mma Bluetooth Mobile Marketing Guide

mma Bluetooth Mobile Marketing Guide

 

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1 Introduction

The Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA) Bluetooth Mobile Marketing Guidelines for Europe provides an overview and guidelines for those organisations planning to use Bluetooth marketing techniques within their mobile marketing programmes. The Guidelines are founded on strong consumer privacy standards and are intended to provide best practices in delivering consistent, effective and engaging user experiences through Bluetooth marketing.

The Mobile Marketing Association believes that strong consumer privacy standards are essential to the success of mobile marketing by protecting mobile users from unsolicited communications on their mobile devices. Regardless of the mobile marketing channel, programs should be run in a manner that is consistent with the MMA Global Code of Conduct for mobile marketing. The Global Code of Conduct is located at: [pdf].

The Guidelines have been developed and collaborated on by the MMA European Proximity Committee, a group of MMA members with a special interest and expertise in proximity -based marketing.

While the current Guidelines cover only Bluetooth-based marketing for the European region; future releases will cover other regions and technologies, such as Location-Based Services, Near-Field Communications (NFC) and Wi-Fi.

The target audience for these Guidelines is all companies and individuals involved in the commissioning, creation, distribution and hosting of Bluetooth marketing programmes. The MMA Bluetooth Marketing Guidelines present critical principles to ensure consumer privacy and satisfaction in the deployment of such programmes.

In some countries in Europe, national regulatory and legal frameworks exist that address the acceptable uses of the Bluetooth channel. The MMA strongly urges brands and marketers to work with their proximity marketing partner or provider to identify and comply with all national and local laws.

Regardless ofIn addition to national laws and regulations the law(s), end users’ concerns and expectations should also must be carefully managed. The MMA recommends taking all steps necessary to ensure that users fully understand any proposal to use their data and the consumer always elects to ‘opt in’ to the Bluetooth campaign. Adherence will be essential for the long-term success of Bluetooth-based marketing.

1.1 Bluetooth Overview

Bluetooth is a worldwide standard and communications protocol for cable-free, network-free connectivity between electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, PCs, palmtop computers and other peripherals, such as headsets. The Bluetooth technical specifications are managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, founded in 1998, which consists of more than 10,000 member companies worldwide. Additional information on the Bluetooth Special Interest Group can be located on their Website http://www.Bluetooth.com/Bluetooth/SIG.

According to the IMS Research report, “The Worldwide Market for Bluetooth”, global Bluetooth attachment rates for mobile phones are at 46.7% in 2007, up from 40% in 2006. This figure includes regional attach rates for the Americas, EMEA and Asia at 46.4%, 51.2% and 42.7%, respectively. Notably high, the percentage of mobile phones with Bluetooth technology in North America and Western Europe has reached over 60% and 70% respectively for the first time ever. (Source: Bluetooth SIG press release, September 18, 2007)

Bluetooth provides brands and advertisers a way to connect with consumers on a highly penetrated device to deliver rich media advertising and content that can be shared amongst friends and family.

Bluetooth has several clear advantages that make it an attractive way to market and distribute content to consumers:

  • The hardware and campaign costs are relatively low and the installed base of Bluetooth-equipped handsets is substantial.
  • This high penetration of handsets with Bluetooth installed makes Bluetooth it an ideal way to reach most mobile users.
  • Consumer familiarity with Bluetooth is high and growing worldwide.
  • Bluetooth does not require a network connection, so there are no transaction costs for consumers, brands and media owners. That means content can be provided to end users free of charge.
  • Unlike infrared (IrDA), Bluetooth does no’t require a direct line of sight between the devices to transfer data.

1.2 Bluetooth Marketing Uses and Benefits

Bluetooth marketing is most impactful and successful when integrated into a cross-media programme for branding, product and/ or service offering. Brands and advertisers use proximity-based marketing to simultaneously target their customers and consumers. For example, a consumer may receive content via Bluetooth from a brand in the foyer of a movie theatre. retailer may market to patrons inside their store with Bluetooth digital signage at the same time they’re targeting pedestrians in close proximity to the storefront, both with Bluetooth-enabled devices.

Similar to other marketing vehicles, Bluetooth has the capability to deliver the following marketing messages directly to the consumer’s personalized mobile device:

  • Promotional discounts
  • Music and games
  • Coupons
  • Information
  • Brand advertising
  • Entertainment (e.g. shows and movie times)

As with any advertising programme, success is highly influenced by the placement of display media. With Bluetooth marketing, the key to successful placement is to target the greatest population of mobile devices. The following provides a variety of locations and venues for targeting wireless consumers:

  • Movie theatres
  • Restaurants, Nightclubs and Bars
  • Music Concerts
  • Sports Arenas
  • Shopping Malls
  • Retail Locations
  • Airports
  • Public Transit Shelters
  • University Campuses
  • Tradeshows
  • Billboards
  • Large Public Spaces

The benefits of incorporating Bluetooth marketing into a cross media programme are powerful for every brand and advertiser and ultimately, will define a brand’s relevance and loyalty for consumers:

  • Extend the brand beyond traditional media and merchandising
  • Increase sales through discounts and coupons
  • Improve and enhance the retail, theatre or sports experience
  • Encourage loyalty through referral programs
  • Drive repeat usage for new promotional material or content
  • Increase brand relevance with target segments

The use of Bluetooth for proximity-based content delivery and marketing is an evolving area, but initial results indicate success – in terms of a positive experience for both consumers and content providers – when the content offered is optimised for the mobile phone and relevant to the location. The recipient’s location should be taken into account at the time before the information is sent, such as an electronic coupon for free popcorn when the recipient is at a movie theatre ticket window. Content tailored to the recipient’s activity at that time may produce higher opt-in rates and general levels of acceptance.

Ensuring consumer awareness via a clearly visible call-to-action is essential and also improves opt-in and download rates. (In the theatre example, the call to action could be through signage in the lobby and by the ticket window encouraging movie-goers to use Bluetooth to receive special offers or content related to the show.

 

2 Bluetooth Marketing Guidelines

2.1 Consumer Choice

The first and foremost consideration in creating and deploying a Bluetooth marketing programme is ensuring the user can choose and consent to what mobile messages they choose to receive on their mobile device.

Targeted prospects should be enabled with the ability to control if and when they want to receive advertisements and/ or content, including the desire to turn their Bluetooth to discoverable. This gives consumers total control how to respond to communication directed to them via Bluetooth.

Bluetooth marketing campaigns should be designed in such a way that the user’s consent and explicit opt-in is obtained before delivering any alerts, marketing or content to the user.

Upon receipt of consumer’s permission, contents of a Bluetooth message are delivered only to those who are around the Bluetooth access point or Bluetooth enabled digital signage and not to anyone beyond the range providing relevancy.

The MMA has identified a variety of Bluetooth marketing best practice implementations that support consumer choice:

Example 1                                                                                                                                     The consumer is presented with a call to action to interact in another medium (i.e. phone call, text message, picture message) and actively and consciously initiates contact. For example, a poster encourages consumers to send a photo to a designated Bluetooth node to receive free content.

Example 2The consumer is presented with a call to action to ‘tap’ (in other words hold in very close proximity i.e less than 1metre) digital signage with a supporting Bluetooth node to receive a promotional discount. For example, a point-of-sale poster in a clothing store prompts the consumer to tap the poster to receive 50% off designated accessories.

Example 3While a consumer attends a specific venue (e.g. concert, sports game, movie), sponsors of the venue ask attendees to turn their Bluetooth to discoverable to receive promotional material or content. For example, Madonna fans attending her concert are prompted to turn their Bluetooth devices to discoverable to receive a free Madonna ringtone or they receive a message asking them if they want the content where they already have their handsets in discoverable mode..

This specific example should only be used in closed circumstances where in addition to a call to action, it might reasonably be expected that the consumer would want to interact with a brand and will not object to receiving a Bluetooth notification (even if they have not seen the call to action)..

2.2 Consumer Spam

The MMA does not support the use of Bluetooth as a broadcast medium to send unsolicited alerts, messages or content (BlueSPAM) to consumers who have their device set to discoverable. Specifically, the MMA does not support the often quoted example of consumer passing by a retail outlet receiving a message they are neither expecting nor welcoming.

2.3 Call to Action Language

The brand or advertiser in tThe call to action should include and clearly state the following elements:

  • Who the Ssponsoring brand is
  • That Users need to turn Bluetooth on and make their device visible
  • Content of the What the alert will say (e.g. “Accept content from Brand X?”)
  • Notice that content received will be free of charge
  • Determine A description of what the content will be
  • Inclusion of a telephone number or web site address that users can contactall with questions or problems

The MMA recommends including the Bluetooth logo in the call to action or other marketing collateral because it can aid in consumer recognition. The Bluetooth logo is free for use by any “adopted” members of the SIG. For more information about membership, visit https://www.bluetooth.org/Membership/benefits.html. If your vendor is a member, ask him about using the logo.

2.4 Creative Design Principles

Creative design principles will vary by advertiser and content providers but there are a few best practices to be taken into consideration when designing content intended for the mobile device:

  • Copy should be clear and concise
  • Font type and size should be optimized to fit a variety of mobile phone screens (e.g. do not port content created for a PC-based campaign to a mobile campaign). Refer to the MMA Mobile Advertising Guidelines for specifics on channel formats, [pdf].
  • Ensure the content is relevant to the target audience

2.5 Functionality

2.5.1 Bluetooth RangeBluetooth works over distances of between 1 metre or 100 metres, depending on the Bluetooth device class. Class 1 works over 100m, Class 2 over 10m and Class 3 over 1m. Class 3 is the most common type of transmitter or node used and can be found in Point of Sale/Concourse Promotion deployments as well as in many out of home media types such as posters. Class 3 is ‘better’ from an opt-in perspective as the consumer must almost touch the transmitter; as the call to action typically requests (“touch your phone here” Class 2 transmitters are commonly used in locations such as theatre lobbies). For more information about device classes, visit http://bluetooth.com/Bluetooth/Technology/Basics.htm.)

Although most Bluetooth nodes may be able to send content over 100 metres (320 feet), most handsets have an effective range of only 10 metres. The MMA recommends that Bluetooth zones are limited to 10 to 15 metres (30 to 50 feet).

It’s important to consider the distance of consumers from the Bluetooth call to action versus the Bluetooth node. For example, the call to action should not be farther away than the effective transmitting range of what the Bluetooth node can transmit, or else users may become frustrated trying to connect to a node that i’s out of range. Conversely there should not be any Bluetooth node covering an area where there is not a clearly visible call to action. It should also be noted that nodes can manage interactions with multiple users concurrently.

2.5.2 OptimizationIn an effort to optimize the consumer’s experience, there are two key areas to be cognisant of before implementing a Bluetooth marketing programme:

  • Always ensure handset compatibility. It is recommended to leverage platforms or systems that identify the mobile device model and then send a version of the content that optimises the device capabilities.
  • Identify the file type(s) most widely supported by the mobile devices in the target market. Note that larger files take longer to transmit and receive. Lengthy waits can be frustrating to users.

2.5.3 Using Multiple Bluetooth DevicesIt is important that multiple Bluetooth devices in a specific location (e.g., a shopping mallvarious Bluetooth spots in a large concert arena) be linked so that users who opt out in one zone aren’t prompted again in another zone. This approach also ensures that they aren’t asked to download the same content more than once. All of this helps ensure that consumers have a positive experience with Bluetooth marketing.

2.6 How to Deliver and Support Bluetooth Campaigns

2.6.1 InfrastructureBluetooth hardware must be deployed at each location involved in a Bluetooth-based campaign. This hardware may be a dedicated network appliance such as an access point, or it may be a PC or other multi-function hardware device. This hardware is often networked in order to allow remote configuration and control of the devices and update of content over time. For example, a retailer could use a central server to push content out to all of its stores’ Bluetooth nodes.

Bluetooth marketing companies can sell or lease the hardware and software to location owners, as well as offer more comprehensive service provision including development of mobile content and assurance of quality of service. They may also operate a network of locations, access to which can be sold to advertisers and media companies.

There has been a significant amount of activity in providing Bluetooth-based infrastructure to established out-of-home media owners, such as taxi media, cinemas and fixed site poster companies, which have intuitively viewed Bluetooth as a value-added extension of their existing, basic media channels.

2.6.2 Bluetooth ModesMost mobile phones have three Bluetooth modes: Off. The Bluetooth functionality is turned off. Bluetooth devices cannot be used with the phone, and it will not be possible for proximity marketing systems to contact the phone.

On but hidden or non-discoverable. The Bluetooth functionality is on, but the phone can pair only with devices – such as a Bluetooth headset – that the owner has identified as “trusted.” The phone will be “invisible” to proximity marketing systems, which typically do not use paired connections.

On and visible or discoverable. The Bluetooth functionality is on, and the phone is visible to other Bluetooth devices. In this mode interaction with the consumer could take place. In order to receive any content, the recipient must first choose to enable the Bluetooth connectivity on their handset and in addition make the device visible to others. The ability to make Bluetooth active but invisible allows users access to other Bluetooth functionality, such as headset pairing and music players, and to operate them without also opting in to third-party content offerings.

Additionally the recipient will be, as part of the Bluetooth protocol, prompted by a request generated by their handset. This request appears as a pop-up alert (similar to the notification of receipt of a new text message) and often is accompanied by a single beep or vibration.

In some limited circumstances this alert can function as a content- or campaign-specific opt-in mechanism and it also allows the consumer to decline any offer of content. By declining the connection, some systems consider this as an opt-out for further content delivery attempts. Some (but not all) Bluetooth delivery hardware can be configured so that further alerts are not delivered to recipient devices after an opt-out has occurred. Similarly, some (but not all) Bluetooth delivery hardware can be configured to specify how long the opt-out period lasts, but by default opt-out in Bluetooth campaigns should be permanent just as it is for other mobile marketing technologies such as SMS. The MMA strongly advises against setting the transmitter to re-contact a consumer who has opted out as this would may contravene local laws, including the EU “Unfair Commercial Practices” Directive which bans “making persistent and unwanted solicitations by telephone, fax, email or other remote media.

Brands and marketers should also consider though that from a consumer’s perspective there is no difference between a Bluetooth alert and a new text message alert. From their point of view, permission is required before you make a consumer’s phone beep, vibrate, change display or other. It should also be remembered that different manufacturers and/or handset models implement Bluetooth slightly differently and it is possible that users may be unaware that their device is set to discoverable by default.

2.6.3 Types of Content Supported via BluetoothTable 1 lists a sampling of content types that may be sent via Bluetooth. This list is not inclusive but intended to provide a basic overview of the types of available content for use with Bluetooth-based marketing campaigns.Some (but not all) Bluetooth delivery hardware can identify the mobile phone model, including its operating system, display size and resolution and multimedia capabilities. This information enables the Bluetooth delivery hardware to provide content in a format that best matches the phone’s capabilities, thus ensuring a good user experience. The ability to deliver the content in a variety of formats also allows the campaign to target the widest possible market, instead of only those users whose mobile phones have certain capabilities.

2.7 Security Considerations

2.7.1 Pairing devices

Bluetooth can used to pair devices such as laptops or headsets to mobile phones, but it is not advisable to use this technique in proximity marketing campaigns. Technically, ‘pairing’ leads to a client-server-connection, where the server is allowed to manage anything on the client. This would mean that the server could access anything on the handset and many users would rightly object to this. In addition ‘pairing’ often requires the user to type in a PIN number and this extra step can also put users off.

The most effective alternative is to ensure the use of OPP (also called OBEX) = Object Push Protocol.

This means the data transmission is only possible between two devices at the same time. In this peer-to-peer-connection, you only have the transmitter and the phone. No other device is able to interrupt this connection and the data transmission automatically ends after the content arrives onto the phone.

2.7.2 Retaining personal dataBluetooth transmitters will keep a log of all of the interactions that take place with users handsets. The data logs are kept partly to ensure that users are not contacted on multiple occasions about the same content. These data-logs may contain date, time and result of the interaction with the phone such as downloads being completed or not, memory full, or user went away etc.

However, the data logs NEVER contain personal data, because there is no connection between the SIM card and Bluetooth chip. The transmitter will record that an interaction with a handset has taken place but NOT know which Operator network, mobile phone number, name, location etc.

There is no set period of how long this data is held, but it is worth noting that the data cannot be held and used to track a users’ whereabouts or activity.

To avoid doubt, brands should seek advice from their Bluetooth provider regarding regulation in their own countries regarding the retention of data by Bluetooth devices.

2.7.3 Sending and receiving executable filesMany users do not fully understand the implications of downloading and installing executable files, such as a Java games, to their handset. When a handset is in discoverable mode it is possible that malicious software or inappropriate or offensive material could be sent to it. Awareness of this can make some user nervous about receiving executable files to their handsets and for this reason it is essential that brands running Bluetooth campaigns have a clear call to action that identifies the content that will be sent to users and who is sending it.

 

3 Who We Are

About the MMAThe Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association established to lead the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is an action-oriented organization designed to clear obstacles to market development, establish mobile media guidelines and best practices for sustainable growth, and evangelize the use of the mobile channel. The more than 700 member companies, representing over forty countries around the globe, include all members of the mobile media ecosystem. The Mobile Marketing Association’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe (EUR), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches. For more information, please visit www.mmaglobal.com.

About the Proximity CommitteeThe Proximity Committee was established to develop guidelines around proximity services to ensure a consistent and positive consumer experience that will make proximity services a viable communications channel for brands and media owners. The Proximity Committee, chaired by AKQA Mobile and Mobile Dreams Factory, SL, developed these guidelines in collaboration with the following MMA member companies:

 

4 MMA Guidelines Approval Process

The MMA implements a collaborative process for industry guidelines review and approval, prior to public release. The process not only considers feedback from industry leaders and experts but also helps to determine work streams for future releases. The summarized approval process is as follows:

  • Committees generate a draft guidelines document developed and approved by MMA committee member companies (“Committee”).
  • Once the guidelines are approved by Committee, the guidelines are issued for public review. Public review will last a minimum of four weeks.
  • Feedback from the public comment period is circulated to Committee for review and incorporation as appropriate. Feedback received on MMA guidelines may or may not be incorporated into final guidelines. Note: In the event substantial revisions are suggested, the Committee must again approve the guidelines prior to release.
  • Once all approvals and feedback is gathered, incorporated and approved, the guidelines are released.
  • The guidelines are released every six months to reflect improved best practice and technological changes in the industry and are the result of collaboration across the MMA Proximity Committee. If deemed appropriate, the Committee may elect to release an interim revision of the guidelines.

 

5 References

The following links provide additional sources of information and reference:

6 Supporting Associations

The following associations currently support the MMA European Bluetooth Guidelines in our collective mission to establish a consistent guidelines and best practices for Bluetooth marketing in Europe:

7 Contact Us

For more information, please contact:Mobile Marketing AssociationEmail: www.mmaglobal.com

8 Glossary of Terms

The MMA maintains a nomenclature glossary of all terms for the mobile marketing industry. The glossary is available at: [pdf].

mma Bluetooth Mobile Marketing Guide – mma Bluetooth Mobile Marketing Guide –

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