Mobile Discovery Announces the First Cross-Carrier Mobile 2D Barcode Trial
Trial at Case Western Reserve University Breathes New 'Interactive' Life into Print Advertising
April 2, 2008, Las Vegas, NV and Reston, VA - Mobile Discovery Inc., an innovator in mobile marketing, today announced the launch of the first large scale trial of mobile 2D codes, at Case Western Reserve University. Mobile Discovery allows advertisers and publishers to make print media interactive by enabling new functionality via mobile phones. In doing so, Mobile Discovery helps unlock value for marketers, drive revenue for carriers and increase functionality for consumers.
On the Case Western Reserve University campus, 2D barcodes appear on print ads all over campus, and can be seen on flyers, posters, bus stops and billboards. The technology allows students, faculty and staff to interact with advertisements or promotions by "scanning" a barcode with a cell phone camera. Students can scan a code at a bus stop and get real-time information telling them the arrival time of the next bus. Users can scan codes on posters to instantly subscribe to one of USA TODAY's news alert services. The student newspaper uses codes to link movie clips to editorial. Promotional sweepstakes offered by QVC showcase new products. And in the classroom, students can scan a code from an overhead projector to take a quiz in their chemistry class.
Mobile Discovery's Code Management Platform, called CodeIntelligence™ was designed to allow brands and advertisers to connect print, mobile and web messaging. The company's self-service web portal enables advertisers to build, manage and track cross-carrier mobile marketing campaigns using 2D codes. When combined with the power of the mobile web, CodeIntelligence™ enables revolutionary new opportunities for marketers and brands.
Major US wireless carriers are involved in the trial at Case Western and this has been crucial to the program. The same way that consumers benefited from cross-carrier text messaging, cross-carrier cooperation on codes will also provide consumer benefits.
"Carriers realize the importance of working together to establish a framework for this new service," said Mark Desautels, vice president of Wireless Internet Development, CTIA. "Mobile Discovery is working with the cross-carrier group via CTIA to manage the nation's first ever mass 2D code trial and broker information sent and received from all carriers and mobile phones-giving the students, faculty and staff a universal mobile experience."
At Case Western University, Mobile Discovery has deployed a full code ecosystem. This involves value added services which include the ability to design and create code-enabled print advertisements along with associated multi-media mobile content - along with the analytics to track it all. The service facilitates interaction between marketers and users by making it easy to sign up for things, receive information, or purchase goods. Mobile Discovery has embraced the unique attributes of the mobile device and devised a solution to work around its limitations. Consumer marketing and educational materials are also a critical aspect to the roll out of any new technology.
"This opportunity to work with Mobile Discovery and the cross-carrier community epitomizes what we try and do here at Case Western which is help students be part of the process of both learning in the traditional sense, but also the excitement around the opportunity to bring ideas and products to market," said Lev Gonick, chief information officer at Case Western Reserve University. "Our Master of Engineering and Management program has been heavily involved in driving and implementing the Mobile Discovery solution on campus and learning first-hand about 2D codes and mobile marketing."
"Mobile Discovery's technology is at the heart of the mobile marketing ecosystem providing consumers a better, easier, faster way to both get information on their mobile phones and interact with brands," said David Miller, mobile technology veteran and founder and CEO of Mobile Discovery, Inc. "Most consumers don't use their cell phones to get information like they do on their PC. The cell phone screen is small, the keypad limited, as a result the experience can be frustrating and time consuming. We are making the experience much easier, both for advertisers and consumers."
Partners are making the trial even more enriching. Case students can experience the "applied" technology via a mobile marketing campaign designed and run by QVC, Inc. The campaign, called "The Q Code: Make It or Break It" will be held today through April 21 and promises to deliver the experience of connecting the physical world with the mobile phone.
The campaign includes a two-pronged sweepstakes. Students can "Make It" by visually and virally spreading the word throughout campus by creating their own codes and campaigns, using the Mobile Discovery technology. The other part of the Sweepstakes, "Break It," entails a graphic of "The Q Code" (specifically created for this campaign), which will be prominently displayed around campus. Each time the Q Code is scanned, students will be entered for a chance to win daily prizes from QVC, as well as a Sweepstakes grand prize. These prizes will range from high-end electronics to brand-name beauty products and designer jewelry.
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About Mobile Discovery
Mobile Discovery™ is enabling a new form of advertising allowing marketers to bring the benefits of new media to traditional print advertising via the mobile phone. The company's Code Management Platform, called CodeIntelligence™, is a patent pending solution that delivers advertisers a self-service web portal for managing every aspect of a cross-carrier 2D code deployment. A host of value-added services deliver capabilities allowing marketers to not only reach, but also interact and transact with mobile consumers in simplified ways. Mobile Discovery is a private technology company based in Reston, VA.
Contact:
pr@mobilediscovery.com
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