Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

The next big thing in mobile for retailers may be GPS to track what stores customers visit and how long they look at items, but even more advanced mobile technology is already being developed. If the technology Nokia is developing makes its way into consumer mobile phones, customers could snap a picture of any item they like in a store, search for it via online shopping sites, and buy from whichever is cheaper. The same technology is also being tested for translation based on a camera phone’s character recognition, and could help tourists find information about landmarks they snap photos of.

Via UK’s The Sun

France - Play house digitally with desperate home heaters

Two French companies are using creative online advertising to engage customers, even though their industries aren’t ones you’d expect to find online. A heater manufacturer created a series of webisodes modeled after the hit show Desperate Housewives, and a housekeeping service invites customers to play a game on their website. Players who register through the game, which doubles as a contest, can win a year of free service. Both examples show that any company can, with a little imagination, find a way to create buzz and connect with customers online.

Via Adverblog

Japan - Chocolate soybeans and cucumber soda?

Bringing new products to the market is part of most businesses’ strategy to stay on top, but in Japan major brands sometimes miss the mark. Last summer Pepsi introduced a green soda called “cucumber ice,” and recently Nestle began selling soybeans coated in white chocolate under the name Dr. Bean. The Japanese bloggers writing about the products both attributed their launch to competition over shelf space, which apparently is at a premium in Japan. The Ice Cucumber flavor faded with the summer season, and it’s too soon to tell if Dr. Bean will make it through the winter.

Via Japanmarketingnews / Clast blog

Saudia Arabia - Middle East embraces branding

Speaking at a Middle Eastern conference, Tolga Sezer, executive vice president of Aujan Industries, decried the fact that the biggest brands in the world are all outside of that region. He used Coke, Starbucks, and other recognizable brands to demonstrate his point that the companies don’t sell products, they sell a story, emotion, and an essence.

Middle Eastern companies, outside of Dubai, largely haven’t globalized to the extent the rest of the world has. Sezer encouraged his fellow businessmen to tap into the economic surge happening in oil-rich countries and population boom of young consumers, to build brands as strong as those in Asia, America, and Europe. He also called on consumers to drive the economy and allow regional brands to become international competitors.

Via Arabianbusiness.com

South Africa - Going viral to gather bloggers

Creating a news aggregator for an entire continent is a daunting task, so when Afrigator launched its African media site it turned to a viral campaign to drive traffic and build a network of content providers. Afrigator created a contest for bloggers, podcasters, and news organizations that registered, adding an additional prize for the first 50 that mentioned Afrigator on their site. Rather than send out press releases and hoping for coverage, Afrigator reached out in a more engaging way to build support and create positive word-of-mouth. The lesson, according to South African consultant Gino Cosme: Marketing and PR today is about thinking out of the box. It’s all about the power of leveraging social media and the reach it provides.

Via allAfrica.com

China - “Made in China” for proximity, not cost

Following the toy recalls of the past few months, consumers in the US have come to distrust some brands that are made in China, but inexpensive items aren’t the only products manufactured in the world’s most populous country anymore. For Chinese consumers, seeing “Made in China” on luxury products like handbags, cars, and clothing from European fashion designers is becoming more common. As the country’s economy grows and the demand for high-end goods increases, production closer to Chinese consumers makes sense. Some brands that want to avoid the stigma of the label “Made in China” sell their products within China under a different name, but slowly more are openly producing goods within the country that will be sold to Chinese customers.

Via Asia Times Online