Big Brother knows who you are and they are watching you.
Did you know the Boston Red Sox season ticket holders were given radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled loyalty cards this year rather than a paper ticket? This card stores tickets, credit card information and unique buying history.
For example, early in the season you pick up a David Ortiz jersey, a Bud Light and a Fenway Frank. While attending the last game of the season you receive a text message from the Red Sox encouraging you to visit the souvenir store with a 20 percent coupon code. By utilizing the RFID system, the team was able to send this message because they knew a couple of key things:
1) They knew you had entered the stadium
2) They knew you hadn’t bought any souvenirs since the beginning of the year
3) Most important – They knew you had money left on your card
The next evolution will be integrating this system and knowledge for the Red Sox marketing partners. The day will soon come when you walk into the official grocery store of the Boston Red Sox and get a text message reading, “Remember how that Bud Light tasted when you watched us beat the Yankees last September? Here is a coupon off your next Bud Light purchase so you can relive those memories tonight.”
RFID is the next wave of technology in experiential activation. There are multiple platforms that marketers are currently using including iBeacon, Bluetooth and NFC. Regardless of the platform, the idea of knowing who the customers are inside your display and, better yet, what their buying habits are is the holy grail of experiential marketing.
Location-based push notifications are going to be a big part of 2014 and if you aren’t exploring them yet then you need to start.
