A California company says it’s seen the future of mobile coupons – or, more precisely, it’s heard the future. It’s using audio technology to beam coupons straight to your phone. If you hear about an offer you can’t resist, all you have to do is give your cell phone a shake and the coupon is yours.
AdsWizz has announced another successful implementation of its new “ShakeMe” audio ad format, in which radio ads offer a coupon, and listeners can opt to have the coupon sent directly to their phone.
The most recent ShakeMe campaign ran in Germany, where a local car wash ran ads on a popular digital audio streaming service. Listeners were offered a coupon for 50% off a car wash. To receive it, they just needed to shake their phone.
“ShakeMe invites users to shake their phone during the audio ad, which then takes a listener directly to an action to download an app, redeem a voucher, place a call, vote, get a boarding pass, find a location on a map, and more,” the company explains. “There is no clicking, nor even the need to unlock their phone.”
During the three-week campaign, the ad was heard more than 400,000 times and delivered nearly 16,000 coupons. It may not sound like a lot, but AdsWizz says the 4% interaction rate is well above industry averages for engagement with audio ads.
The company is claiming similar success in Australia, where it’s now working with brands to run ads across the iHeartRadio network.
“Hungry for a perfect pizza?” a sample ad asks. “Shake your mobile (phone) now for all the details on our $3 perfect pizza special offer!” If you shake your phone, even if it’s locked or you’re in the middle of using it for something else, you get a coupon that allows you to get that “perfect pizza” offer.
ShakeMe isn’t the first technology to offer coupons over the radio. But earlier efforts have required an extra step, like having to download a third-party app first, or receiving a “coupon” that’s really just a web link that you have to click on to actually access the coupon.
Earlier this year, for example, AMC Networks announced plans to begin airing special commercials that will beam mobile coupons to your phone while you watch – but you have to opt in first by downloading a coupon app. And you don’t get to decide whether you want the coupon – if you have the app, the coupon gets sent to you whether you choose to receive it or not.
Shaking your phone as a way of opting in to receive coupons is something that others have considered as well. Verizon has proposed it, as a way to ensure shoppers don’t get bombarded with coupons via push notifications that they’re not interested in. And IBM has proposed its own in-store system that would allow shoppers “to easily ask for coupons they need without being provided unnecessary ones… by shaking the phone.”
AdsWizz’s ShakeMe service combines the best of both ideas, embedding coupons into audio signals, but requiring you to shake your phone in order to receive them, to ensure you’re not overwhelmed with coupons you don’t want.
There’s no word on when this American company, now owned by the streaming music service Pandora, will start making its coupon-embedded ads available here instead of only overseas. But keep a listen out for ads that offer you coupons, then try giving your phone a shake. You – and your wallet – might be glad you did.
Image source: ShakeMe
