Reality

Brands are constantly changing the ways that they approach customers, they need to engage in new and different ways, this can be proven to be a challenge however, linking back to my blog on original thinking, innovation is becoming more and more common. An example of this can be seen with Papa John’s pizza partnering with TrackMyPizza.com, this way customers can track where their delivery is while its one the way, with an additional updates every 15 seconds. The drivers are equip with GSP enabled handsets, which is then coupled with the customers mobile phone number, allowing the data to be accessed. However other Pizza stores are catching up, with Dominos showing each step the pizza is in, from making, to in the oven to left the store, I admit it is not as advanced but it’s getting there.

Quick Response codes (QR codes) have been around for a while now, which is no surprise seeing as mobile marketing is at its highest, Jennifer Graham in 2011 wrote a blog names QR Codes De-coded (available at http://www.blogher.com/qr-codes-decoded?wrap=blogher-topics/internet&crumb=32408) she stated that QR codes were fist developed in Japan, 1994 and have been used in Asia for many years, they have only recently been used in the US and the UK.

These codes are similar to barcodes and are used alongside Smartphones, the consumers are then redirected to the content they desire. This method has been so successful because the majority of phones that are used are Smartphones such as the iPhones, Blackberry, Samsung Android and many more, most of which all include the application for scanning QR codes. 

QR codes create a mystery that can lure people into taking further action, when people have an interest in something they will take these few simple steps to see what’s behind the code, it has even gotten to the extent where Japan are using QR codes on gravestones for people to access information about the deceased (Michael Keferl 2008). Graham identified three important factors when developing a QR code; firstly, creating value, meaning customers should be rewarded with something like a voucher, a recipe, or some kind of story or picture. Secondly, knowing your audience, does QR codes suit your audience and thirdly, measure your results. However, like most things technology always changes and it can be expected that QR codes won’t last forever and will be improved further or soon be replaced by something else; we can already see these QR codes being developed to create ‘An Augmented Reality’.

An augmented reality has been defined as ‘The technology of combining real word images, video, etc. with computer-generated information and/or imagery’ (MacMillian Dictionary) this has created a new way in which customers can interact with a brand; Disney and Warner Bros have both signed up with Carlton Books, to accompany the release this year of Happy Feet 2 and Cars 2 with books and software that helps the pages come to life. Carlton Books have created Dinosaur Alive and Fairy Land Magic which can be seen on the link below:

There is no doubt in my mind that augmented reality is going to play a big role in our digital future, not only has it been applied to books but libraries, business cards and even pets. Bo Brinkman, a computer scientist at Miami University has developed an augmented reality application (ShelvAR) that can be used in libraries to find and return misplaced books. It shows great potential for the advertising and marketing industry, we can already see this as there is a Facebook page dedicated to Augmented Advertising: 

Augmented reality is already active in Japan, The Sekai Camera is a system for using online data to navigate around the real world in everyday life:

This application allows your phone to do a number of things; show new products, offers and sales, give directions and locations, give restaurant menus, leave messages for friends and families online and much, much more. This new technology has already been used through advertising by Mini and Doritos in order to enhance the customer experience. For instance, on Doritos Sweet Chilli packets it Brazil there is a symbol which can be activated online bringing to life a little Doritos monster named ‘Doritos lover’ then there are several different options for interaction with the little monster (Doritos.com).

 Despicable Me have used Augmented reality on one of their poster so that their audiences can view a poster over their Smartphone and the poster comes to life before the trailer plays then gives the viewer the opportunity to buy cinema tickets or order a copy of the DVD.

In the book Augmented reality: Placing artificial objects in real scenes (1998) R. Behringer mentioned that never before has any individual has as much information at their fingertips and due to the developments in data mining more efficient ways of accessing information has been found and developed. Augmented reality provides a better form of accessing information. In 2011 Marketing Week revealed that Nestle had created 26 million cereal boxes into 3D augmented reality video games, the boxes will be released in 53 countries and will be used to promote the new film Rio. 

Through the use of QR codes and Augmented reality have allowed consumers to interact with brands in ways that were never thought possible, by using different methods of communication brands have found a way to tackle members of their audience who before may have chosen to ignore adverts or other forms of interaction with brands, they are now being given an incentive to go out of their way to look for offers and become involved with brands, if done successfully will only have a positive effect on brands.

Ethics

Ethics and moral standards can be constantly questioned, we have all come across a situation where our morals have been tested and we have wondered what would be the ethical thing to do, the right thing to do. Whether this was when you found out your best friends boyfriend was sleeping with your other best friend, when you were accidentally given too much change, when ate your house mates eggs and decided it was better to pretend it wasn’t you or even when you chose to use get new plastic bags because you couldn’t be bothered to carry a bag for life. All in all, we are faced with situations every day which can be effected by ethics, so it is no surprise with the internet being such a big part of our lives that the concept of ethics online are a rising issue.

A Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk developed a tool in order to help people make ethical decisions, it’s to save people from being stuck in ‘a grey area’ and not being able to make a decision using games and questions to enhance both knowledge and to put to use personal experience.

There have been many ethical issues associated with online communications; we are constantly obsessing with privacy issues and the actions of other online, as well as the actions of brands around us. Brands that act ethically are more likely to be revisited and hold a better status from their customers; an example can be seen from Vodafone who has a high ethical code and corporate responsibility. They introduced moderators into popular chat rooms and increased the trust adults had in Vodafone and kept customers loyal.

Dataveillance: ‘the systematic monitoring of people's actions or communications through the application of information technology’ (Clarke, 2003).

Dataveillance can be used to achieve ‘Behavioural Targeting’ within the UK has been seen as potential for creating a closer relationship with consumers and improving campaign performance. It also leads to more in dept consumer profiling. Addvantage Media conducted a report (2010), they found that the majority of UK consumers though behavioural targeting to be irrelevant, can you blame them? Who would want their behaviour online to be tracked right? I know I’m not a fan of it, even if it does mean that when I’m browsing the web the dress that I was looking at a week ago pops up and reminds me that I wanted to buy it, which having limited funds, acted as more of a hindrance than a benefit. Although we can see the use of Dataveillance is becoming inevitable within consumer communication as we are seeing a decline in traditional forms of advertising, however, brands need to be aware of some of the downfalls associated with advertising so specific and creating more niche advertising.

However it can be argues that dataveillance can give brands the ability to abuse data, picking two things of no relation and find a connection that can be used to their advantage, data such as religion, spending habits, interests and hobbies as well as locations and postcodes, when connections are made such as more religious people live in a specific area they can be more specific in their advertising. Data is everywhere and can be easily accessed. This method also carries certain implications such as privacy issues, and questions like who holds the right to weigh up what is wrong and what is right? So while it can make for effective advertising it can be intrusive to the individuals being observed.