There’s a new trend heading our way…

Cell C is taking mobile phone technology one step further with yet another innovation. By downloading Cell C’s new PhotoCode application powered by BeeTagg, your phone becomes a key to a whole new world of possibilities.

 ~ Cell C

This new feature takes QR codes to a new level!

BUT WHAT IS A QR CODE?

According to Wikipedia a QR code is a matrix barcode or two-dimensional code, readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with cameras, and smartphones.

Because smartphones is a must-have this season, and almost everyone has a cellphone with a camera, Cell C, together with their partners (YOU, Huisgenoot, People, Sunday Times, The Times, 5fm, MultiChoice and Oppikoppi) has managed to see the possibilities that these so-called QR codes have to offer.

HOW IT WORKS:

First of all, you have to download the application to your phone. This is very easy and fast! Sms your name to 32357 (free for Cell C customers, R1 to MTN and Vodacom), click on the link that will be sent to you, and download!

Secondly, you take a picture of any QR code with your PhotoCode reader.

And lastly, your PhotoCode reader will analyze the QR code and ask you if you want to go to the link that represents that particular QR code. It’s as easy as that!

STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND? HERE’S SOME EXAMPLES:

Via Memeburn

• You notice an ad for an upcoming gig by a local music star and the PhotoCode printed alongside it allows you to download one of their tracks as a ringtone.
• You are attending an exclusive new event and a PhotoCode gives you the password to the VIP area.
• You are in the Cell C store and by snapping a picture of a PhotoCode you can find out all there is to know about any product on the shelves.

This could open up a whole new world to many industries! Some Twitter users have even joined in. When will you join?

For more information, visit Cell C

On 19 April, the Ad-Tech conference kicks off in San Francisco.  The three day conference will be focusing on the concept of online marketing, who to communicate with and how to reach your target audience.

One of the speakers at the event, Jamie Cohen Szculc – the chief marketing officer for Levi Strauss & Co will be speaking on the new global take on marketing, and basically taking a look at using social media for marketing and how do we deal with the transformation.

Jamie has his bachelors degree in civil engineering, but has more than 20 years of international experience in consumer products.  Before working at Levi, he was the chief operations officer for Kodak’s consumer business. 

Jamie is also the director and co-founder of TechnoCorp Energy, a company dedicated to research and development of renewable energy.

Japie is off to San Francisco but will have all the updates and trends once he gets back, so watch this space.

But let’s not wait for Japie to come back.  What’s your take on Jamie’s topic?

Microsoft has launched a new phone aimed at the social media addict. Check out the video to see what the campaign is all about - A NEW WAY OF MARKETING

For the rest of the story, click here

While we are all thinking about how internet has taken over and how we should adjust  to that, we forget about the traditional mediums, such as newspapers.

Thousands of people have gone over to the “e”-side for their daily news and it has become part of their daily routine. It’s just so much easier to turn on the computer, rather than going out to buy the newspaper.

For more on this topic, read What Does the Future Hold for Newspapers?

I read an interesting article today regarding the success that companies have reached using social networking and e-marketing.  The effects of the social networking craze goes far beyond chatting to an old friend on Facebook, Blueworld or any of the other online communities.  This is something that I still need to get used to.

The thing is just that the advertising is done is such a way that people do not even realize that they are being targeted by large companies and by the time that they do, it’s too late.

The great thing, in my opinion, that has lead to the success of e-marketing, is the accessibility that it creates and opens the window between the business or service provider and the target public.  The audience can be reached anywhere and anytime, instead of just hoping when they come home from work that they watch TV so that they can see the reccurring ad for the ‘two for the price of one’ special.

They other thing is that the consumers feel a sense of control and in some way one can say that they are in control.  Before, the marketer would create an ad and no matter what the public thought of it they had no way to get back to the company and give there thoughts.  They would change the channel and that would be that.

With the internet and making the whole thing more ‘e’ the companies loose less money, in the sense that they can reach their target audience more direct and leave the ‘general public’ to be some else’s suckers.

I am unfortunately making use of the public transport system and I am constantly reminded of how we are using the internet no matter were we are.  I sat next to a guy that I assume is in his early twenties, and he was downloading something from the internet.  The thing is, he was browsing through some pages and the smartly places advertisements led to him clicking on one and taking him to completely different place.  Knowing what I know now I was rather impressed.

However, being a cellphone and internet user myself, I sometimes feel that the ads are pushy and irritating.  My advice to the markers is simple.  Less is more: make yourself seen and be remembered.  Sometimes we come back and that is when you have hooked us.  Those over-powering sites don’t see me too often , that you can be sure of.

The great thing about the internet, no matter what portal you use to get there, is that it is vast and gives room to play around a for both the advertiser and the user.

Seeing companies take their online presence more seriously is always a great thrill for me.

Seeing a company actually spend money on a print advertisement in a major newspaper, just to promote their online presence is the  type of thing that gets me excited.

This ad in Saturday’s Cape Argus shows the Alliance group punting their web site, mobile site, facebook group and twitter account.

I went to have a look at all of those and found it encouraging to see the cross-promotion of the different platforms on each of their sites and profiles.

Well done Alliance and your emarketing crew, who-ever they may be!

Today we have a guest blog appearance from Wayne Naidoo, MD of the Lowe Bull Group

So you know I’m just a coloured boyt’jie from Mitchells Plain – what can I truly know. I’m still getting used to turning on a TV for crying out loud.

Anyway here’s my go at 3 predictions:

1. A great idea doesn’t care where it comes from. The world will get even smaller as distinguished Global clients will shop the world over for best of breed online solutions and won’t be limited to the confines of their geography as per the way they traditionally work with their ATL shops.
2. Accomplished and well established agencies will continue to battle to convert their traditional creatives to work in the land of online. The young talent however born out of this era that are given the opportunity to work on integrated briefs will be the David Ogilvy’s of tomorrow.
3. The digital revolution will cast an even brighter light on the archaic agency fee structure agreements. The smart agencies will make a killing by introducing and forcing a system that rewards their ideas fairly. Knowledge is power, which they will hold onto dearly.

Yoh! I need to get paid more. There are gems here.

Wayne101010

It came and went. I blogged about it and then my pc crashed.
Anyway, no great fireworks, especially as all the results were know before hand.
Will I go again? I just can’t say.

Saturday was a mellow day in Margate. We arrived on the beachfront at about 3pm to have some lunch at one of the seafood/pizza joints there. At 4pm, while finishing off, the Loeries parade made its way past us on Loerie lane ( so renamed for the week-end)
The parade was quite disappointing. Some drummies, a local school band and a number of open convertibles with some beauty queens perched on them.
This was followed by the promotional vehicles form just about every Margate business, including Rhema church, the lifesavers and the police. Oh, yes, let’s not forget the 4 Subaru’s with music blasting from their woofers.
The official “do”, scheduled for 18h30 eventually got on the way at 19h15. The host, John Vlismas, kept the show going with 2 guest performances by Freshly Ground.
The categories awarded were communication design, print, student and experiential.
1,5hrs in a plastic seat was quite a thing without a break. The smokers at the event off course all thought that because it was a marquee that they could smoke as much as possible. Even after being asked twice not to do so, they still continued. Oh well…
The official after party was at Backline. I still had to pay cash for my drink…So much for an official party.
Well let’s see what tonight will bring. Off to the function now.

Well, I just got off the plane from Cape Town to Durban and feel like the only guy on the plane with a pair of jeans that actually fit, a top and trousers that match and without earrings or rings adorning my body.
I guess that’s what happens when you fly Air Loerie to Durbs during Loerie week-end in Margate.
So glad to know that I will actually be standing out this week-end…!