Colin Daniels, Publisher of The Times Online, is up next - the last speaker for today - and will be elaborating on this thoughts on Mobilising the Web.
Heard of 2D barcodes (semacodes)? These:
- store data in 2 dimensions
- differ in shape from traditional 1D codes
- allow for more data e.g. URLS to be stored
- have built-in error correction to assist accuracy
- allow you to take a photo of the barcode with your mobile phone and go to a URL or interact with the creator of the barcode in some way
Loads of uses, styles and applications. From sticking them on busses, harddrives, billboards through to bags of fruit, t-shirts and more.
This all leads into TimesCode and their cross-platform advertising initiatives. They first used a semacode in a 'Support the Boks' ad in the Sunday Times. By taking a picture of the semacode in the newspaper, you'd be able to download a free Zulu Haka (Sesihlangene) ringtone. The response was considerable: 20 000 downloads over a two week period.
Advantages of going this route: - Convenience to end users - no need to remember a URL; shoot the code and go to the destination
- Instant gratification - no waiting for an SMS to get sent back to you
- Highly recognisable
- Innovative and fun - and novel at the moment
- Bridges the divide between print and mobile
- Triggers different events
- Works well with SMS
- Helps to build powerful databases and grow business intelligence
- Measurable
