Screenvision and Sprint have teamed up with bCODE to create the world’s largest mobile coupon redemption network. Sprint mobile customers now can receive special concession stand savings via mobile coupons in 500 participating U.S. movie theaters.
Mobile coupons are big business. Juniper research forecasts that the redemption value of mobile coupons will increase by over 30% by 2010. With the recession bringing budget matters into light in the majority of households, coupons, both print and digital, have come back into fashion. Juniper reports that the biggest hurdle for mobile coupons is the point of sale (POS) infrastructure at checkout for redemption of coupons.
The Screenvision, Sprint and bCODE model may be one other companies need to follow in order to set up large mobile coupon networks. By teaming the retailer, phone carrier, and coupon tech company, mobile coupons get past many of the hurdles on all these ends typically holding the mobile marketing services from reaching their full potential.
A bCODE is a secure and encrypted text message (SMS) that can be scanned. The coupon included in the code can be redeemed at a MediaPlane interactive, touch-screen mobile marketing device that reads the code and provides digital content, offers and entertainment.
While the MediaPlane may work well for the Screenvision and Sprint partnership, the challenge for bCODE, or any of the plays in the mobile coupon space, is still getting the POS devices installed at retailers. But with more case studies available to boost, the company with the best technology and success stories will have a good shoot at driving the marketplace, and shutting out other players. In the meantime, though, it will be difficult to convince most companies to buy and implement the hardware necessary to run these programs.
Do you think mobile marketing coupon players should team together to promote a single, open-garden POS device to expedite growth, or is it necessary for companies to maintain proprietary technology in order to be competitive?
