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	<title>Pongr Mobile Social Marketing Technology for Traditional and Digital Media Advertisers &#187; Mobile Marketing</title>
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	<description>Mobile Social Media Technology</description>
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		<title>What do toy cars have to do with your mobile advertising strategy?</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/04/30/what-do-toy-cars-have-to-do-with-your-mobile-advertising-strategy/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/04/30/what-do-toy-cars-have-to-do-with-your-mobile-advertising-strategy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 05:09:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Donny</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Viral Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hot Wheels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jeff Gomez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mattel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transmedia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=1230</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When I was a kid, my Hot Wheels cars raced across the kitchen floor on these floppy plastic tracks. Perhaps the most daring stunts I attempted with them was to prop up one of the tracks on blocks and have the cars jump over canned fruit.
Today, playtime is more complicated and has much higher stakes. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1231" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 509px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Hot-Wheels-Transmedia.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1231" title="Hot-Wheels-Transmedia" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Hot-Wheels-Transmedia.jpg" alt="" width="499" height="280" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Transmedia guru Jeff Gomez has leveraged Mattel&#39;s &quot;Hot Wheels&quot; brand on multiple platforms</p></div>
<p>When I was a kid, my Hot Wheels cars raced across the kitchen floor on these floppy plastic tracks. Perhaps the most daring stunts I attempted with them was to prop up one of the tracks on blocks and have the cars jump over canned fruit.</p>
<p>Today, playtime is more complicated and has much higher stakes. These cars are now engaged in defending Planet Earth against hostile aliens. Here&#8217;s the premise behind the Cartoon Network&#8217;s hit show, &#8220;<a href="http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/battleforce5/index.html" target="_blank">Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5</a>.&#8221;</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Evil forces are trying to invade Earth, and it&#8217;s up to a team of teenage driving aces to stop them. The Gateways to Earth are interdimensional battlezones, each offering a dangerous and unique challenge. The team must win the battle to control the roads between worlds.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Media guru Jeff Gomez, CEO of <a href="http://www.starlightrunner.com/about" target="_blank">Starlight Runner Entertainment</a>, is the brainchild behind the intergalactic cartoon franchise &#8212; which extends across comic books, video games and compelling Web content, creating multiple ongoing revenue streams.  By doing so, he has infused new energy into a classic brand, making it far more relevant and appealing to today&#8217;s demanding generation of media consumers.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s how Gomez explained the transmedia advertising approach in a <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/03/jeff-gomez-advertising-leadership-cmo-network_starlight_runner.html" target="_blank">Q &amp; A with Forbes Magazine</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;In today&#8217;s interconnected world, young adults, teens and even kids have become so comfortable with media technology that they flow from one platform to the next. The problem is that their content is not flowing with them. As a discipline, transmedia provides us with a foundation for the development, production and rollout of entertainment properties or consumer brands across multiple media platforms. Transmedia creates the flow. Instead of repeating the plots over and over again for each medium, creators can continue and expanded their storylines, generating dazzling mythologies and complex narratives.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Consider Mattel a die-hard disciple of this philosophy. The company is now reportedly developing a new series of toy characters based on an undersea alien world, with a <a href="http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/community/mattel-dolls-hollywood-film/" target="_blank">Hollywood movie script built in to the product line</a>.</p>
<p>No matter what you are selling, the transmedia approach makes sense. TV, Web banners and print ads are all a waste of time if they don&#8217;t engage the viewer with a compelling storyline or motivation to participate.  The approach works with ANY product.  When was the last time you saw your friends get excited over their napkins or paper towels?</p>
<p>Well, relying on a little creativity and humor, Bounty got more than a half million people to click on their new commercial in just over a month. Remember, people are supposed to want to fast forward through commercials, not forward links to their friends.  The TV ad features laboratory scientists testing the strength and resiliency of Bounty by holding up billiard balls.  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sk2zBEjfX8" target="_blank">Take a look</a>!</p>
<p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9sk2zBEjfX8&#038;fs=1" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9sk2zBEjfX8&#038;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p>Pongr&#8217;s recent campaign with luxury brand advertisers is another great example of transmedia in action. The campaign <a href="http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/25/w-magazine-makes-shopping-history/" target="_blank">lured fashion hounds with a $1,000 shopping spree contest</a>, instant discount coupons delivered directly to their cell phones and the desire to wear the same designs as Jennifer Aniston.</p>
<p>The interactive Pongr model of using cell phone cameras and text-emailing picture messages to instantly respond to visual stimuli (print magazines, street kiosks and billboards) is the future.  Digital media is not replacing traditional media.  Engaging consumers across multiple media platforms only requires a compelling narrative. The mobile handsets, wireless infrastructure and social networks already exist.</p>
<p>Once you know your story, your reason why consumers will WANT to interact with you, please <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/contact-us/" target="_blank">contact us to brainstorm how to execute your vision</a>.  Maybe we can&#8217;t help you save the world like Battle Force 5, but we have lots to share about selling more products!</p>
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		<title>OOH, watch magazine advertising, billboards and mobile phones converge!</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/04/16/ooh-watch-magazine-advertising-billboards-and-mobile-phones-converge/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/04/16/ooh-watch-magazine-advertising-billboards-and-mobile-phones-converge/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:08:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Donny</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Billboards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brand Influencers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OOH]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Out of Home Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=1216</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The month is still young and fashion hounds still have more than two weeks to win a $1,000 shopping spree courtesy of W Magazine.
Under the sultry gazes of Hollywood powercouple Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler, the magazine made media history with its April 2010 Shopping Issue &#8212; which features 100 percent Pongr&#8217;able advertising. Readers are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1221" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 377px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Jimmy-Choo-W-NYC.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1221" title="Jimmy-Choo-W-NYC" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Jimmy-Choo-W-NYC.jpg" alt="" width="367" height="550" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Nothing is more beautiful to us than an engaging advertising campaign.</p></div>
<p>The month is still young and fashion hounds still have more than two weeks to win a <a href="http://www.wdesires.com/mobile" target="_blank">$1,000 shopping spree </a>courtesy of W Magazine.</p>
<p>Under the <a href="http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/25/w-magazine-makes-shopping-history/" target="_blank">sultry gazes of Hollywood powercouple Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler</a>, the magazine made media history with its April 2010 Shopping Issue &#8212; which features 100 percent Pongr&#8217;able advertising. Readers are encouraged to photograph their favorite ad with their cell phone and then Pongr it (by email, MMS or smart phone apps) to enter the contest.</p>
<p>Within two minutes, the Pongerer will receive a confirmation of entry from W Magazine and a tantalizing mobile-only offer directly from the advertiser.</p>
<p>What&#8217;s even more exciting about this advertising campaign is the integration of print, billboard and mobile marketing on the streets of Manhattan. Hey, there&#8217;s no other place on earth with more roving eyeballs, right?</p>
<p>New York City is also a place where many pedestrians are grateful for visually pleasing eye-level billboards &#8212; they give them something to read while they are waiting for a bus or a cab. Or waiting for the Walk signal to start flashing. I might add that it also gives New Yorkers a convenient venue to avoid making eye contact with each other (sorry, my country boy bias is shining through).</p>
<div id="attachment_1220" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 377px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Dior-OOH-NYC.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1220" title="Dior-OOH-NYC" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Dior-OOH-NYC.jpg" alt="" width="367" height="550" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Making street kiosks Pongr-friendly enables advertisers to accurately measure consumer response and motivation.</p></div>
<p>The same print ads in W Magazine&#8217;s April issue were enlarged as kiosk billboards at phone booths, newsstands and bus stops, with brief instructions beneath the poster as to how to be eligible for the W shopping bonanza!</p>
<div id="attachment_1218" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 560px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/W-Pongr-Instructions.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1218" title="W Pongr Instructions" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/W-Pongr-Instructions.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="311" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Instructions for how to Pongr.</p></div>
<p>The beauty of Out of Home (OOH) advertising for a media outlet like W is that it is bound to attract attention from consumers who likely do not subscribe or would not likely pick up a copy at the newsstand.  At any given moment, every major New York City street has hundreds of guys looking to buy their wives an anniversary or birthday present.  And here&#8217;s a pair of Chopard diamond earrings suggestively dangling in front of their faces.</p>
<div id="attachment_1219" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 377px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Chopard-W-NYC.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1219" title="Chopard-W-NYC" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Chopard-W-NYC.jpg" alt="" width="367" height="550" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">W Magazine is a magnet to luxury brands.</p></div>
<p>OOH advertising is all about instant gratification. Men who have no interest in designer handbags can&#8217;t ignore the attractive Versace model relaxing upsidedown.  With New York being New York, women who see this ad instinctively know that real Versace bags are likely only a few blocks away.</p>
<p>Billboards expand the playing field for the advertiser &#8212; and getting information on specifically who is staring at the ad is absolutely invaluable.  That&#8217;s where Pongr comes in.  By encouraging the consumer with special deals, coupons or exclusive information, the advertiser can immediately determine which incentives are most likely to result in sales.  And these opt-in loyal customers are likely going to stick with the brand &#8212; especially with the personalized attention that Pongr-izing makes possible.</p>
<div id="attachment_1222" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 377px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Versace-OOH-NYC.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1222" title="Versace-OOH-NYC" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/04/Versace-OOH-NYC.jpg" alt="April's Shopping Issue of W Magazine features an interactive mobile marketing campaign with Pongr technology." width="367" height="550" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">April&#39;s Shopping Issue of W Magazine features an interactive mobile marketing campaign with Pongr technology.</p></div>
<p>We&#8217;re particularly proud of our advertising partnerships because our image recognition technology does not require any special barcodes to be included in the ad (we believe those ugly codes cheapen the overall artistic presentation).  And snapping a picture with a cell phone is a much more natural act &#8212; much more fun &#8212; than swiping a code, which feels robotic.</p>
<p>With our <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/how-it-works/" target="_blank">free Pongr apps for email, the iPhone and BlackBerry</a>, interacting with your favorite brands has never been easier.</p>
<p>People are in love with their mobile phone cameras.  According to the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/03/15/business/15mostwanted.html?ref=business" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, approximately 110 million Americans now actively use them.  Sure, we know it&#8217;s not realistic to turn them all into Pongerers for your next ad campaign.  But the potential is seemingly limitless.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/04/16/ooh-watch-magazine-advertising-billboards-and-mobile-phones-converge/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>W Magazine makes shopping history: April&#8217;s unprecedented advertising coup</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/25/w-magazine-makes-shopping-history/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/25/w-magazine-makes-shopping-history/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:27:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Donny</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shopper Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conde Nast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fashion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Luxury Brands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing Psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[W Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=1187</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[W Magazine&#8217;s latest issue is getting a lot of buzz for its steamy pictorials of actress Jennifer Aniston and beau Gerard Butler living it up in the California desert. It&#8217;s not uncommon for these kind of fashion shoots to give readers the 4-1-1 on every piece of apparel and accessory that touches the model&#8217;s skin.
If [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1189" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 460px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Jennifer-Aniston-Gerard-Butler1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1189" title="Jennifer-Aniston-Gerard-Butler" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Jennifer-Aniston-Gerard-Butler1.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="600" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">W Magazine&#39;s first-ever Shopping Issue features 100 percent Pongr-friendly advertising, inviting readers to enter to win a $1,000 shopping spree!</p></div>
<p>W Magazine&#8217;s latest issue is getting a lot of buzz for its <a href="http://www.wmagazine.com/celebrities/2010/04/aniston_butler_ss#slide=1" target="_blank">steamy pictorials of actress Jennifer Aniston and beau Gerard Butler</a> living it up in the California desert. It&#8217;s not uncommon for these kind of fashion shoots to give readers the 4-1-1 on every piece of apparel and accessory that touches the model&#8217;s skin.</p>
<p>If admirers of Jennifer Aniston want to emulate her style, here&#8217;s how W typically does all the legwork:</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Dolce-and-Gabbana-Aniston1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1191" title="Dolce-and-Gabbana-Aniston" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Dolce-and-Gabbana-Aniston1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="508" /></a></p>
<p>On the Web, fashion hounds can click on the brands for more information. But how do you immediately capture the shopper&#8217;s impulse if she is reading the print edition?</p>
<p>Why, with her cell phone, of course.  Pongr is delighted to announce its historic advertising achievement this month with W Magazine&#8217;s first ever Shopping Issue. The magazine, which features mobile phone-friendly advertising from cover to cover, showcases &#8220;the season&#8217;s most desirable dresses, denim, lingerie, swimsuits, bags, shoes, watches, jewelry, sunglasses, skincare, makeup, and perfumes &#8212; and the best places to find them.&#8221;</p>
<div id="attachment_1193" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 481px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/DolceGabbana-2.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1193" title="Dolce&amp;Gabbana-2" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/DolceGabbana-2.jpg" alt="" width="471" height="600" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Our image recognition technology will identify advertising photographed from a magazine, bus kiosk, billboard or even the TV!</p></div>
<p>All a reader has to do is snap a cell phone picture of an advertisement she likes, such as the above page for Dolce &amp; Gabbana, and then <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/how-it-works/" target="_blank">Pongr the photo</a> (by email, MMS or smart phone apps) for a chance to <a href="http://www.wdesires.com/mobile" target="_blank">win the $1,000 W shopping spree</a>.  Within two minutes, readers will receive confirmation of their entry and a direct communication from the advertising brand, either a link to buy product, special W-only deals or exclusive behind-the-scenes video of a fashion shoot.</p>
<p>The Shopping Issue will also be promoted with Pongr-friendly kiosk advertising throughout New York City, drawing in fashion enthusiasts who might not read W Magazine. The kiosk ads include simple instructions at the bottom inviting pedestrians to photograph and Pongr:</p>
<div id="attachment_1198" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 322px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Versace_kiosk.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1198" title="Versace_kiosk" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Versace_kiosk.jpg" alt="" width="312" height="600" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">W&#39;s &quot;Pongr-ized&quot; Versace kiosk</p></div>
<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Versace_kiosk-CU.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1199" title="Versace_kiosk-CU" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Versace_kiosk-CU.jpg" alt="Pongr and W Magazine have teamed up for the April Shopping Issue, the first magazine to be fully integrate print advertising with cell phones and mobile messaging for instant consumer response" width="600" height="338" /></a></p>
<p>Pongr provides an <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/pongr-technology/" target="_blank">engaging way for advertisers</a> to instantly and accurately measure the effectiveness of their campaigns.</p>
<p>Yes, there have been magazine ads with barcodes that work with cell phones, but for the consumer, that has all the charm of going through the self-serve supermarket checkout. For the advertisers and ad agencies, Pongr&#8217;s image recognition technology allows them to present artistic ads to the public without an ugly barcode or pattern ruining the image.</p>
<p>This is the first time a major publisher and dozens of world-class luxury advertisers have embraced the most natural way to engage high-end readers with mobile phones without messing up their ads. The beauty of visual advertising relies on the power of suggestion and emotion. Nothing ruins the mood like a barcode or cheap sms campaign information.</p>
<p>And because we appreciate beauty, we&#8217;re proud to be partnering with Conde Nast Publications and W Magazine.  We&#8217;re influencing the lives of many shoppers, even if they don&#8217;t know it&#8217;s us.  What works for fashion would be <a href="http://pongr.com/solutions-services/publishers-media-channels/" target="_blank">equally effective for a sports, lifestyle, financial or consumer magazine</a>.  Let us know if you would like to explore how to Pongr-ize!</p>
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			<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/25/w-magazine-makes-shopping-history/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>How advertisers can reward a lifetime of brand loyalty</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/23/how-advertisers-can-reward-a-lifetime-of-brand-loyalty/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/23/how-advertisers-can-reward-a-lifetime-of-brand-loyalty/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:01:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Donny</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Advertising Trends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brand Loyalty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consumer Engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Corporate Logos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Global Brands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Advertising]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=1163</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is my friend&#8217;s baby girl, who was recently adopted from China. Within 24 hours of leaving the orphanage, she was cruising along the Aisles of Capitalism.  Did she recognize the Wal-Mart logo, their smiley face stickers or those infamous &#8220;Falling Prices&#8221; warning signs?
Probably not. But my friend did. He took photos for her [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1165" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 510px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/wal-mart-china-2.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1165" title="wal-mart-china-2" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/wal-mart-china-2.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Never too young for brand exposure.</p></div>
<p>This is my friend&#8217;s baby girl, who was recently adopted from China. Within 24 hours of leaving the orphanage, she was cruising along the Aisles of Capitalism.  Did she recognize the Wal-Mart logo, their smiley face stickers or those infamous &#8220;Falling Prices&#8221; warning signs?</p>
<p>Probably not. But my friend did. He took photos for her baby book.</p>
<p>Here is a prime example of a marketing fantasy: People feeling so much of an emotional connection to a brand that they photograph it to share with friends and family.</p>
<p>A few more examples of brands that made another friend&#8217;s vacation album:</p>
<div id="attachment_1166" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 510px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/starbucks-china.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1166" title="starbucks-china" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/starbucks-china.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="386" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Starbucks in China</p></div>
<div id="attachment_1167" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 510px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/wal-mart-china.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1167" title="wal-mart-china" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/wal-mart-china.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="372" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A Wal-Mart store banner in China -- is it a stretch to call the global brand a &quot;neighborhood market?&quot;</p></div>
<div id="attachment_1168" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/diet-coke-china.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1168" title="diet-coke-china" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/diet-coke-china.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="450" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Diet Coke in China</p></div>
<div id="attachment_1169" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 510px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/pennzoil-karaoke.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1169" title="pennzoil-karaoke" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/pennzoil-karaoke.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Pennzoil in China: Who knew that motor oil and karaoke were a good mix?</p></div>
<p>My friends are hardly alone in enthusiastically snapping pictures of corporate logos for amusement. It seems that almost every major brand has its own fan club on Flickr and other popular photo-sharing sites.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/mcdonalds-singapore.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1170" title="mcdonalds-singapore" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/mcdonalds-singapore.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46529499@N08/4286779420/in/pool-mcdonalds" target="_blank">phone-booth-sized Mickey D&#8217;s</a> above comes from the Flickr McDonalds group. There are also groups called &#8220;<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/maccas/pool/" target="_blank">McDonald&#8217;s Vive La Difference!</a>&#8221; &#8220;<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/bigmac/pool/" target="_blank">McDonald&#8217;s Anywhere</a>,&#8221; and the more inclusive &#8220;<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/fastfoodaroundtheworld/pool/">Fast Food Around the World</a>.&#8221;</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s pause to reflect on the mind-boggling significance of this. McDonalds shells out countless millions of dollars in advertising each year. The Golden Arches pays handsomely to be on the highway exit signs as you pull off the ramp. Knowing how much money that McDonalds spends, why would people possibly spread the word for free?</p>
<p>The reason is that these Flickrites no longer consider it advertising. They think of their favorite companies as an extension of themselves, part of their personal identities. Marketers can only dream of that kind of voluntary buy-in &#8212; and when they get it, wouldn&#8217;t it make sense to sustain the goodwill as long as possible?</p>
<p>When advertisers use Pongr, customers are encouraged to send their phone camera pictures (through email, MMS or smart phone apps) in return for some instant gratification. It could be a discount code or coupon, a free product sample or an invitation to a special event. Click here for more details about <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/how-it-works/" target="_blank">how easy it is to use Pongr</a> when you see an advertisement you like.</p>
<p>People just love free stuff and it doesn&#8217;t take much of an incentive to get them to share the word with their Facebook and Twitter friends. Sun Chips recently created <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sun-Chips/237074325564?ref=ts" target="_blank">a minor frenzy on Facebook</a> just by offering a few complimentary bags of snacks!</p>
<p>An attraction like the <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/206" target="_blank">McDonalds Museum</a> could easily test the effectiveness of their billboards by offering a discount on admission to mobile phone users who Pongr. Or perhaps they could give away free piping-hot apple pies to the first 500 Pongr replies.</p>
<div id="attachment_1171" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 510px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/mcdonalds-museum-billboard-com.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1171" title="McDonald's Downey (California USA)" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/mcdonalds-museum-billboard-com.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Museums and tourist attractions are the ideal venues to offer Pongr rewards and customer incentives.</p></div>
<p>Pongr certainly isn&#8217;t letting advertising history pass us by. We&#8217;re on the cutting edge of technology and would <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/contact-us/" target="_blank">love to brainstorm with you</a> about how to leverage all your clients&#8217; most brand-loyal fans.</p>
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		<title>Memo to Doomsayers: Traditional media is floating just fine</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/23/memo-to-doomsayers-traditional-media-is-floating-just-fine/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/23/memo-to-doomsayers-traditional-media-is-floating-just-fine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:49:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Donny</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Augmented Reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interactive Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Print Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brand Loyalty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consumer Incentives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consumer Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Magazine Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Media Trends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Advertising]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=1147</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Media guru Marc Andreessen has some outrageous advice for print publications to boost their readership: commit suicide.
Playing off the tired sinking ship metaphor, he tells TechCrunch.com that newspapers and magazines need to &#8220;burn the boats&#8221; and that stronger, more powerful Web publications will rise from the ashes.
At a time when traditional media brands remain tremendously [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_1152" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 509px"><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/titanic_sinking.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1152" title="titanic_sinking" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/titanic_sinking.jpg" alt="" width="499" height="324" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">It&#39;s sink-or-swim in this economy, but traditional media is staying afloat</p></div>
<p>Media guru Marc Andreessen has <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/03/06/andreessen-media-burn-boats/" target="_blank">some outrageous advice</a> for print publications to boost their readership: commit suicide.</p>
<p>Playing off the tired sinking ship metaphor, he tells TechCrunch.com that newspapers and magazines need to &#8220;burn the boats&#8221; and that stronger, more powerful Web publications will rise from the ashes.</p>
<p>At a time when traditional media brands remain tremendously influential, we think it is ludicrous to suggest they should disappear.</p>
<p>Publishers of major titles such as Rolling Stone, People and Vogue have just banded together to collectively stake out their territory in the advertising world.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/magazine-print-campaign.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1155" title="MAgaZiNEs_TPoP_4c_TYPE_yr" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/magazine-print-campaign.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="145" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/magazine-print-ad-campaign-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1156" title="magazine-print-ad-campaign-2" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/magazine-print-ad-campaign-2.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="361" /></a></p>
<p>At Pongr, we see ourselves as a bridge between traditional media and new digital media. Both mediums can greatly benefit through cross-promotion in each other&#8217;s worlds.</p>
<p>Personally, I frequently learn about funny new Websites, viral videos and interesting blogs by seeing their URLs mentioned in magazines or newspapers. And as the trade ad above argues, 300 million paid print subscriptions is hardly anything to sneeze at.</p>
<p>Of course, digital media does allow print publications to expand their brands beyond the static page.</p>
<p>Pongr facilitates the union between traditional media and new media.  No matter what the form of visual ad &#8212; including billboards, magazines, subway posters, TV screens and even storefronts &#8212; a quick click with a cell phone camera can deliver consumers special deals on the brands they love the most.</p>
<p>We recently partnered with GQ magazine to make one of its Levi&#8217;s jeans ads interactive.</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/levis_promo_listing.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1157" title="levis_promo_listing" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/levis_promo_listing.jpg" alt="" width="499" height="230" /></a></p>
<p>At the back of the magazine, GQ readers were invited to turn to the page of the Levi&#8217;s ad, snap it with their camera phone and send it in for a special 25 percent discount code redeemable at Levis.com.</p>
<p>GQ marketing executive Scott Carlis says he continues to seek &#8220;more immersive experiences&#8221; for his advertising partners.</p>
<p>&#8220;Pongr provides a service that is enormously valuable for our clients because of the ubiquity of the mobile channel and the increasing demands for more innovative and experiential integrated marketing solutions,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>This month, we&#8217;re also pleased to announce a bold partnership with W magazine. Every single ad in the latest issue will have an incentive to Pongr, as it will be tied in with a $1,000 shopping spree contest. We&#8217;re anticipating volume that has never been seen before in the magazine space!</p>
<p>Find out about our <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/pongr-technology/" target="_self">special image recognition technology</a> and why consumers will welcome <a href="http://pongr.com/solutions-services/" target="_self">mobile marketing offers about brands they are already passionate about</a>.</p>
<p>But back to the sink-or-swim argument about the print media, it looks like they&#8217;re answering their critics with the extremely buoyant Michael Phelps:</p>
<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/michael-phelps-magazine-ad.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1158" title="michael-phelps-magazine-ad" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/michael-phelps-magazine-ad.jpg" alt="" width="499" height="333" /></a></p>
<p>Traditional media may be aging, but it still is in great shape, thank you very much.</p>
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		<title>W Magazine Partners with Pongr</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/21/w-magazine-press-release/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/21/w-magazine-press-release/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:03:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interactive Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Print Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shopper Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interactive Ads]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Publisher]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=1126</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[W Magazine Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
W MAGAZINE PARTNERS WITH PONGR TO CREATE INTERACTIVE ADS FOR THE FIRST EVER SHOPPING ISSUE
 
Program “Mobilizes” All Ads, Making the April Issue Shop-able Cover to Cover
 
BOSTON, MA, March 18, 2010—Pongr, Inc., a digital marketing technology company based in Boston, MA, has been tapped by W magazine to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Wmagazine_Pongr_press_release.pdf">W Magazine Press Release</a></p>
<p><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong><em>W </em></strong><strong>MAGAZINE PARTNERS WITH PONGR TO CREATE INTERACTIVE ADS FOR THE FIRST EVER SHOPPING ISSUE</strong></p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Program “Mobilizes” All Ads, Making the April Issue Shop-able Cover to Cover</em></strong></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><strong>BOSTON, MA</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>March </strong><strong>18</strong><strong>, 2010</strong><strong>—</strong>Pongr, Inc., a digital marketing technology company based in Boston, MA, has been tapped by <em>W </em>magazine to provide turn-key mobile engagement that allows readers to get more information on brands advertising in the April issue, the magazine’s first dedicated entirely to shopping. Readers that choose to “PONGR” the ads are automatically entered for a chance to win $1000 from the magazine.</p>
<p>On any advertising page, readers can snap a photo of the ad and send it to <a href="mailto:w@pongr.com">w@pongr.com</a> to receive a message from the advertising brand: a link to buy; a special shopping offer; or video such as behind-the-scenes or runway shows.</p>
<p>Pongr&#8217;s ad technology makes the ad pages interactive via image recognition, without requiring advertisers to modify their creative. The program equips <em>W</em> with an instant tool for monitoring engagement and rewards those active readers.</p>
<p>“<em>W</em> is an audience of avid shoppers, and this program offers immediate gratification,” said VP/Publisher Nina Lawrence.  “With Pongr, we’ve made the advertisements as easy to shop as the editorial in an issue focused singularly on this topic.”</p>
<p>Advertisers, brands, and marketers are reaching out to Pongr to help deliver mobile solutions that change the way consumers connect with brands (and vice versa). Pongr links print, TV, physical &amp; digital advertisements to social networks via the mobile phone camera and can potentially tie ANYTHING in the physical world to a direct response marketing message.</p>
<p>“As publishers swiftly design programs that link digital opportunities with print, <em>W</em> is a shining example of how to engage readers by being accessible wherever they are,” said Pongr co-founder and CEO Jamie Thompson.  “Pongr activates an advertiser’s own ad creative without modification, and addresses readers’ already sophisticated use of technology.”</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>About Pongr, Inc.</strong></p>
<p>Pongr is an advertising technology products and services company that focuses on mobile consumer engagement via pictures, social interaction, and brand media. For more information please visit <a href="http://www.pongr.com/">http://www.pongr.com</a>. <strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>About W Magazine</strong></p>
<p>W is the only pure luxury and fashion lifestyle magazine. It provides the ultimate insider experience, taking an original, provocative approach to fashion, beauty, society, art, culture, travel, and entertainment. W is published by Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, which operates in 24 countries and is the world leader in exceptional content creation. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.wmagazine.com/">www.wmagazine.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>###</strong></p>
<p><strong>For further information contact:</strong></p>
<p>Joel Idelson, Pongr, 617-938-3505 or jidelson [at] pongr [dot] com</p>
<p>Elissa Lumley, <em>W</em> magazine, 212-286-2225 or Elissa_Lumley [at] condenast [dot] com</p>
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		<title>Imagining the Possibilities of Image-Recognition Technology</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/19/image-recognition-technology-advertising/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/03/19/image-recognition-technology-advertising/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:28:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interactive Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Viral Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consumer Engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Recognition]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=3</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[5 Great Reasons for Agencies  and Publishers to Pond’r Pongr
Truth be told, there’s really just  one great reason to ponder Pongr:  Pongr will make you money.
And really, after that one, what other  reason could you possibly need?
But, since we promised you five great  reasons, here are four more things to consider [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>5 Great Reasons for Agencies  and Publishers to Pond’r Pongr</strong></p>
<p>Truth be told, there’s really just  one great reason to ponder Pongr:  Pongr will make you money.</p>
<p>And really, after that one, what other  reason could you possibly need?</p>
<p>But, since we promised you five great  reasons, here are four more things to consider about Pongr’s  image-recognition  technology:</p>
<ul type="DISC">
<li>Pongr’s unique image-recognition    technology gives you the ability to add metrics to your traditional    advertising channels; now, you can internally gather data about your    readers’ habits, giving you better insight into your traditional and    digital marketing spends.  If you track your online visitors, if    you have an iPhone app (or are working on one), if there’s iPad  connection    in your foreseeable future, Pongr is a natural, easy way to introduce    benchmarking—before your advertisers force you to do it.</li>
<li>Pongr lets you measure reader    and consumer engagement traffic on a daily, monthly, or quarterly  basis.    You can introduce specific programs or value-adds for your advertisers     and clearly prove the value of your publication to them.</li>
<li>Pongr helps you propagate    your brand image onto consumers’ mobile devices and into the  increasingly    sweet spot that is social networking. You can truly make your brand    viral and create a unique experiential marketing opportunity.</li>
<li>Pongr advances retention    of existing customers and gains you exposure to new customers.  Image-recognition    technology, combined with your publication and your advertisers’  campaigns    increase your reach and the effectiveness of your adaptive marketing    efforts by engaging consumers throughout their mobile day.</li>
</ul>
<p>Just as television neither killed radio   nor movie theaters, traditional media aren’t going away. But the balance   of power is shifting to a digital world.</p>
<p>Given its mobility and ubiquity ,  mobile  marketing—especially leveraging technologies like image-recognition—is  a picture-perfect solution for publishers, agencies, and brand marketers   looking to extend their reach and straddle both worlds successfully  in the future.</p>
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		<title>The Future of Mobile Search &amp; Augmented Reality</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/01/16/image-recognition-augmented-reality/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2010/01/16/image-recognition-augmented-reality/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:57:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Augmented Reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interactive Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Advertisers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AR Lite]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Computer Vision]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google Goggles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pongr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Visual Search]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=1048</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What are your predictions for image recognition and augmented reality in 2010? In the last few months of 2009, we saw a meteoric rise in the number of developers, brand advertisers, media publishers, retailers and technology companies engaging with augmented reality, and in the case of Google, image recognition-based augmented reality; i.e., Google Goggles visual [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Search-Statue-Pongr.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-57 alignleft" style="border: 0pt none;margin: 3px 8px" title="Pongr Preditions for Visual Search" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Search-Statue-Pongr-300x193.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="193" /></a>What are your predictions for image recognition and augmented reality in 2010? In the last few months of 2009, we saw a meteoric rise in the number of developers, brand advertisers, media publishers, retailers and technology companies engaging with augmented reality, and in the case of Google, image recognition-based augmented reality; i.e., Google Goggles visual and location aware search through the mobile camera.  What types of AR do you think we&#8217;ll see in the coming months?</p>
<p><a href="http://twitter.com/PongrMedia" target="_blank">Twitter</a> has helped facilitate many great discussions on AR, mobile image recognition and futuristic ideas that are coming to life in the present.  People like <a href="http://twitter.com/chrisgrayson" target="_blank">Chris Grayson</a> of <a href="http://gigantico.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">GigantiCo</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/rww" target="_blank">Richard MacManus</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/marshallk" target="_blank">Marshall Kirkpatrick</a> of <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/" target="_blank">ReadWriteWeb</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/SFWRITER" target="_blank">Rachael King</a> of <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/" target="_blank">BusinessWeek.com</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/timOReilly">Tim O&#8217;Reilly</a> of <a href="http://radar.oreilly.com/" target="_blank">O&#8217;Reilly Media</a> (see his <a href="http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/e/1358" target="_blank">Web Squared video</a> with <a href="http://twitter.com/JohnBattelle" target="_blank">John Battelle</a> for insight into image recognition and the future of the Mobile Web) and <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=augmented+reality" target="_blank">many others</a>, are evangelizing augmented reality applications and <a href="http://pongr.com" target="_blank">core technologies</a>.</p>
<p>As a provider of <a href="http://pongr.com" target="_blank">image recognition</a> capabilities, <a href="http://pongr.com" target="_blank">Pongr</a> is interested in helping you, your company, and your customers continue to innovate in this exciting space.  After all, the global heartbeat of the mobile Internet is connected to the billions of pictures generated by mobile consumers everywhere.  Pictures and videos are the lifeblood of how we share experiences and make connections beyond what can be said in 140 characters or less!</p>
<p>While we can&#8217;t predict the entire future of AR, we are certain of one thing: image recognition is a fundamental technology that will improve the way the world searches for, and interacts with people, places and things. We&#8217;d love to hear your thoughts on what you think will happen next.  Here are a few areas that we expect will continue to rage in 2010:</p>
<ul>
<li>Image recognition as a core mobile &#8220;search&#8221; tool</li>
<li>Augmented reality that includes computer vision vs. GPS/LBS only AR Lite</li>
<li>Retail uses of AR in the form of &#8220;shopper technology&#8221; to drive traffic and sales</li>
<li>Gimmicky one-trick ponies vs. sustainable AR applications</li>
<li>Mingling of relationships between media, mobile and advertising companies</li>
</ul>
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		<title>Going Rogue: A Mobile Marketer&#8217;s Guide to Augmented Reality Campaign Planning</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2009/11/15/augmented-advertising/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2009/11/15/augmented-advertising/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:40:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interactive Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ad Campaigns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Analytics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AR Lite]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Augmented Reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shopper Technology]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=938</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Pongr offers specific advice on how to make augmented reality, MMS and social media tie-ins to your brand marketing goals for mobile.  Shopper technology, AR Lite and interactive media planning tips.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.economist.com/sciencetechnology/tq/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14299602" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/pongr-a-picture.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-50" style="margin: 3px 8px" title="Pongr Mobile Marketing" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/pongr-a-picture-300x193.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="193" /></a>The Economist, <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2009/tc2009112_434755.htm" target="_blank">BusinessWeek</a>, <a href="http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/sviokla/2009/10/how_will_augmented_reality_aff.html#comments" target="_blank">Harvard Business Publishing</a>, and hundreds of others in the mainstream media are talking about augmented reality and the implications it will have on ad campaigns.  In fact, most of the attention being paid to AR Lite marketing is not only about the future of mobile marketing, but what&#8217;s being rolled out now!  Shopper technology is everywhere, Internet titans are staking out new territories, and the couplings between social media and mobilized ad campaigns are growing tighter.</p>
<p>But here&#8217;s the thing &#8212; we&#8217;re only seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of the effectiveness of actually influencing consumer shopping decisions via mobile banner ads.  What lurks beneath the surface is huge, and the implications of what happens next are significant for the business of retail, advertising, and even wireless carriers.</p>
<p>As Adweek&#8217;s <a href="http://bmorrissey.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Brian Morrissey</a> writes in a <a href="http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3i097dc9e3a52567ef0447e97aca2ea6f9" target="_blank">recent article on Google&#8217;s acquisition of AdMob</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left"><em>The big purchase is a clear endorsement that Google sees enormous potential in a market that&#8217;s still small. Despite the never-ending prediction of &#8220;the year of mobile,&#8221; the market has grown by fits and starts. According to eMarketer, advertisers spent just $320 million on mobile ads last year, a figure that&#8217;s forecast to increase to $416 million this year and reach $1.6 billion in 2013.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left">Here are some practical tips on how to include augmented reality in your mobile marketing campaigns.<strong> </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left"><strong>Rule #1 &#8211; It&#8217;s all about the opt-in experience!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">Your best users and biggest fans need to be empowered to participate in a cool, mobile experience when it&#8217;s convenient for <em>them</em>.  That means you should think carefully about whether you want to associate your brand with &#8220;pushing&#8221; a mobile offer when it&#8217;s not directly solicited or guaranteed to be relevant.  Instead, you should tell a story; a story that involves a mobile component, is tied into your overall marketing activities, and includes some specific <span style="text-decoration: underline">special offers and social opportunities</span> for your fans to engage with your brand on their terms.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">To be clear, when we say special offers, we don&#8217;t necessarily mean just coupons.  Mobile coupons could be a sensible way to approach your objectives, but there&#8217;s a lot you can do with the post-click in mobile.  Sign-ups for insider information, mobile videos, mini-sites, Twitter and Facebook pages, product info, and game tips are a few thoughts. For some additional suggestions on what to &#8220;offer&#8221; mobile users see Pongr&#8217;s page on mobile marketing &#8220;ad-ventures&#8221; for brand image recognition.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><strong>Rule #2 &#8211; Be inclusive. Use MMS for maximum reach and supplement with smartphone experiences.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">In our humble opinion, you need to be as inclusive as possible with your special, opt-in mobile offers.<strong> </strong> That means you need to acknowledge that there&#8217;s more to a successful mobile marketing campaign than just an iPhone or Android app.  Specifically, we recommend factoring MMS into your campaign plans.  It goes without saying that brands should be building, maintaining, and enhancing applications on smartphones, but to reach the masses you must do something more pervasive.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">SMS is great, but it doesn&#8217;t give you the ability to be as interactive as you could.  MMS is where it&#8217;s at when it comes to getting the base of the pyramid to opt-in to your campaigns and provide unique insights about themselves.  If you want to collect user photos, encourage sharing on social networks, and build a memorable experience that takes advantage of the ubiquity of picture sharing on the Web, you need to have an MMS plan for all those feature phone users.  The best plan in the world won&#8217;t move the needle if it doesn&#8217;t have the reach.</p>
<blockquote><p><a href="http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3i15e6314384dccfe34c6933f5d873168f?pn=1" target="_blank">&#8220;You&#8217;ve got to be able to run on all phones, not just smartphones.&#8221;</a> &#8211; <a href="http://twitter.com/Placecast" target="_blank">Alistair Goodman,</a> <a href="http://blog.placecast.net/" target="_blank">Placecast</a></p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left">
<p style="text-align: left"><strong>Rule #3 &#8211; Be clever &amp; take advantage of the latest technology, but keep it simple!<br />
</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left">The third rule of getting augmented reality into your ad campaigns is to keep it simple. OK, nothing Earth-shattering here, but as we all know, the more complicated it gets, the less likely you are to have a successful outcome.   Worse, your target users might be left feeling dumb or betrayed by your brand because you didn&#8217;t include them, or set the bar too high with something too complicated.  We&#8217;ve written a number of posts and tweeted a lot about QR codes, so we won&#8217;t rehash it all now, but fundamentally, Pongr believes a pure-play image recognition solution is better for users, creative directors, brands, and pretty much everyone.  Exceptions include enterprise use-cases like airline ticketing or monopolized wireless carrier countries, like South Korea.  Besides, if you want to look magical, why not go for the best, keep it easy, and keep it omnipresent.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">Augmented reality is not new to many of us in the artificial intelligence/machine learning community and there&#8217;s been plenty of moderately nifty consumer applications out for a number of years.  However, with major brands, publishers, media companies, and consumer technology providers embracing the underlying components of augmented reality, we&#8217;re all about to see some dramatic &amp; widely used AR and AR Lite applications in mobile marketing.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">Advanced image recognition technologies and MMS advertising solutions are here now.  If we&#8217;re even close to being correct, image based search and other AR technologies will soon influence how you effectively send &amp; receive message to customers.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">If you&#8217;d like help planning or executing campaigns using augmented reality, image recognition, MMS, or mobile-to-social brand interaction, give us a <a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/contact-us/" target="_self">call</a> or zing us on <a href="http://twitter.com/PongrMedia" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!  Pongr provides leading-edge image recognition technology and turn-key augmented reality marketing solutions.</p>
<p style="text-align: left">If you&#8217;d like to share your two cents, we definitely want to hear it!</p>
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		<title>Augmented Reality and AR Lite for Mobile Marketing</title>
		<link>http://blog.pongr.com/2009/10/24/augmentedreality-mobile/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.pongr.com/2009/10/24/augmentedreality-mobile/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:51:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jamie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Search]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Applications]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AR Lite]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Image Recognition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pongr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Search]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.pongr.com/?p=917</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Quick tutorial on augmented reality technology components for mobile search and application development. AR Lite vs. next-gen video image based search, getting location information and data streaming issues.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Pongr-BaseballGame-Small.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-51" style="margin: 3px 8px" title="Pongr Augmented Reality" src="http://blog.pongr.com/files/2010/03/Pongr-BaseballGame-Small-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a>The &#8220;Augmented Reality&#8221; hype train continues to gain momentum, and like the hackneyed idiom goes, where there&#8217;s smoke, there&#8217;s fire.</p>
<p>Below are a few tips we think you should keep in mind when doing your research on mobile augmented reality apps, the design of your own mobile marketing initiatives, and, for you futurists, your predictions about the Mobile Internet &amp; Smart Phone Tsunami . . .</p>
<ul>
<li>Nearly everything you see today that is being called Augmented Reality is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_%28web_application_hybrid%29" target="_blank">mashup</a> of 2 things: the GPS (or <a href="http://www.skyhookwireless.com/" target="_blank">non-GPS location identifier</a> like WiFi or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_tracking" target="_blank">cellular triangulation</a>) on the phone and 3rd party data APIs (e.g., Wikipedia, <a href="http://code.google.com/apis/maps/">Google Maps</a>, Yelp, <a href="http://developer.ebay.com/common/api/" target="_blank">eBay</a>).  From now on, we&#8217;re going to refer to this set of mobile applications as <a href="http://twitter.com/ARwiki/status/4102590771" target="_blank">AR Lite</a> apps.</li>
<li>The use of the camera (or open video stream) is currently mostly about style and interface.  Some mobile phones (iPhone 3GS and some Android handsets) are using compass capabilities to provide a general sense of perspective in the app &#8211; that&#8217;s what separates an LBS enabled mobile app from this newer set of AR Lite apps.</li>
<li>The compass is what tells the AR Lite application where the user is &#8220;looking&#8221; &#8211; not the camera.</li>
<li>If you want a granular sense of perspective via the camera, you should use <a href="http://pongr.com/">image recognition</a>.  Like the AR Lite apps, a full-blown image recognition enabled mobile app is not magic (although it is magical and full of science), so you should learn more about this topic on its own.  Pongr is happy to help.</li>
<li>There are major wireless network and video compression matters that need to be fully addressed/rolled-out before mobile application developers will be able to utilize an open streaming camera view for the purposes of search (whether general purpose or vertical specific).  From a practical perspective, it doesn&#8217;t make sense to rely on high-quality streaming video for search just yet.  It will in in a few years, though.</li>
<li>We are likely to see a bifurcation among the AR Lite apps and image recognition based applications before we see them blend into a fully-functional, mass marketed video type of search.  The blend will occur only after the major carriers (or even just one) rolls out 4G/LTE networks. Even then, it remains to be seen what the data capabilities will be.</li>
<li>It is possible, if not likely, that carriers will have a heavy hand in controlling this next generation of mobile search because the consequences to their network assets (and profitability) are significant.  We may see alternative data infrastructure providers/sources, but that&#8217;s another topic altogether.  And, of course, in the U.S. and other countries, the <a href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/09/fcc-chairman-wants-network-neutrality-wired-and-wireless.ars" target="_blank">network neutrality</a> issues will greatly shape what happens with mobile video based search.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://pongr.com/about-us/contact-us/" target="_self">Contact Pongr</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/jamie_thompson" target="_blank">@Jamie_Thompson</a> for more information.</p>
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