QderoPateo, a unique startup that generated some buzz with its focus on “Articulated Naturality,” has launched a bluetooth proximity marketing solution and the beginning of its “Bluetooth Advertising Network.”  The announcement, sent in a press release yesterday, comes after I mention a complete lack of interest in proximity marketing in the recent past.

The proximity marketing solution, dubbed “Blu-Pons,” is focused on malls and shopping centers and uses distinct calls-to-action to encourage roaming consumers to turn their Bluetooth on and make themselves discoverable.  Once they do so, the Blu-Pon system implicitly asks for permission to push a coupon to the user, and if they accept, the coupon is transmitted.

Upon acceptance, the coupon is downloaded and stored on the user’s phone to be presented and redeemed at the participating retailer during purchase.  Later this year, the company plans to add the ability to redeem “Blu-Bucks” at retailers, providing a unique retention tool to keep customers coming back for more.

In addition, the company will soon launch an online advertising portal at blu-pons.com to enable advertisers to purchase and manage Blu-Pon campaigns online- with complete reporting that can even be emailed directly to the campaign manager for easy ROI measurement.

While the solution is not unlike several others on the market around the world, QderoPateo has taken things a bit farther in terms of campaign management and access, reporting and the concept of creating a “network” between hotspots.  Still, the prohibiting factors of the bluetooth marketing concept is still present.  Since this implementation is US-based, it will be interesting to see how consumers respond, and how retailers embrace the new concept.

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We recently reported that the MMA has laid out its guidelines in reference to mobile marketing via Bluetooth.� While they were mostly slated for European usage, the new guidelines more or less will set a worldwide standard once they’re finalized in the next few months.

The MMA has just announced another addition to the guidelines that in essence will allow for spamming via Bluetooth- with exceptions that is.� Their thinking is that if a consumer is walking around with their mobile device in “discoverable” mode meaning it’s wide open to receive Bluetooth connections, it’s fair game for the spammers.

The guideline states that leaving a device in “discoverable” mode is implicitly giving permission for pushed advertisements, which contradicts what the UK’s Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has stated.� The DMA’s 2005 recommendations state that users must sign up to receive messages, either by downloading an application or “pairing” with a promotional service.� The MMA, however, maintains that it’s fair to push messages out to them, then ask them to opt out if they’re not interested.

If you don’t agree with the MMA’s approach, don’t worry, nothing has been finalized as of yet.� The MMA is still taking suggestions and feedback before any final decisions will be made on or after September 26th.� If you’d like to take a look at the latest Bluetooth document released by the MMA, you can find it here.

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Well it was bound to happen sooner or later, but the MMA is putting its final touches on a new set of guidelines aimed at Bluetooth-based marketing in Europe.

Since the debate has raged on for a long time over what is right and wrong when it comes to Bluetooth marketing as well as proximity marketing as a whole, the MMA introduced the new set of rules aimed to “reference framework for any company using Bluetooth marketing, and are the result of discussions between operators, content providers, advertising agencies, brands and technology firms.”

The guidelines cover almost every aspect of Bluetooth marketing, including the delivery, types of content, permission-based attributed, as well as proposed legislation.� It’s all aimed solely at the European market, for now, but ultimately as other parts of the world realize the benefits of the Bluetooth marketing, the guidelines will already be in place to regulate any future offerings.

While the MMA is focusing on Bluetooth at the moment, they’ve already stated that it will expand to wi-fi, Near-Field Communications (NFC) and location-based services as well.

“Bluetooth has several clear advantages that make it an attractive way to distribute content but must have consistent deployments,” says Laura Marriott, MMA President. “As with other forms of mobile marketing communication, it is important to provide guidelines that ensure a positive user experience.”

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Yahoo has launched its Fire Eagle platform that aims to centralize location data to make it easily available for both users and developers to access and use accordingly.� One of the huge benefits, from a marketing standpoint, is it now allows for the integration of location data into mobile marketing campaigns.

Since the platform is open, developers and advertisers alike can use location data from their respective demographic to build campaigns they might not otherwise have been able to do because of the cost, time, and know-how of incorporating such data.

As a user, privacy control is the number one concern.� Fire Eagle provides a central collection area that Yahoo maintains where users can update their location, and choose which sites to share the information with.� The user, not the developer, has complete control of how that data is used within any application or campaign.

Location-aware mobile campaigns are the future of mobile marketing and this introduction means it might be coming sooner rather than later.� Imagine easily plugging into the platform to know where a certain user-group is at all times.� You can reduce your overall cost by deploying messages and advertising only when it’s most appropriate and when the users are most likely to use them.

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see how many users actually make their location public.� Still, not many mobile devices are capable of reporting location-data, and out of those few, not many will be willing to share the information to just anyone.� It’s a good step forward, but still a little ahead of its time if you ask me.

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With all the bad press surrounding botched proximity marketing attempts here in the US, I always like to report on successful deployments whether here or abroad to offset the usually-negative success-rates.

There was event that took place recently called the Loxion Motorshow at a mall in Soweto, Africa that featured a bluetooth-based proximity campaign lead by BP and Brandscape Marketing. They enlisted five “BP Ultimate” promoters that engaged visitors by helping turn-on the bluetooth on their mobile devices, as well as downloading rich media content directly to their handsets from Hypertags. The campaign consisted of promoting branded mobile-wallpaper, ringtones, and instant-prize vouchers.

Of the some 11,000 visitors to the event, about 7,500 received audience alerts (“Would you like to download content from BP Ultimate?”) with 4,278 requesting downloads from the Hypertags, equating to a 56.7% conversion rate overall for the campaign. The average rate of downloads per hour, per promoter was 79.9 with the top promoter averaging a staggering 103.7, with a best hour of 188 downloads. In other words, it was a great success for both BP Ultimate, and Brandscape Marketing’s proximity platform.

Brandscape’s solution relies on “Hypertags” that can be worn by promoters, and acts as a visual link to the mobile content. It delivers free rich media content including video, MP3, animated wallpaper, and 2D barcode vouchers directly to over 800 handset makes and models uniquely using Bluetooth or infra-red.

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Fans that attended last weekend’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona were greeted with a unique form of marketing and interaction with the brands supporting the race. A new system of ad-supported Bluetooth and Wi-Fi messaging was put in place to offer fans information about entertainment and driver appearances throughout the race. It’s all part of an effort to introduce proximity-based information and marketing to other race-tracks and sporting events.

The campaign was lead by Ace Promotion & Marketing who partnered with International Speedway Corp. to place seven “hotspots” capable of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi transmissions throughout the complex. As fans made their way throughout the track, they would receive various connection requests and could opt-in to receive the content.

The race’s two main sponsors; Coke and Chevrolet supported the campaign with 15-second video spots placed among the content. Chevy notified people of the vehicle demos they offered around the track, and Coke directed people to free samples of Coke Zero as part of their promotion integrated into the system. Other content the fans received were things like concert information for the infield performances, and driver autograph-signing information and times.

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Nokia is trying to fix what they call “a black art, practiced in a cottage-industry fashion.” In other words; mobile marketing deployment and education. They’re introducing a series of “Ad Labs” aimed at training the staff of advertising agencies about the intricacies of mobile advertising.

The program will be aimed at integrating various mobile advertising formats together to improve customer engagement.� Advertisers will be able to plan and execute campaigns, with their target audience in mind, and also be able to measure their effectiveness along the way.

Several companies like Mobiqa, Mobile Acuity, uLocate, and more have already signed up for the alliance because they provide services such as image recognition, digital coupons, mobile barcodes and location based targeting, etc.

By establishing offices in advertising hotbeds such as Boston and London, they hope to provide a catalyst to the mobile advertising ecosystem and boost knowledge and understanding of mobile marketing practices and techniques overall. Mike Baker, head of advertising for Nokia, stated…

“…with so many mobile ad technologies now available, discussions about reach and measurement are no longer relevant, but rather it’s creativity (or the lack of it) which is responsible for holding back the medium…”

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