Monday, March 30, 2009

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.

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