Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Physical World Connection Billboards

The latest step will be seen Monday in four cities when Mini USA begins delivering custom messages to Mini Cooper owners on digital signs the company calls "talking" billboards.

The boards, which usually carry typical advertising, are programmed to identify approaching Mini drivers through a coded signal from a radio chip embedded in their key fob. The messages are personal, based on questionnaires that owners filled out.
(permission is granted) Filling out the questionnaire is giving Mini USA permission to advertise.

Physical world connection: A RFID tag (or any physical world hyperlink PWH) is scanned, verifies the user/product in a database, and delivers a message/info to a display (billboard, cell phone)

In this case the user/driver is being scanned and info is being delivered to him. The big opportunity is when physical objects with a PWH are scanned and info is provided. By scanning a 2d code, barcode, the user is effectively giving a brand permission to deliver relevant info/advertising to the scanner.

The technology is now widely used in chips implanted in pets and livestock, in cards that control access to buildings, and in devices for automated payments of highway tolls. Major retailers and manufacturers are investing in systems to tag and follow products as they move through the supply chain.

Imagine what interesting applications will be delivered when you register (only with permission) your RFID enabled cell phone. Who will be in control of this data? Who will be in charge of getting permission, phone manuf or providers?

If done properly, this could be a very powerful tool for mobile marketing.

No comments: