more Bluetooth case studies. A thousand apologies and a promise to post more consistently.

First up, coverage of an anti-drunk driving campaign in Northern Ireland.

This campaign is especially smart because it adheres to one of the chief maxims of effective Bluetooth marketing campaigns--collateral advertising included. Not only will Northern Ireland revelers receive Bluetooth alerts, they'll also see anti-drunk driving advertising in pub restrooms and even glowing boxes in main gathering areas.

Bluetooth Advertising Derails Binge Drinking - Bluetooth Advertising and Proximity Marketing Blog

Bluetooth advertising continues to be used in new and exciting ways, including serving the public good. Check out this article on efforts to use Bluetooth marketing to limit binge drinking in the U.K. Think of all the uses for Bluetooth proximity marketing in your neck of the woods.

Photo credit: Gencia

IMAX Theaters Jump Into Bluetooth - Bluetooth Advertising and Proximity Marketing Blog

Check out this short article about IMAX Theaters' Bluetoothing. Their efforts follow the maxims of Bluetooth advertising--target audience, relevant/cool content, coherent call-to-action.

Now if only they can Bluetooth me the latest Batman movie...

Bluetooth Advertising Success Among the Technologically Challenged - Bluetooth Advertising and Proximity Marketing Blog

Obviously it's been a long time since I posted. Forgive me for that and check out this short article from MobilePedia on a recent Bluetooth campaign at a medical convention in Brazil. Note that the link is a translation of the original Portuguese article.

Pay special attention to the closing comment about the travails Bluetooth marketing to medical professionals. Their success might bode well for strategic efforts among other techno-averse groups.