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Using QR Codes for Sweepstakes Entry: Easy for Marketers, but Hard for Consumers!

Wednesday, January 16th, 2013

That’s me at a Sedano’s Supermarket trying to scan a QR code from a Coca Cola display. Although the QR code image in the display seems prominent, I’m on my tippy toes. It seems to be the only way to scan the code and a few people around me were staring.

Here I’m trying to enter the Nature’s Own “Big Green Giveaway” for a ceramic grill. I’m squatting and pointing and waiting for the QR reader to decipher the code. This process takes about 30 seconds and it’s embarrassing to squat there waiting for it to take me to a page with an entry from.

And the same exercise is happing here for the Florida’s Lottery sweepstakes.

All of these companies want you to use your mobile device to enter or at least start the entry process and that, in theory, is a great idea. At this point more than half of the US population has smartphones, which are capable of scanning QR codes.

Capable of scanning a QR code does not mean functional

Where these companies fail is in the integration of mobile into the real world of the consumer shopping experience. As you can see, scanning these codes require first a smartphone, then a QR code app to decode the QR code, along with the muscle flexibility and willingness to embarrass yourself in public for the sake of a QR scan.

They are spending lots of money designing, printing and placing ads for the sweepstakes without realizing that the real world experience of scanning a QR code from a display is pretty awful. And worst of all, none of the ads have a website address so if I can’t squat or scan, I can’t enter the sweepstakes online either.

Easy for marketers, but what about consumers?

Part of the problem lies in the nature of QR codes. Since QR codes are free to make and simple to produce, marketers can simply slap a code on the ad, display or package and say, “Now we are doing mobile” and go home satisfied with their work. Failing to see how it plays out in the physical world means they miss out many more entries to the contest.

What about making the QR code easier to scan by placing it in a better, more accessible place? This would help, but in reality displays aren’t always displayed as intended and the consumer still has a few hurdles. They have to first understand what the QR code is and what they’re supposed to do with it, have a QR reader app on their smartphone and finally, be willing and able to scan it in public. When was the last time you scanned a QR code? The average consumer has never scanned a QR code in his life, much less owned a QR reader.

Adoption rate isn’t there yet

But do you know what kind of mobile technology they are very familiar with? You guessed it… text messages. According to Pew Internet, currently 79% of cell phone owners use text. Compare this to 9% of adults in the US who have used a QR code, according to eMarketer. Instead of asking consumers to literally bend, squat, stretch and risk looking like a weirdo, why don’t companies simply ask the consumer to send a text message? Anyone can read and comfortably send a text privately. The system can respond with an entry confirmation or a link to a mobile entry form. Done! Barriers removed for the consumer and more sweepstakes entries for the marketer. Pet Supermarket has it right. Budwesier has it right as well.

 

The beauty of text

The beauty of using text for a sweepstakes entry is that it makes the process simple, fast and a lot more fun. Each mobile phone number is unique and serves as the identifier for the winner. Plus text entries come with an awesome benefit for marketers. They capture the most important number in a customer’s life… their mobile phone. Texting in a sweepstakes entry is the fastest and most effective way to open the door to communicating with the mobile consumer. With permission granted, the company can now directly reach that consumer with additional products or relevant offers and, more importantly, to notify them if they win.

PS: To be fair to Sedano’s Supermarkets and Coca Cola, the contest rules’ fine print on the boxes says you can scan, visit a URL or text in your entry. But consumers shouldn’t have to squint their eyes and read the fine print to see this.

 

Do you scan QR codes? Tell me on Facebook, Twitter or email me at marcos@momares.com

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Wait A Minute… I Have No Say On This?

Thursday, September 27th, 2012


I pick up my electric tooth brush and grab the toothpaste tube. I flip the cap and spread the toothpaste on the bristles. Suddenly, I stop, focused on the tube’s cap. The paste has smeared around the edge of the cap and dried, building itself into toothpaste mortar that prevents the cap from closing and causing the tooth paste to ooze out.

One thought scrolls across my mind like an electronic store’s sign… “I hate this flip top cap!” This makes me ask myself, “Why then did I buy this kind of toothpaste?”

A single thought hits me, “Wait, I didn’t buy this toothpaste.” I’m relieved, but not for long. “Oh, no,” I think, as I answer my own question. “My wife buys the toothpaste.” At that moment I have a time-warping revelation: I have no say whatsoever when it comes to toothpaste or other purchases. My head drops in disappointment.

You see, when it comes to products like toothpaste, garbage bags, hand soap and, for that matter, all household items, my wife makes the purchase decision. Yet, I use them all. I brush my teeth, throw the garbage out and wash the dishes (once in a while) and I have no say when it comes to the products I’m using.

Although I’m a bit disillusioned, I’m sure I don’t want to go shopping for them. All I want is for the garbage bag to hold as much garbage as humanly possible before I close it. I don’t care if it smells like Febreeze®. I want my toothpaste not to cake around the edge of the cap, but my wife prefers that the cap doesn’t get lost and buys the flip cap. I don’t care if the dishwashing soap smells like coconut and key limes. I just want it to remove grease as fast as possible. If I had a choice, I would use red biohazard garbage bags for the kitchen trash and enriched plutonium to lather the dishes, as long as it cleaned them faster.

But that’s just it, it’s not my choice. Like it or not, my wife does shopping for all household items. That’s why manufacturers add lilac sent to garbage bags, watermelon color to dishwashing soap and flip-tops to toothpaste caps. They know it’s mostly women who buy the household goods. They know moms are concerned with the way the garbage smells in the kitchen and that their kids don’t lose toothpaste caps.

Good marketers know that product users aren’t always the product buyers. Yet as marketers, we sometimes fail to see that the intended user is not the actual customer for the product. Yes, it’s a marketing paradox-one that is often ignored.

Always keep the ultimate decision maker in mind. Design your product for the end user, but sell them to the buyer. Excuse me; I have to finish brushing me teeth now.

Same thing in your house? Tell me on Facebook, or email me at marcos@momares.com

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20 Ways to Find Out if You are a Closet Marketer

Friday, August 24th, 2012


I believe we are all marketers. Regardless of what you do for a living, you have had to convince someone or “sell” something.

We all have to present a compelling emotional and/or rational argument to get our way, whether it’s for an idea, product, service or simply to get someone to follow along. So, I believe we are all marketers in the end.

The question now is… are you in the “closet” about it? It’s OK if you are. I have many friends who are in the marketing closet.

It’s time to do some soul searching. Try to discover and embrace your inner marketer with the next 20 points. Keep a mental record of the ones you agree with below and see what the analysis chart says about your marketing tendencies.

You must be a marketer…

1. If you drive on the freeway and read all the billboards.

2. If you don’t automatically filter out ads and like to read them or watch them on TV.

3. If you immediately recognize when you have an “impulse buy” impulse.

4. If you read the fine print on coupons.

5. If you wonder how junk mail still provides a return on investment, but set a budget aside for direct mail campaigns.

6. If you are so drawn in to TV ads, you forget which show you’re watching.

7. If beautiful packaging catches your eye, even though you have no use for the product.

8. If your ears screech when you hear annoying radio ads from car dealerships, but know that with enough repetition people will remember them.

9. If you’re nauseated by the annoying TV ads from car dealerships, but forgive them because you know they’ll sacrifice quality and creative to spend the budget on as many TV spots possible.

10. If you read subject lines on Spam emails, just to see if you get any good email subject line ideas.

11. If you watch the Super Bowl just for the TV ads.

12. 12. If you buy designer sunglasses knowing that you’re mostly paying for the money the designer spent on branding and are fine with it.

13. If you know creativity has nothing to do with budget, but everything to do with brainpower.

14. If you read marketing books like they were part of the Twilight series.

15. If you see your car’s brand logo on the steering wheel and think, “That’s good brand placement.”

16. If you visit Apple stores not to buy their products but to revel in the beauty of the brand and retail experience.

17. If you’ve thought about the potential branding impact of naming a child with your product’s name.

18. If you wonder whether the toilet paper and moist toilet wipes combination will ever replace dry toilet paper.

19. If you really love coupons.

20. If you offer your kid a 7-Up and he say he’d rather have a Sprite. And you think…damn branding, like Jerry Seinfeld says “Newman”.

Scoring Chart

If you agree with 5 of the above: It’s ok, marketing is in you. Foster it and it will grow.

If you agree with 10 of the above: Are you in a marketing position? If not, consider a new career.

If you agree with 15 of the above: Not only are you a marketer. You’re also a discerning one.

If you agree with all of the above: You and I are marketing soul mates. I embrace you as my significant marketing other and feel sorry for you, as none should be this way…I know.

If you don’t agree with any of the above: Text CLOSET to 65047 to get an analysis of your results. We need to keep your results confidential.

Add your own points or improve on the ones above. Tell me on Facebook, comment on our blog or email me at marcos@momares.com

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What Do You Do? Answer Why Not What!

Monday, June 18th, 2012

So what do you do? That’s pretty much the defacto opening line after meeting someone at a networking function or social gathering, even a kids’ birthday party, like the ones my wife has been forcing me to go to lately.

I go to the parties so my kids never accuse me later of having been an absent parent in an unhappy childhood. I’ll have video evidence so to speak.

Bored parents asking what
Those videos might also be evidence of the usual rituals we go through at these, unfortunately no-beer gatherings, where I get to field the “So what do you do?” line many times. We’re all just trying to gain relief from the boredom that’s interspersed with kid tantrums and bounce-house mishaps.

So now I’m using my parental sacrifices as a way to weave in the main topic of this article, which is how to answer when someone asks you what you do.

Advice from the Executive Safeguarding Your Future
I got good advice from my friend, professor and financial advisor Robert Bull, who’s title is Experienced International Executive Safeguarding Your Future (yes, that’s his real title). He said it’s not what you do that people care about, but why you do it.

The why engages others and helps them take an interest in what you do. In other words, answering what you do with why you do it is the best way to capture someone’s interest.

What’s the why?
“What do you do?” One answer might be, “I own a mattress store.” Ok, that says a lot and at the same time it doesn’t say much. But think about the “why” and you’ll get a much more interesting answer. One like, “I help people wake up feeling like a million bucks.” Now you’re thinking, “What? Tell me more!”

“What do you do?” The guy sitting next to you might say, “I sell insurance.” You might think “Ehh, not interested.” A better answer could be, “I help families protect themselves and their assets. So if something should happen to you, God forbid, I make sure your loved ones are taken care of financially.” You might get “Oh! How?”

“What do you do?” Instead of “I make mobile phone games,” a better and more business-oriented answer is, “I make games that kids can’t stop playing.” You might hear, “Wow, how do you do that and did you design Pong?”

“What do you do?” At one of the birthday parties, a guy wearing steel-toe boots answered, “I’m a contractor.” After inserting the “why,” the answer could have been “I build buildings that save electricity and are more eco-friendly.”

What’s your why?
My point is that what others care about is your value not your actual service. The value you bring to the relationship is what’s in it for your customers. That’s what they care about.

Answering the “why” and “what’s in it for them” applies to any situation, whether you’re meeting another bored parent at a mindless kid party or a prospective customer at an event. The “why” will guide the way.

For help with the “why,” I’ve found the Wow Pitch iPhone app from my friend and communications coach Anne Freedman to be a tremendous tool. It helped me find the “why” when presenting my mobile marketing services to others.

Do you have your “why”? I’d love to hear it. Tell me on Facebook or by email at marcos@momares.com

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Ever Had Your Brother Held For Ransom? Mine Was

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

At 9:44 am on Friday, May 11, 2012, I got a call on my mobile. A voice said, “Your brother has been in an accident. He’s hurt.” “Where?” I asked. A male voice with a heavy Puerto-Rican accent said, “In a gas station and he is hurt pretty bad.” The voice went on to tell me, “He hit my brother’s motorcycle and damaged it and tried to run off.” I asked “Is your brother OK?” He responded, “We have your brother tied up and will not let him go.” “We can pay for the repairs!” I told him. He said, “I don’t know what is going on here, but I was called in to help. He’s tied up and beaten.” “We can repair the motorcycle,” I repeated. His voice was annoyed and aggravated: “Look, this is a kidnap and we want $1,500 now!”

I didn’t know what to think
My thoughts at this point were… My brother lives in Puerto Rico and these guys sound Puerto Rican. Do they know I’m in Miami? Are they physically in Puerto Rico? How am I to pay them? I was starting to get really nervous. My throat was drying up and my hands were shaking a bit. I kept trying to remember what I had heard about express kidnappings. It’s when they kidnap you and take you to an ATM for ransom. It usually happens in other countries.

The negotiation begins
“Are you going to help your brother?” he asked. I said yes and he responded, “Good. Go to an ATM and withdraw $1,500. Can you do that? Do you have that kind of money?” I thought, wait a minute, he wants to negotiate.

He was asking if I had the money, instead of assuming I had it. I said, “No, that’s a lot of money. I would need to transfer…” He cut me off and asked, “Transfer?” I said, “Yes, from one account to another. It can take 3 days.” The kidnapper said, “No, go to the ATM right now and take $600 out.” “The maximum is $500,” I said. His response was “No, its $600!” and he gave me delivery instructions. During all of this, I was frantically calling my brother’s cell phone number from my office line. He didn’t pick up. On my second attempt, I heard what sounded like a pickup, a pause, then a disconnect tone. I called again and it went straight to voice mail. The kidnappers have my brother’s cell phone I thought. I tried my brother’s wife and she didn’t pick up either. The voice said, “Get in your car now and drive to an ATM.” Does this guy know I’m in Miami, I wondered? I couldn’t get him the money physically. I took a bold step and said, “I’m not going anywhere until I speak to my brother.” He didn’t like that. “No. Do as I say!”

I was beyond nervous
“How do I know this isn’t a prank call from a radio station?” I asked. He started laughing condescendingly and told someone with him, “Rafi,” that I thought this was a radio station prank call. Rafi said, “That’s it, I’m going to kill him now.” The voice started shouting “Is this what you want, the death of your brother on your conscience?” At this point, I was beyond nervous, I was scared. I heard Rafi moving and I could hear faint background noise, like a crowd, but I couldn’t make it out. I started pleading, “No, no, no, I will help. Please!” And like in a movie, I braced to hear a gun shot. I told the voice, “Look why kill him, he is useless to you dead and then you’ll have to deal with that problem. I told you I will help.” The voice said, “Go to your car now and drive to an ATM.” All of a sudden, I got a second call on my mobile, from a phone number I didn’t recognize. I asked him “Someone is calling me, can I answer?” “No,” he said. “If you hang up, I will kill him.” As he explained what he wanted me to do, I tried to dial the number that just called, hoping it was my brother’s wife.

“Rafi, get the gun”
The voice then asked, “Who is Marcos Menendez?” I was freaking out by now. The kidnappers must have seen my caller ID on the other phone number and thought I was trying to call out for help. The voice again asked, “Who is Marcos Menendez? Huh? Answer me!” I said “Who? Mendez? I don’t know.” He asked, “Is someone calling you on the other line?” My mobile was flashing with another call, but I said “No, no one. Can’t you see I’m talking to you?” The voice said “I’m tired of playing games with you. I’m going to give the order to execute your brother. I’m done fantasmeando [playing around] with you. Rafi, get the gun.” I started begging, “No, please don’t shoot. I’m on my way to the car right now.” Trying to get a grip on the situation, I asked him, “How do I know you won’t kill me or my brother after I pay you?” His tone of voice changed, from slangy, reggaetonero to reassuring and comforting: “I know you might feel insecure about the exchange. That’s why we will do it at a public place like Winn-Dixie Supermarket.” I went dead cold. They knew I was in Miami. There are no Winn-Dixies in Puerto Rico. They kidnapped my brother in Puerto Rico, I thought, and knew I could pay them in Miami. “What are you doing now?” the voice asked. “Tell me!” I said, “I need to get dressed to go to the ATM.” At this moment, my mind was exactly where they wanted it – in compliance. I was broken, scared and worried about my brother. Fear got the best of me. I dismissed any fleeting, rational thoughts, gathered my keys and proceeded to my car, only to realize it wasn’t there. I forgot my wife needed my car for something that morning.

“We have a problem”
I didn’t know if I should tell the kidnapper I didn’t have a car. I asked, “Can someone else deliver the money?” “If it’s not you, we’ll kill him,” he said. “We have a problem,” I told him. “I don’t have a car.” He got irate, cursed me out and continued to threaten me. I told him not to worry. I could walk to an ATM. At that moment, my mobile phone flashed with another call. It was my brother. I couldn’t resist picking it up. “Is that you?” I asked. My brother answered: “What do you want?” My heart dropped. Oh man, was I relived.

My brother laughed
“You haven’t been kidnapped?” I asked. My brother started laughing. “You got called? It’s a hoax,” he told me. “They’re trying to extort money from you. I’m okay. I was busy with a client. That’s why I didn’t pick up when you called. Tell them to go to hell,” he said. “They tried that on me two years ago.” I heard the click of a disconnected line and remembered I left the kidnapper on hold. Then I got a text message, “Semurio.” Poorly spelled in Spanish: “He’s dead.”

It’s a scam
I later called the FBI to report what happened. They took my information, but the lady nonchalantly said it happens all the time. She would send the report to an agent and I might get a call. I guess it wasn’t of major importance, since no money was involved and no one was really kidnapped. But if the FBI isn’t going to move on this, at least I can let others know. What happened to me is a scam for money. It felt very real and scary to me, but fortunately, it was fabricated. I uncovered various forums and a news article about this scam. I also searched the phone numbers on caller ID from the “kidnappers.” Both numbers, 787-477-0979 and 787-624-4234, have Puerto Rican area codes. My advice is to save those numbers on your phone and if you get called, don’t pick up. I know this is a mobile marketing newsletter where I mostly talk about my business marketing experiences. But I thought this was especially important to share and this was the best way to get the word out to 8,000+ readers.

Ironically (and especially for me), the easiest way to have reached my brother would have been a text message. He would just have replied and the ruse would have been uncovered. Even the criminals thought a text message was a good way to communicate a powerful and direct message. And I can tell you from experience, it worked.

Has this happened to you? Comment on Facebook , or blog.

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A $10 Mistake and a Lesson in Getting Instant Customer Loyalty

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

I hate getting my hair cut. I don’t like having to set up an appointment or waiting at the salon. I also don’t like having my arms locked in place by that thin plastic cape and sitting still under the threat of losing a piece of helix by razor-sharp scissors. Something else I hate… having to think about which cut fits my thinning hair and, worst of all, realizing that my hair is thinning and there’s nothing I can do about it.

So when it’s time to trim the hedges, I try to find the most efficient way to get my lame business-man’s cut. This usually involves Googling for the salon closest to my office.

Google search results: Orquidia Salon

Orquidia Salon seemed to fit my needs, so I called to see if they would take me as a walk-in within the next 10 minutes. To my surprise, they did.

A typical salon with atypical service

Orquidia’s is your typical Miami-Cuban, old-lady salon. There’s nothing avant-garde here, no faux feng-shui décor, snooty model-like receptionist or tattooed-up stylists with names like Extephan or Eriko.

No, none of that. As a matter of fact it’s just the opposite. The owner, Orquidia, is cutting hair and chatting while the rest of the staff, mostly older elegant ladies, are primping, dyeing, plucking, blow drying or spraying earth-unfriendly amounts of hair spray on their customers. Everyone’s talking simultaneously with everyone else, while maintaining a sometimes different conversation with the customer in the chair.

I’m told that Ms. Blanca will cut my hair, but since I didn’t arrive in precisely 10 minutes she had left for coffee. The wait is well worth it though since “going for coffee” means getting Cuban coffee for everyone at the salon. A quick shot of black-gold and I’m in the chair smothered in the gown and wondering how I’ll be able to read emails. What if someone calls? But I get past my mobile phone separation anxiety and Ms. Blanca asks me how I would like my hair cut.

I’m starting to like the lady; she asks me if I have a preference instead of just starting to cut. This is a good idea when it comes to meeting customer expectations. I say “A little off the sides and back. I like the length on top.” To my surprise she does exactly that. I get off the chair with exactly the same look I had when I came in, just shorter. But I’m completely satisfied, heck even happy with my cut because it’s exactly what I asked for.

I complement Ms. Blanca on the cut and she says “If there is something I’ve learned in all my years, it is to listen to the customer. It will be $25 for the cut.” I pay, tip and go on my merry way, satisfied and thinking that I may even come back.

The next morning, I receive a call from Ms. Blanca. She says, “I’m sorry but I overcharged you for the cut. It was supposed to be $15 instead of $25. I pressed the wrong key on the register. Would you like to come by and pick up the difference?”

I couldn’t believe it. The salon is offering to give me money back, knowing full well that I didn’t notice, nor would have noticed. They could have kept the difference, figuring “mistakes happen.” But no, they made an effort to call me to admit the mistake and refund the money. How many businesses do you know would have done that? Really, how many?

This was a unique opportunity for Orquidia Salon to provide excellent service by simply recognizing a mistake and providing an honest resolution before I noticed it. This is better than customer service; it’s taking care of your customer.

How do you handle these opportunities?

Think about the opportunities to take care of your customers. Your service or post-sale process can have small, but significant chances to do the unexpected. And I’m not talking about buying your clients lunch. It can involve going above and beyond or helping your customer find a better solution, even if it’s not your own. My favorite is the simple act of honest feedback, with a genuine desire to help. A simple act of true concern may or may not lead to immediate business, but the customer will notice and remember.

Orquidia Salon and Ms. Blanca may never know what that act meant to me, but she’ll be seeing me once every other month and I’ll be happy to wait. Has this happened to you?

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Case Study: Pet Supply Chain Finds Value in SMS Advertising

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

Retailers and brands can quickly reach their most frequent customers using text-based advertising, however Lipof Advertising creative director Nathan Lowery says businesses that inundate their customers with meaningless marketing messages are actually doing more harm than good. In his experience handling advertising and marketing for Pet Supermarket, a regional pet store chain with 127 outlets in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, Lowery has noticed that customers are less likely to unsubscribe from SMS advertising lists when they’re sent messages that have actual value, like coupons and discount codes.

Tell me about Lipof Advertising’s relationship with Pet Supermarket. How have you helped manage their campaigns?

We have been their advertising agency for about 10 years. We provide all of the print, radio, TV, and digital marketing solutions for them. That includes media placement, and production; everything soup to nuts.

Given that you’ve been working with them for the last decade, what are some of the changes in advertising or media placement that you’ve noticed over that time?

We’re doing more customer retention, which would involve text messaging, Facebook, and direct mail to existing customers. In the past, it was more customer acquisition. We still do a lot of customer acquisition with consumer advertising, but we’re also able to do more targeted messages because we have more data to work with now. [We look at] geographical data, demographic data, and purchase history. [How we get this data] depends on what our objective is. For the purchase history, Pet Supermarket has that data. For the geographical data and household income data, we can buy that when we buy mailing lists. We’re also able to do things a little quicker now that Facebook is instantaneous and text messaging is pretty much instantaneous.

What are some of the challenges that Pet Supermarket has when it comes to customer retention or customer acquisition?

I think one of the main challenges is the competition, because there are a number of other pet supply retailers that carry very similar products or the same products. We try to inform customers that Pet Supermarket stores are a little bit smaller, but they also pride themselves in having much better customer service, which some of the other pet specialty stores don’t offer. So that’s one big challenge. Another challenge is that a lot of people still purchase their pet food from the grocery store or from stores like Target or Wal-Mart, which would be considered mass retail. We try to explain the benefits of feeding a premium pet food, so the customer buying their dog food at Publix [knows he] is not [getting] the same quality as a higher end food bought at a pet specialty store.

I know Pet Supermarket sends text-based coupons. How did you first get involved with that?

We knew Marcos [Menendez, CEO of Momares, a mobile coupon platform] because he was already working for us on an e-newsletter. His other company, Loop Consulting, was doing our e-newsletter, and he brought us the idea. He showed us some other companies that were doing [text-based promotions] and some case studies. We started advertising [the program] in the stores and on printed materials to get people involved, and it really took off. A lot of people were interested. Every month we [pick] a winner and give away free pet food for a year. So everyone who enters [their phone number] has a chance to win. Then, we also send out coupons and messages. We want to keep the messages fresh, and we want to not overdo it. We typically send out one or two messages a month. We don’t want to annoy people, and we pay [Momares] per text message.

We are able to see when people leave the group or want their numbers removed from the list, and we have found that as long as we’re sending messages that have value they are staying in and they love it. If we send messages that don’t have value, don’t have some sort of savings, or are very product-specific, then they will leave. We can actually see that happen. We try to have some sort of value with the messages — usually it’s a $1-off discount across any purchase. [That allows] dog food customers to take advantage of it, cat customers, bird customers, and fish customers. It’s not brand specific or anything like that. We send the same message to [customers] at all [Pet Supermarket] stores because we’re not able to see, or we don’t know, what stores the people shop at. All we know is their area code. Beyond that, we don’t know where they’re at.

What has the feedback been from customers since you started sending mobile coupons?

They seem to like it because we send out a lot of coupons by text. In today’s economy coupons are very big, so people see a lot of value in it. We have a lot of people joining and we have very few people opting out, so I think there’s a lot of interest. We are able to track the redemption rates on the coupons that we send out and the messages that we send out. We just send out a five-digit code and we say what the offer is. [Customers] just show the associate at the register that five-digit code, and they get the discount.

Looking forward, where do you see Pet Supermarket’s going in terms of marketing and advertising?

I think it’s going to get more and more specific, to where we can track customers’ spending habits and we can tailor messages directly to those customers. If someone is a Nutro dog food buyer, we’ll [be able to] send them messages that pertain to Nutro dog food. And, we’ll be able to group people by how often they shop. With smartphones, at some point we’re going to be able to send out coupons with an actual bar code or an actual graphic. I think that’s probably going to be happening sooner rather than later.

Stephanie Miles is an associate editor at Street Fight. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Source: Street Fight

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Top 10 SMS campaigns of Q1

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

Arguably, SMS is one of the best channels out there that helps marketers reach consumers no matter if they have a smartphone or feature phone and brands such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola and General Mills have all increased their databases by implementing the medium into their overall strategies.

SMS is a great way for brands to connect with consumers on a deeper level. Additionally, marketers are able to build their databases to better target users in the near future.

Here are the top 10 SMS campaigns of the first quarter, in alphabetical order.

Ace Hardware
Westlake Ace Hardware, which operates 88 Ace Hardware stores in several states, used SMS to deliver weather-related text alerts and special offers to help consumers prepare for when the bad weather hits.

Through the SMS initiative, users were encouraged to opt-in to receive weather-related mobile notifications based on their ZIP code.

Additionally, Ace Hardware integrated the campaign with the National Weather Service to provide timely, location-based weather notifications.

SMS was an effective channel for Ace Hardware because it not only gave the company a new way to communicate to its consumers, but SMS also helped the company send out relevant information to help grow its database.

Aveeno
While many companies are placing QR codes on their static prints ads to drive user engagement, hair care brand Aveeno went a different direction.

The company placed mobile calls-to-action on its magazine print advertisements. When consumers texted the keyword HAIRS to the short code 467467 they were able to receive a free sample.

After consumers text-in the keyword, they fill out their contact information by replying to messages.

By offering an incentive – in this case a free sample – consumers are more inclined to opt-in.

This also helps Aveeno start a relationship with consumers and take it beyond a simple static ad.

Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is no stranger to SMS and it was no surprise that the company was going to tap the channel when it came to promoting its latest initiative centered around March Madness.

Coca-Cola’s Coke Zero ran an interactive SMS program that rewarded users with prizes when they watched March Madness games.

The campaign centered around the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship games and during the games, an SMS call-to-action was promoted with on-air keywords and alerts with the Coke Zero logo that prompted users to text-in to win prizes.

Additionally, consumers could find codes on March Madness-themed Coke Zero products and cups and text them to the short code 2653.

The initiative was a great way to have users interact with their mobile device while they were watching a game at home.

General Mills
General Mills’ Cheerios brand leveraged SMS to help drive mobile donations for its Spoonfuls of Stories program.

The campaign asked consumers to donate to the organization First Book, which provides low-income families and schools with books and educational resources.

Additionally, for each mobile donation made, publisher Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing matched the donations up to 50,000 books.

Through the initiative, consumers were encouraged to text the keyword Books2Kids to the short code 20222.

Then, users received a text message back confirming their donation of $5, which was billed to their carrier bill.

Although SMS is a great channel to build a company’s database, it is also good for driving donations.

JCPenney
Department store JCPenney thought outside the box when it came to promoting its Easter dresses.

The time-sensitive campaign centered around JCPenney sending out SMS messages to its opted in consumers to drive them in-store for a one-day event.

Additionally, the SMS message included a link that let users shop Easter clothing from the company’s mobile site.

This is a good example of a company that is using their current mobile database to reach its customers and drive sales.

The one-day event was time-sensitive and SMS was a great channel to quickly get the word out about it.

Macy’s
Macy’s is another department store that took advantage of its mobile database to drive in-store and mobile sales.

Recently, the company sent out SMS messages to its customers that promoted exclusive looks from NBC’s “Fashion Star” show and let consumers shop them through their mobile device.

Additionally, those that were not opted-in to Macy’s database could also text the keyword STAR to the short code 62297 to learn more about the show and how to get the latest looks.

Macy’s has been using SMS for a while and continually sends out messages to its consumers letting them know about new sales and events.

Reese’s
Last month, Hershey’s Reese’s candies used SMS to let sports fans vie for a chance to win a trip to the upcoming 2013 NCAA Men’s Final Four game.

Reese’s ran a text-to-win promotion as part of a bigger push to interact with sports fans.

Sports fans were encouraged to text the keyword REESES to the short code 44144 for a chance to be entered to win prizes.

From there, users were sent back a message to enter their birthday and email address.

Additionally, the SMS message also included a link to Reese’s mobile site where users could learn about the rules of the game.

The campaign helped Reese’s start a dialogue with users and then continue it by sending more relevant SMS messages.

Rite Aid
Rite Aid is another company that used SMS to help drive donations.

To kick off its 18th annual Miracle Balloon campaign on April 1 benefitting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Rite Aid invited its shoppers to text the keyword RAKIDS to the short code 50555 and make a $5 donation.

Rite Aid proved that SMS can be used to drive awareness of a good cause and to get consumers involved.

Additionally, instead of simply asking them for a donation at the point-of-sale, Rite Aid used SMS to have consumers make their own choice about the donation.

Starbucks
When it comes to mobile, Starbucks is one of the companies that leads the pack no matter what channel they are using.

To promote its My Starbucks Rewards program, the company ran an in-store call to action.

The call to action was positioned near the drink counter so that when consumers waited for their drinks they could text-in.

Coffee lovers were encouraged to text the keyword GOLD to the short code 697289 (MYSBUX).

When consumers texted-in, they received a message from Starbucks that thanked them for their interest in the program.

For this instance, SMS helped Starbucks build up its My Starbucks Rewards program.

Additionally, but using the in-store call to action, the company was able to reach more consumers while they were waiting for their drink.

U.S. Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association significantly expanded its existing SMS strategy this year with plans to bring in-venue messaging to more events and introduce new text clubs.

For the past couple of years, the USTA has used SMS to engage fans at specific events such as the U.S. Open.

Through the new SMS initiative fans in the audience are able to text to vote, answer a question, post a picture or send a message based on a promotion to a short code. The results will appear live on the screen in real-time.

The USTA said that it will also be able to deliver special offers to fans in the audience.

The association’s updated SMS strategy proves that it is never to late to build on an existing initiative and make it better.

Source: Mobile Marketer

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Sex in the Gym Sells

Monday, April 9th, 2012

Take a look at the poster ad above (I’ll wait)… It’s brilliant! It shows lust, sex, passion and desire, and challenges you to do it all at Executive Fantasy Hotels.

You’ve seen the Executive Hotel by the airport, right? This ad says we are not a dingy, secretive hide out for promiscuity; but instead we are an elegant, sophisticated venue for the expression of passion and virility. Super! And this is a motel. Not a Ritz-Carlton. Not the kind of marketing you’d expect from a motel. But that’s not what makes the ad speak.

It’s not just the image with the man’s muscular arm and female fingers caressing it. Nor is it the typography or the selection of colors that make this ad outstanding. It’s the message and the media placement that deliver ad gold.

The media is a poster placed in the right place, the gym. That’s good, but what makes it remarkable is that the ad is placed at the entrance to the men’s bathroom. An ad completely targeted to guys, placed at a bottle-neck entry point that each male gym member will pass through. Is that all? No.

The message brings it home

The message speaks to the main reason men go to the gym, to look better so they can attract more females. Sure health, stamina and weight are important, but deep down most men lift weights, run like hamsters on treadmills and secretly compare muscles in the hopes that a better physique will get them more action in the sac.

What we have here, so brilliantly put together, is an ad that speaks directly to the target market of motel visitors. It says, “Want to test your “other” endurance, we have a just the place.”

When you combine targeted placement (the men’s bathroom at the gym) with the right message (come test your sexual prowess) you create an ad campaign that will pay. But the ad is missing something. What can it possibly be missing?

An appropriately discrete call to action like “text your ZIP CODE to 65047 for the nearest location”? A mobile call to action would turn great into perfect! An instant response text would send directions via GPS mobile map to the closest love suite. It could also include a phone number for on-the-go reservations and a link to Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” (OK, Marvin may be a bit much).

What do you think?

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I Can’t Get Chevy’s Sonic Commercial out of My Head! Help?

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

Just when I think advertising is losing its impact on consumers due to the overabundance of marketing messages, I get surprised by one ad that sticks with me for days and days.

I’m talking about the TV commercial featuring Chevrolet’s new car Sonic. It’s not really the ad’s visuals of the car bungee jumping or doing a mid-air flip that get me it. It’s the commercial’s rocking and super catchy theme song “We Are Young” by the group Fun. that has welded itself in my memory. At this point, when I hear the song on the radio or in Groovehark, I can’t help but see the TV commercial flashing in my mind…and it annoys the heck out of me.

It’s one thing to watch commercials on TV if I want to see the Super Bowl, but it’s another to take the commercial with me, in my personal brain. And every time I hear the song I see Chevy’s Sonic car, which I don’t even like. When I hear the song, I’d much rather conjure up images of a moment with friends, a place where I first heard it or even the video of the song but certainly not a TV car commercial.

As a die-hard marketer I can’t help but to tip my hat to the ad agency and the person who chose the soundtrack, because I can tell them that their marketing efforts worked well, very well. They were able to identify and forecast that the song’s chorus and its optimistic feel was going to be very popular. Instead of identifying the song with the band, the song is now considered branded music for Sonic the car. Chevy was able to leverage the musical creativity of the group Fun. for their brand and car. And that is simply brilliant!

From a marketing perspective, the key elements here are their use of a theme song that “speaks” to the target audience and the visual messages that “call” to the potential buyer. We all sell different products and services; the key is to keep in mind that the message must match the intended target audience, the product and the brand to get an effect that lasts in the customers mind.

Chevrolet also ensured that the reach of their advertising goes as far as possible by offering a mobile app, an extended version of the commercial with behind-the-scenes shots on YouTube and a dedicated Facebook fan page with additional content.

I would have added one more thing, a direct call-to-action at the end of the commercial saying “Get the soundtrack ringtone, text SONIC to 65047″ to further leverage it, provide immediate gratification and get the audience talking about it.

Help! I’d really like to know if I’m the only one with this song-slash-commercial stuck in his head? Which commercials have stuck with you? Tell me on Facebook or our blog.

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