BHiveLab is an idea incubator focused on inventing new ways to engage people on-the-go. We collaborate with brands, technologists, startups and other big thinkers on ideas that transform consumer engagement.
For hundreds of years, the in-store experience has been relegated to printed displays at the point of purchase. Only recently have retailers begun to bring digital into the retail environment.
In this latest innovation, BHiveLab looks into the future of retail, focusing on the shopping experience for lawn tractors–which typically occurs in big box stores like Home Depot and Lowes, or at independent dealers. In this demo, a Kinect sensor detects when a shopper is near a product, then uses voice-recognition to guide the customer to the right equipment.
This thinking has applications across most product categories. Clinique, for example, is is testing iPad product selectors (also in the store) to help shoppers arrive at the right mascara or eyeliner. Early returns show that shoppers who use the iPad first are 2X more likely to buy than those who speak to a store associate first. That’s good news for retailers and brands, but bad news for salespeople.
Retailers have always observed people in their stores to gain insight into how to create a better shopping experience. Where does the customer go upon entry? Can she find the right aisle? Does she read product information or does she grab-and-go? These insights were critical to “winning the customer at shelf” – for both retailers and brands alike.
But while these insights are still relevant today, they don’t provide nearly enough value—or context—to truly bond with today’s socially-connected, location-aware shopper.
Whether it’s for electronics or egg whites, power has completely shifted to the consumer.
Industry wonks have playfully labeled this trend MoSoLoCo. That is, the effects of mobile devices, social media,and location-awareness on all forms ofcommerce. It’s driven by three things:
Smarter, faster technology (mobile devices)
Access to information and trustworthy opinions about anything (social media)
More relevant contexts (location-aware)
Commerce is mobile (mCommerce)
The ability to initiate or complete transactions via mobile is still in its infancy, but usage is already widespread. Oracle reports that 48 percent of consumers research and browse products and services from their handheld. And comScore says 38 percent have used their smartphone to make a purchase at least once.
When consumers are able to learn about, find, compare, buy, and review products and services without breaking a sweat—and when they’re able to perform these actions from any location, at any time, that creates challenges for brands and retailers.
For example, The New York Times recently characterized Best Buy as a “showroom” for Amazon. And Target, incensed by mobile-social research in their stores, sent a stern message to suppliers:
“What we aren’t willing to do is let online-only retailers use our brick-and-mortar stores as a showroom for their products and undercut our prices without making investments, as we do, to proudly display your brands.”
Adding fuel to the fire is eBay, who created TV ads that embrace showrooming as a way to drive their own business:
For centuries, game makers have studied human behavior. And their observations have led to the invention of game mechanics—things like points, levels, challenges and leaderboards—in an effort to keep their players playing.
Healthcare marketing is no different. There are certain behaviors we want people to continue, and others we want people to change: Exercise more. Smoke less. Eat better. Take your meds.
Historically, marketers have tried to solve these problems with one-way communication. Gamification provides an alternative. It turns the mundane into an engaging experience.
Read the full article at MediaPost. Or, veiw the slides:
Socially optimized videos are one of the most important marketing tools for app developers. Here’s one for TailgateChamp, a mobile app that turns tailgating into a competition.
BHiveLab is collaborating with an entrepreneur (from NYC) on a new product that will revolutionize dog ownership! As part of this partenrship, we need help from dogowners. Please take this survey for a chance to win one of four $50 gift cards http://bit.ly/ntzRio. And re-share to your fellow dogowners!
TailgateChamp is the first social game for college and pro football tailgaters that allows users to be competitive before the game. It is BHiveLab’s first commercially available product.
To get in on the action, tailgaters simply register their tailgate, complete challenges and earn points that are shared across social media communities to showcase the glory of their tailgate to other fans.
“Fans love to show their support for their favorite team,” said Scott Morgan, president of Brunner. “TailgateChamp simply allows fans to take their passion and pride in their tailgates a step further.”
Tailgating is a sub-culture that, in some cases, transcends the game itself by creating a memorable experience that brings communities together in support of their hometown team. And now, the tailgate itself has become a game.
“Nearly every aspect of culture is being gamified,” said Shaun Quigley, vice president, digital practice director. “We wanted to create something specific for the tailgater, and tap into the local, social and camera features of the phone. We’re providing the fans with the ability to get in on the game before kickoff, through a first-of-its-kind experience.”
TailgateChamp was created by Brunner’s innovation hub, BHiveLab, a think tank collaboration of brands, digital strategists, creative, and technology experts dedicated to producing marketing solutions to engage on-the-go consumers. For more information, visit http://www.TailgateChamp.com.
This article first appeared on the MediaPost Blog on June 29th
What’s a single guy like me know about being a Mom? Zippy. Zilch. Nada.
Here’s what I do know: Moms are driving an emerging trend that combines location-based services, social sharing, and the camera—all converged in mom’s mobile devices. Said another way, LoSoPhoMo:
The swarm is a timed innovation competition. Each month, we challenge two teams – a broad spectrum of strategic thinkers, creatives and technologists – to invent new ways to engage. Swarms start with a handful of ingredients-it might be a consumer trend, a category challenge, a brand problem, or an emerging technology-and end with innovative thinking. In the swarm, every idea matters. Here’s how it works, and how you can get involved.
