Bluepod Media has signed exclusive bluetooth marketing agreements with two major shopping centres, the Bullring in Birmingham and the Trafford Centre in Manchester. An average of one million shoppers visit both retail destinations every week. The deals mean that brand owners will now have an opportunity to communicate promotional campaigns with shoppers on a one to one basis in a completely new and unique way.
Shoppers in both destinations carrying Bluetooth-enabled phones will be asked via a Bluetooth message for permission to be sent a Trafford Centre- or Bullring-branded menu of content to their phone. From the menu, shoppers will be able to access third party promotional offers and content linked to retail sites, as well as information about the shopping centre itself.
The deal we have signed with Bluepod Media will inevitably add value to our shoppers experience, says Jon Levenson, Managing Director of Trafford Centre sister company, Peel Advertising. We are looking forward to exploring the potential of Bluetooth marketing in The Trafford Centre and our airports.
Bluepod Media offers proximity advertising on a pay-per-download model, with advertisers only paying each time their content is accessed. The box is about the size of a hardback book and only needs a mains socket to function. National Bluetooth marketing campaigns are handled centrally by Bluepod Media and can be remotely operated throughout the portfolio of exclusive venues. Bluepod can provide detailed statistical reports on the effectiveness of a campaign, and says it is currently the only mobile marketing company committed to have usage independently certified by ABC Electronic.
Content that can be distributed by Bluepod Media is limited only by mobile phone technology, the company notes. Successful campaigns have previously included film trailers, promotional music downloads and digital vouchers for discounted products. Shoppers can opt in to receive content free of charge, at a pay-per-download cost of between 0.40 and 0.70 to the advertiser.
The company adds that recent Bluetooth marketing campaigns it has run demonstrate the impact that proximity advertising by Bluetooth can make. Over 400,000 film trailers promoting the Warner Bros. film I am Legend film were downloaded in a two week period across Vue cinemas nationwide. At Portsmouth Football Club, 6,245 Premiership fans opted in to download a movie trailer to their phones from a total match attendance of 20,200.
Bluetooth marketing is no longer limited to poster sites, and can cover destinations, allowing brands to target consumers by profile as well as environment, says Bluepod Media Managing Director, John Scorah. The FMCG marketer has always strived for a cost effective and measurable way of achieving a one to one customer relationship. We provide a way for brands to achieve just that whilst they have only one thing on their mind shopping! Any FMCG promotional campaign should now include Bluetooth as part of an integrated mix.