The Walgreens mobile app lets customers scan their mobile devices at the register to earn points and redeem awards without the need to carry a physical card.
The app allows us to integrate Balance Rewards with other great mobile features, including in-store aisle maps so you can find the school supply or Band-Aid you need, and photo print services so you can send your pictures direct from a mobile device to our store for copies.
LoyalBlocks, customers sign up through the app with their favorite stores that participate with the program. When they visit the store, the app communicates with the merchant's tablet, which automatically checks the customer in and sends them token rewards and deals.
"How can brands do a better job of fostering these relationships so that they're at the forefront of consumer's minds?
1. Develop a great product. Not to resuscitate the Mac vs. PC argument, but there's a reason many people aren't hesitant to recommend their MacBook or iPhone to a friend.
2. Facilitate social sharing. Brands need to be engaged with consumers via social media, and brands need product sites and marketing programs that facilitate seamless social sharing.
3. Create sampling programs to reach digital consumers. Many influential digital consumers are eager to discuss their love of specific products and brands. Marketers need to reach and engage them in innovative ways, such as via sampling programs, contests, coupons.
4. Get game. Brand can introduce game element through badges, achievements, and prizes to turn their consumers to brand ambassadors and engage them in a fun way."
"If your products are blamed by health professionals for causing obesity and diabetes, you can probably do one of three things (aside from not selling them): 1) ignore the critics, 2) deny the evidence, or 3) work with the grain of modern opinion."
Another cool YouTube play from Volkswagen, with this 'Hidden Frame' being used to promote their new side assist feature. The Ad utilises a standard YouTube feature, which is the 'frame view' when you mouse over the timeline… This isn't extremely innovative, but it's a pretty smart and fun way to get the message across.
1. New MRI Tech Detects Diseases In Seconds Rather Than Hours
2. Smartphone Camera Reads User's Pulse Through Facial Imaging
3. Wearable Sensor Measures Secondhand Smoke In Real Time
4. Simple iPhone App Diagnoses STD's
5. Burn Wound Sensor Lights Up When Bacteria Is Detected
The remote control must die; but what's next? One company at the apex of that question is Philips, which, unbeknownst to many onlookers, already makes remote controls for an array of TV makers, set-top box vendors and pay-TV operators like BSkyB.
Philips now offers its own Wiimote-like gesture stick to screen makers like HP; (NYSE: HPQ) a motion-sensitive, qwerty-equipped uWand; candybars with integrated laptop trackpads and, yes, plain 'ol candybars for internet TV operators who still want them.
All of this means the TV input segment is about to embark upon the same kind of innovative period of disruption and competing standards that the TV space is now wrestling with and which the internet itself before it first unleashed.