What is it?
SnapTell’s Snap. Send. Get.™ technology is transforming the way advertisers and consumers interact. The idea is simple – consumers snap a photo of any print ad using their camera phone and email it to SnapTell; in turn, they receive additional information and/or promotional offers sent directly to their phone. In an instant, advertisers can engage consumers with a targeted branding message to further educate/excite readers, subsequently extending beyond the print ad and creating an interactive, mobile marketing vehicle.
The beauty of SnapTell is that it can be used on any camera phone and its queries can include billboards, posters, barcodes, and product packaging as well. Its patent-pending technology uses an extensive database of images and a sophisticated algorithm to quickly generate highly accurate image matching results (even blurry and distorted images).
In essence, SnapTell allows advertisers to extend the footprint of their ads beyond the confines of traditional media. Moreover, it quickly provides consumers with requested, real-time information on the go.
Why is it important?
According to a March 2010 ComScore report, more than 234 million Americans own a mobile phone, approximately 60% of which have a camera phone. For SnapTell, this hand-held device is a critical marketing tool allowing brands and consumers to interact directly. Given that mobile advertising is projected to surge within the next three years, SnapTell is poised to capitalize on its growth. Moreover, due to the personal nature of cell phones, advertisers can make their goods and products highly targetable to a single person by reaching him/her anytime and anywhere.
Since SnapTell is 100% opt-in only, print and other traditional media become fully measurable, providing clear ROI to advertisers. Marketers can deploy creative quickly and effectively, allowing for greater flexibility for instant brand messaging and promotional redemptions. In essence, the success of a campaign can be evaluated based on different creative executions, consumer locations and redemptions.
For example, Wine Enthusiast, a direct mail catalog, advertised in The Wall Street Journal and prompted readers to photograph its ad and send it into SnapTell to receive a discount coupon. Not only did the catalog enhance its brand perception among consumers but it was also able to measure the effectiveness of its ad by city, region, and time of day.
What we think?
With mobile advertising poised for growth, SnapTell offers an innovative technology that is receiving tremendous buzz on the internet. Still, as with any customized advertising effort, there is concern over privacy among consumers. However, since SnapTell is 100% opt-in only, it allows consumers to define their own mobile marketing experience and mitigates any potential for spam. Consumers only receive information when they take action to send a picture to the email address.
KSM believes SnapTell can be successful for any print campaign, allowing advertisers to zero-in on their most engaged consumers and provide a level of measurability not available before. We predict that SnapTell will become more mainstream in the years ahead and will build tremendous brand awareness and loyalty among consumers.
Where to find more...
The New York Times, From Print to Phone to Web. And a Sale? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/business/media/11mag.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1277468024-czKXRUIkASFxMEiIfN1GSw
ComScore, ComScore Reports, March 2010, U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share http://comscore.com/index.php/layout/set/popup/layout/set/popup/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/5/comScore_Reports_March_2010_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share
SnapTell, Company Overview http://www.snaptell.com/company/index.htm
