Proximity Marketing

Retailers have been exploring several technologies for proximity marketing within the retail store. This has ranged from using Text Messaging to using RFID. I came across an interesting technology (Thanks Marty :) ) that I thought bypasses the challenges of Text Messaging (cost of text messages to the customer) and the infrastructure needed for RFID. 

Most phones today are equipped with BlueTooth. BlueCasting is a point-to-point transmission system which uses the BlueTooth networking platform. When a user is within proximity of a BlueCast Server and makes their handset discoverable the BlueCast Server identifies their device via its BlueTooth ID.

There are many types of content which the BlueCasting system can send to a handset and these are increasing each time the handset manufacturers introduce new models.  Currently the system supports:

• Text [as .txt files]
• Still images [as GIF or JPG files]
• Animated images [as Animted GIF files]
• Audio [as WAV, RMF, MP3, MP4 or Ringtone files]
• Video [as RM, 3GP or MP4 files]
• Java Applications [as JAR files]
• vCard [Business Card files]
• vCal [Calendar Event files]

For more details about Bluecasting see: https://www.bluecasting.com