Archive for June, 2010

Ever been stuck in traffic wanting to be able to check your email and see a bus whiz by and think, ‘I could use this time better!’? An increasing number of commuters are trading in driving to work for a more time-efficient ride to work on a public transit system.

According to a recent article published in Advertising Age, the digital revolution has helped the decline of driving and the American car culture. Fewer people, especially those in their teens and twenties, are driving and more are using public transport, such as trains and buses. The article notes the following:

• The share of miles driven my people ages 21-30 has declined by 7.7% since 1995
• Many contribute a large part of this decline to the digital revolution and the increased use of technology.
• The digital revolution has created a shift from a focus on cars to other items in terms of what’s valued in consumers’ minds.
• Time is more valuable and replacing cars as the symbol of freedom for the Gen Y group.
• Many non-drivers use their commute time to catch up on work-related matters without having to stay late at the office.

Despite the digital trend, other factors such as economics and the environment have an impact on how much people are driving. The unemployment rate has forced many people to use public transportation until the outlook brightens. The digital revolution has also impacted other areas of life including:

• E-commerce is benefitting from this trend. People are now looking for the cheaper and easier way to access and acquire the goods they need and want. Online sites such as Alice.com are the way to go for quick and convenient household packaged goods.
• Companies may need to pay more attention to mobile media including smartphone optimized websites.
• Companies may have to change the way they do business.

Although the news seems grim right now, the auto industry shouldn’t raise its white flag quite yet. Despite the trends showing a decrease in younger people driving, The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) suggests that this age group is driving later rather than not at all. Younger workers are more willing to live closer to their offices, often in urban or downtown areas, with walking or taking bus or subway being the more appealing option.  However, when members of the younger crowd grows up and starts a family, priorities change and they end up moving to more suburban areas with their children’s interests in mind. When this lifestyle change happens, the desirability of owning a car increases.

Read the whole article at Advertising Age.

For more information on how The Marion Group can assist your company with mobile marketing, give us a call at 713.623.6444 or email us at info2@marion.com.

From a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, QR and other codes are now being used more often. Thanks to consumers using their mobile phones more and more there has been an upswing in the use of QR codes. This quirky version of the bar code and represent data horizontally or vertically, more information in a smaller space. QR codes are popping up everywhere from bus stop signs to store windows and can link to websites, pictures, videos, or other media. Scanning these codes is easy – all you need is your cell phone and an application. For the iPhone alone there are more than 25 versions to choose from, both free and not-so-free. Upon scanning the code you won’t know where it links, adding an element of fun and suspense as the link loads.

In addition to QR codes, other codes have caught on because of increased cell phone use. For example, Fandango users download ‘Datamatrix’ codes onto their cell phone when purchasing tickets which are scanned at the theatre. The reason for this shift is simple – more people are accessing more sites via their smart phones and using their phones for more than calling and texting.

Aside from innovative QR code, the more traditional bar codes are being used more with mobile phones. With applications available for iPhone and Android, stickybits is a company that encourages consumers to add their own commentary to everyday bar codes like the ones found on chip bags. Consumers can add comments, links, and other media to the barcode and those additions are shared with whoever scans that barcode using the application. The point of stickybits, if you consider it that, is to enable the consumer to voice their opinions and help bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds.

So if you see a QR code around town, whip out your cell phone, snap a picture of it, and see what happens. You never know where it’ll take you.

For more information on QR codes and how we can help create them for your company, please contact The Marion Group at 713-623-6444 or email us at info2@marion.com.