Crafting the Right Message (Video)

This short film is one of the best illustrations I have ever seen of the power of the right message. It showcases the importance of knowing one's audience, and using that knowledge to craft a message that will motivate the audience to act.


Messaging Matters: A Short Film

(Thanks to @phineasb for tagging this video)

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Google Brings 2D Barcodes to Retail Storefronts

Google wants every business to have an online presence. Google's Local Business Center exists as fertile ground for companies to plant their Web flag. Google's LBC offers businesses the ability to customize free Web listings, functioning as a key resource for acquiring customers online.


Google Local Business Center Introduction Video

Through Google Local, businesses can post hours of operation, reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers, brands carried, menus (if a restaurant), and even mobile coupons. The mobile coupon functionality was activated last month. As more and more people are searching for local information via their cellphones, the free coupon service is a great way for businesses to foster engagement with consumers. The strategic initiative supports Google's efforts to extend its online supremacy to the mobile Web.

The company is attempting to expand its reach across the mobile web through a 2D barcode program for local businesses. Google is distributing 2D barcode window stickers to over 100,000 of the country's most popular local businesses. Through Google's Favorite Places program, business owners will receive stickers sporting Google's logo, a scannable barcode and a message reading "we're a favorite place on Google."

When a consumer scans one of Google's 2D tags, he will be directed to that business' "places page" as listed on Google's Local Business Center (akin to what he would see when searching for the business online). While information like a restaurant's hours of operation and phone number prove redundant when standing in front of the business itself, the ability to quickly access customer reviews and mobile coupons is very useful.

Barriers to Google's Local Business 2D Barcode Program

At first glance, the initiative appears to be a good way to connect local establishments and the mobile web. Most businesses would be happy to afix a sticker on their storefront window that highlights them as a "Favorite Place on Google." So of the over 100,000 window stickers Google has sent out, I'm sure that a sizeable number of them will be prominently displayed. That doesn't, however, mean that consumers will exhibit a high level of interaction with the 2D barcodes. Significant barriers still remain.

As I have written in previous posts on 2D barcode technology, adoption will continue to be limited by the required software installation that must be completed before a phone can be used to read the unique codes. Since the burden of downloading the "reader" application rests with each phone user, it is a major barrier to broad adoption. QR codes are widespread in Japan because manufacturers pre-load phones with barcode reader software. QR readers are pre-installed on about 70% of all phones in Japan. QR codes will not have a significant impact in the US until barcode reader applications are pre-installed on a majority of handsets.

Digital signage could prove influential in increasing 2D barcode adoption. While other media platforms are limited in how they present mobile marketing instructions, digital signage has expansive visual capabilities which can be utilized to walk consumers through the installation procedure.

It would be interesting to know if any of the local businesses receiving the Google 2D barcode window stickers have digital signage. If so, I would highly recommend that these businesses promote their Google 2D barcodes via their in-store digital screens. Additionally, they would be well-served in promoting and instructing customers through digital signage on how to download the necessary barcode reader applications.

Stakeholders in the digital signage industry would be well-served in experimenting with 2D barcodes sooner rather than later. Digital Signage affords the opportunity to dynamically deliver 2D barcodes that can be created and inserted into a playlist on the fly.

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How Twitter's Geotagging API Heighten's Context

The runaway train that is location-based services got a shot in the arm recently when two of its most high-profile startups announced news about their APIs.

An application programming interface (API) is an interface that a software program implements in order to allow other software to interact with it, much in the same way that software might implement a user interface in order to allow humans to use it.

The two startups? Twitter and Foursquare

Twitter, the juggernaut of microblogging which has captivated the world through 140 characters, released its long-awaited geotagging tools API. The feature allows Twitter users to tag their tweets with location-based information. The release is API-only, meaning that users won't see any changes to Twitter.com, yet. While geotagging is not yet enabled on Twitter.com, third-party applications can take full advantage of the new tools. Twitter applications like Birdfeed, Seesmic Web, Foursquare, Gowalla, Twidroid, Twittelator Pro and others are already supporting the new geotagging functionality.

"The added information provides valuable context when reading your friends tweets and allows you to better focus in on local conversations," writes Twitter platform/API man Ryan Sarver in the blog post.

"Now you can find out what live music is playing right now in your neighborhood or what people visiting Checkpoint Charlie are saying today about the anniversary of the Berlin Wall. These are only the beginning and we are really looking forward to seeing the creative uses emerge from the developer community."

With location-tagged tweets, users and media organizations can create more detailed tapestries of information and context around real-time events.

"A lot of what has made Twitter compelling is obviously this flow of real-time information, but what has been a problem is all the noise you get," said industry analyst Greg Sterling from Sterling Market Intelligence. "If you search, say, for 'Boston,' you get lots of stuff that's not particularly relevant nor interesting to you. Now by filtering by location, it makes it more interesting. You can get more targeted and reliable information."

Twitter Geotagging and Digital Signage

Twitter's location-based tagging affords the ability to seize upon the trending stories and information down to a hyper-local level. In providing greater contextual relevance to Twitter's stream of content, the service's new geotagging functionality could have a major impact on the digital signage industry.

Most digital out-of-home media companies only utilize Twitter by dedicating a portion of their screens to specific hastags and topics. Networks could use Twitter's new geotagging feature to identify real-time trending stories on a granular location basis. The resulting location-based data could be leveraged as a means, and trigger, for screen content, thus giving greater contextual relevance to a network's programming.

While Twitter exists as an abundant resource of real-time information, geotagging brings greater meaning to the stream. In tying location-based information to users' tweets, one can filter the pulse of the whole down to the rhythm of specific geographic communities.

*Stay tuned next week for an article on how the digital signage community could, and should, leverage Foursquare's API.

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Responding to Chris Brogan's Bricks-and-Mortar Beatdown

Chris Brogan, one of the Web's foremost thought leaders on social media and online communication, recently published a post on his blog in which he expressed his frustrations over the state of face-to-face retail. He, ultimately, concluded that there is little value to shopping at bricks-and-mortar establishments for most products these days.

Without getting into the full details of Brogan's retail misadventure (a search for the Timberland Earthkeepers brand boot), his frustration stemmed from contact with a string of apathetic store associates who lacked knowledge of Timberland's new line of boots.The negative aspect of his shopping experience was exacerbated by the fact that the Timberland store he visited had not yet received their first shipment of the company's new Earthkeepers boots. This element of the experience grew exponentially worse once Brogan returned home and found the shoes in stock on Zappos.

In summing up the whole experience, Brogan wrote the following:

I guess, in thinking this all over a bit more, I’ve come to realize that there’s really very little reason to walk into a brick and mortar retail store for most products these days. I can research better on the web. I can get better opinions on the web. I can find better deals via the web. And I can actually order something that was advertised, when using a web channel.

What does that tell YOU about retail?

Chris Brogan's large community of readers responded en masse. While a large number agreed with his criticism of Timberland ("Why couldn't the guy working at the original Timberland store pull up their corporate website and order them for him?"), some felt remiss that Brogan didn't offer actionable marketing or customer service solutions to improve face-to-face retail.

Shifting one's behavior to only shopping online, is not the answer. I wholeheartedly agree that the majority of face-to-face retail experiences underwhelm when compared to the online alternative. That doesn't mean, however, that bricks-and-mortar retail is relegated to a subservient position to its online counterpart; or that consumers must accept that most in-store experiences will leave them wanting more.

Bricks-and-mortar is not destined to become an irrelevant relic of the pre-digital age. If anything, deficiencies in bricks-and-mortar service create opportunities for change. I believe that we are headed toward a bricks-and-mortar retail revolution. The Web has fostered customer expectations that call for quick, efficient, and flexible service. With countless alternatives to shopping in stores filled with disenfranchised, apathetic associates, retailers cannot afford to let their bricks-and-mortar establishments become customer service graveyards.

E-commerce has changed the game for retail. Customers expect to find what they are looking for in an instant, receive recommendations based on recent purchases, and, ultimately, have the ability to shape their own shopping experience. Retailers need to take technologies from the Web and bring them into bricks-and-mortar. They need to equip associates with devices and technologies that enhance their product knowledge. Associates must have digital tools at the ready. They need to have detailed product information at their fingertips at all times. They must have the ability to pull up real-time inventory information, access product fact sheets with the push of a button, and offer store patrons customized assistance.

The days of unknowledgeable associates being the status quo are over. The lessons learned through e-commerce and web-based shopper analysis call for more robust in-store experiences. Just as e-commerce storefronts offer targeted shopping experiences based on consumer preferences so too must physical stores fluidly respond to the needs of different customers.

The solution isn't to transition to online-only sales channels, but to demand that face-to-face retail fulfills the same needs that consumers have come to expect online. Bricks-and-mortar retail is far from being as efficient, technologically-advanced, or flexible as it could be, and should be. This is one of the reasons why digital signage and self-service technology are such exciting fields to be in. Empowered consumers require retail experiences that speak to their individual needs and desires.

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Beware Windows Black Screen of Death

The phrase "Blue Screen of Death" sends shivers down the spine of every Windows user. It is more notorious than Twitter's "Fail Whale." To those in the digital signage and digital out-of-home media industries, the "Blue Screen of Death" is a universal symbol of networks gone wrong; an image burned in the brains of every operator whose networks have gone offline.

The "Blue Screen of Death" is to Windows-based computers what Carrot Top is to comedy. It haunts you while you sleep, lurking in the shadows, ready to ruin your day without an inkling of notice.

Thanks to recent Windows security updates, blue is no longer the only member of the BSOD club. We now also have the "Black Screen of Death" to fear.

Microsoft says it's looking into reports that its latest security updates are causing some Windows machines to stop working and display a mostly black screen with no desktop icons, taskbar, sidebar or other elements -- seizing up and displaying just a "My Computer" Explorer window, if they're lucky.

The issue reportedly affects a variety of Windows versions, including Wndows 7. PC World quotes the CEO of computer security firm Prevx saying it's "massively debilitating" for people who have it. (via TechFlash)

*If you come face-to-face with the "Black Screen of Death," Prevx has made a free fix for the black screen available online.

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How Large Will Augmented Reality Be?

Is it a gimmick?

Is it a game-changing technology?

Is it destined to be abused by spammers?

Is it the holy grail to bridging the gap between our digital and physical worlds?

These are just some of the questions circling above augmented reality, a technology that can superimpose graphics or information over the real world in your phone’s viewfinder. The hype around augmented reality is at a deafening level. While some are sounding its death knell, the majority are beating the drum of the technology solution's mainstream arrival.

The question still remains, however, as to how large the augmented reality market will be.

Juniper Research is saying the market could grow to $732 million in five years, from just under $2 million next year. ABI Research has a more modest estimate: $350 million in annual revenues by 2014. That’s on the back of three primary revenue models: upfront payments to buy an app, subscription fees or paid premium versions and advertising.

The first two are self-explanatory, and might work well with augmented reality games. Advertising could take several forms. You might see augmented reality coupons or sponsored information tags as location-based services become more adept at serving ads based on your historical search needs and where you are. A couple of augmented reality browsers like Acrossair’s Nearest Tube or Layar could incorporate sponsored layers. For example, Starbucks could pay to add a special augmented reality layer to an existing browser showing nearby coffee spots. Or it could buy access to the technology to build its own app.

But there are reasons to remain skeptical. Venture capital firms have been relatively reluctant to back these young companies — Amsterdam-based Layar is the only company in the last three months to announce a round of venture funding. The larger and older businesses, Metaio and Total Immersion, are launching mobile products on the back of the businesses they’ve already built through augmented reality marketing and factory layout projects from the past. ( See an example here.) (via VentureBeat)

The greatest hurdles to augmented reality's growth are the pace and depth of adoption. In order to generate significant attention from advertisers, beyond experimentation with the technology, augmented reality needs to reach critical mass. The more people that download and use applications like Layar, the greater the market's upside potential. With greater buy-in from mobile operators (choosing to pre-install augmented reality applications on their phones), the technology could experience accelerated growth.

Just as we're seeing with 2D barcode technology, the market will only grow as fast as user demand and adoption dictates.

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Digital Signage is Not TV

TV isn't even television anymore. Or at least it doesn't want to be. The major television networks want to be considered as anything but singular TV channels. To say that the classic television model is broken, is a gross understatement.

The alphabet networks are clamoring to reimagine themselves as multi-platform media entities. They endeavor to be leaner, smarter, and more in-tune with today's empowered consumer. They are running as far and as fast as they can from being viewed solely through the lens of television. They're aggressively spreading their reach across the Web, mobile, and online video networks.

To extend the breadth of their content distribution so to reach an ever-moving consumer, the likes of CBS, ABC, and CBS are making their shows freely available online. They are actively involved in social media, attempting to connect with their viewers through every possible digital channel. They have made it abundantly clear that their survival is dependant upon eliminating the boundaries that once confined their content to a single medium.

If television isn't TV anymore, why would anyone want to frame digital signage within the context of TV? It doesn't make sense to tie an emerging industry to one that is in disarray.

Digital signage and digital out-of-home media networks must endeavor to be robust media organizations instead of "TV channels." We need to collectively remove the titles in-store TV and place-based television from our industry vernacular. We need to embrace the fact that Digital Signage is Not TV!

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World's Largest Multi-Touch Wall: Now I Really Have Touch Screen Envy

ring°wall from SENSORY-MINDS on Vimeo.

The world's largest multitouch multi-user wall has a total surface area of 425 square meters. The two-piece ring°wall consists of a giant LED display and a multitouch information wall. Powered by 15 high definition projectors and supported by 30 directional speakers; more than 80 users can simultaneously interact with the one-of-a-kind multitouch wall.

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Will You Unearth the Holy Grail of Digital Out-of-Home?

The holy grail of digital out-of-home media hasn't been unearthed yet. The pieces are out there. They are just lying in wait.

An industry-defining company must seize the opportunity to mix the full gamut of media sector technological advancements with the advertising reach the platform affords. It must be done in a way that's going to captivate the masses. Combining the best of online, social media, mobile, place-based media, and user-generated content, is necessary to create the perfect storm of opportunities within the DOOH space.

It's critical to leverage the fullness of the medium while paying attention to, and planning for, our shifting media landscape. The DOOH industry cannot be looked at as thought it were outside of the sphere of other media properties. It isn't a separate entity. It is a piece of a robust ecosystem, in which symbiotic relationships foretell success.

The opportunity exists to create a media company born from a multi-layered approach to an industry that is in flux. A seismic shift in consumer behavior is pulling at the fabric of how individuals communicate, broadcast messages, share content, and interact with brands.

Why can't the next great media company emerge from the digital out-of-home space?

Combine the reach of place-based media with the mass distribution potential of the Web to form a fluid, nimble, efficient, and robust media entity; one that blankets the out-of-home space and supports the redistribution of power occurring online.

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Microsoft Pivot Explores How We Interact w/ Information

The researchers at Microsoft Live Labs develop experimental applications that examine and reimagine how people interact with information. Pivot is one of the group's newest experiments, and, arguably, its most ambitious to date. As described by Microsoft Live Labs, "Pivot makes it easier to interact with massive amounts of data in ways that are powerful, informative, and fun."

As illustrated in the video below, Pivot offers users an intuitive interface for the exploration of massive quantities of information. With more data and information being added to the Web each passing day, a tool like Pivot could prove invaluable in navigating these rising waters.


Microsoft Live Labs Pivot

Pivot gives users the power to slice and dice information, giving them the ability to extract as much value as possible. The application visualizes relationships between vast collections of data so individuals can forge deeper connections with that data. The objective is to immerse users in the experience itself.

In giving people powerful tools to make more sense of more information, Pivot could be leveraged in a number of different ways across an organization. I see the uber-visual nature of Pivot, coupled with its intuitive interface, as a perfect tool for customer-facing interactive applications. Imagine utilizing Pivot within a music store as a means to navigate the retailer's entire catalog.

The unique way in which Pivot handles massives quantities of information makes it an ideal application to facilitate quick, efficient, and flexibile in-store product searches.

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