Stuart Corner
Sunday, 04 March 2007 14:00
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 2
Two of the hottest concepts in marketing are 'proximity marketing' and hypertags, and underpinning both is the bluetooth short range wireless technology.
With most new cellphones supporting bluetooth, it provides a perfect channel to deliver a whole range of information in a multitude of situations.
Ford Australia is exploiting the technology to the max on its stand at the 2007 Melbourne International Motor Show at Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre by creating four separate interactive Bluetooth zones on its stand to promote four separate vehicle categories: small cars, medium to large family sedans, utes and SUVs.
Each of the four interactive zones has been created using a Hypertag, a bluetooth/infrared base station supplied by marketing company Aura Interactive. These enable visitors to download onto their mobile phone a series of animations, videos, ringtones, wallpapers and m-vouchers specific to each of the vehicle categories.
According to Adam Dunne, director of sales & marketing at Aura, "Hypertags are short-range wireless devices mounted into each of the Ford information booths, which send information to mobile phones via Bluetooth and infra-red. By activating the Bluetooth or infra-red capabilities on their mobile and standing near the Hypertag, consumers can choose to download free mobile content and Ford information about the specific vehicle they are looking at and interested in."
Aura claims that the range of each Hypertag has been set to ensure that visitors receive an invitation to request information from each sector as they move around the stand. Ford deployed the technology at both Sydney and Brisbane motor shows and generated over 18,400 interactions during these shows, according to Aura.
