Wear Bluetooth, attract advertisers in LA malls

People who wear Bluetooth devices when they're not actually using said devices are cool, important and, in California, law-abiding. Now they'll also be a special target for advertisers at malls.

Intera Group, a Pleasanton, Calif., company, said today that it had launched a proximity marketing network at five Macerich malls in Los Angeles. That means mall visitors who have their cellphones' Bluetooth capabilities turned on will receive coupons and special offers from advertisers when they visit the mall -- if they decide to opt-in. The program begins in five malls: the Westside Pavilion, the Oaks in Thousand Oaks, Los Cerritos Center, Lakewood Center and Stonewood Center.

Those who opt-in will receive free movie trailers, movie wallpapers, ads and promotions from retailers such as AT&T Wireless and Hard Rock Cafe, Intera Group CEO Kevin Thornton said. They may even receive coupons, gift cards or special offers from stores.

The malls get some cash from Intera Group, which leases the space to install the transmitter. Intera gets cash from advertisers that want to reach consumers on the one device they always have with them. And consumers get to watch movie trailers on their phones. Everybody wins, right?

You could argue that the people who are likely to even understand how to turn on their phone's Bluetooth capabilities are probably the same ones who do their shopping online. But Thorton says the company's advertisements drive awareness about Bluetooth devices and encourage people to turn them on. It doesn't hurt that California's hands-free law is motivating people to buy Bluetooth devices, if not actually use them.

"It's the advantage we have in California -- the law increased the number of people familiar with the devices," he said.

Another advantage? Like, Angelenos' affinity for malls.

-- Alana Semuels

Photo: Is he listening to the siren call of advertisers on his Bluetooth? Credit: AZAdam via Flickr

Comments

[Jason J McCabe]

You'd be a fool to accept a bluetooth message from an unknown source, unless you don't mind loosing your device to a virus. I had to turn off bluetooth on my the symbian os phone is used to have when i was in malls and arenas, the messages from virus ridden phones were non stop

[mucker]

Yup the virus of advertising messages is non-stop, irritating and intrusive. Thanks for the tip. I'l be sure to keep my btooth in my pocket in the mall.

[Rico]

Yet another reason not to go to the mall!

Thanks!
Rico

[Blue Tooth Guru]

Jason,

There is a hige difference in getting a Bluetooth coupon or message from a copmany like Intera and getting a file from a random phone. These companies invest tons of capital in ensuring thatn transmission in encrypted and secured. Our copmany increases the security in any file sent and also ensures that any file sent it virus free. Consumers have to trust in the company sponsoring the hardware and bringing them the campain so they know it will be virus free.

Mucker,
This article is kinds misleading. It has nothing to do with you headset being in the car or in your pocket. Just set your device to hidden or undiscoverable and you will not be hit with ANY ads or coupons. Simple as that. Secondly, they are using a consumer friendly opt-in system which means you wont even get and ad until you accept the message to connect.

i hope this clears up a couple of the unclear thoughts behind this technology.

www.bluezonemobile.com

[Sophie]

Hahaha. Great that tech PR people are logging on and leaving comments "Blue Tooth Guru." I have bluetooth on my phone, and only use it for the moments my car is in route, obviously because I'm forced to by law. otherwise it goes straight off. multiple reasons i hate it, one of which is that there are more than likely yet-to-be discovered health dangers, and of course the intrusiveness of offering corporations yet another avenue to advertise and sell things.

[Jason J McCabe]

"Blue Tooth Guru": No one want's unsolicited advertising sent to their phone, no one. Security is not about encryption or other methods. When you get a bluetooth message from any source other than your computer or a friend you have no idea where it's coming from, the odds of it being a virus far outweigh the odds of it being an advertisement. Bluetooth viruses are rampant. People should never accept messages randomly sent to their phone and turn off their bluetooth in the phone settings if the are in public and are not using it. If advertisers are spending millions of dollars on this technology advertisers are wasting millions of dollars by annoying the handful of individuals foolish enough to accept these messages.

Jason

[Jason J McCabe]

IMPORTANT PHONE USER TIP

If you do not use your bluetooth regularly for a bluetooth headset or other device turn it off. Each radio left on is constantly sending and receiving signals weather you are using it or not and therefore has a considerable drain on the battery. The same goes for wifi and even 3g if you are in a pinch. The side benefit of turning your bluetooth off is you wont be attacked by advertisers and viruses.

[Bluetooth guru]

Jason, its not unsolicited. You have to pair with the bradcasting hardware in orer to receive an ad. With you technology we ask you one time, "Would you like to pair with Blue Zone Mobile?" If you say no, or opt to NOT receive our promotions or ads, our software can recognize your hardware ID, not personal information, and never ask to connect with you again. We make the most out of the experience for those that want to receive ads and leave those alone that do not.

Sophie,
My wife does the same, in fact you can use all headset and pair with your car with your device set to discoverable and never even receive an ad. In my opinion, there is no reason to walk around with your headset set to discoverable. By doing so, you do open yourself to annonymous messges. We earn our clients and consumers trust by ensuring that all files and messages are virus free. These are all valid concerns of any new technology, now its up to the Bluetooth marketing companies to use industry wide best practices and high ethical standards to make this an overwhelming positive experience for those who WANT to receive these special offers. I know people that will never set their device to discoverable, and that is okay.

We use a call to action such as signage, brochure and flyers to inform consumers about our technology, security and even walk them through setting their devices to "undiscoverable" if they do not want to be sent requests to connect.

[Rob Hendrick]

I have experience with receiving bluetooth marketing messages and they are nothing like what everyone is complaining about. First off compared to SMS it is ALWAYS free - ALWAYS - never shows up on your bill. Besides the fact that you have 2 chances to opt out of an advertisement if you choose - By not having your bluetooth visibility on, or by simply pressing NO. YOU DO NOT SEE AN ADVERTISEMENT BEFORE YOU PRESS YES OR NO. - I have been to concerts and received FREE ringtones and wallpapers because I had my bluetooth on. It is is NOT big brother - those companies do not garner any personal information at all NOT EVEN YOUR PHONE NUMBERS - compared to SMS where they can talk to your provider and know pretty much anything they want to know.

Its amazing to see that articles are written without any proper information A bluetooth headset is not involved whatsoever you do not need to own or ever use a bluetooth headset to receive videos or coupons. As usual assumptions and fear drive an initial launch of something because no one has dealt with it before. It has been working fine in Europe for much longer with great success.

And where are all these RAMPANT bluetooth viruses? I have had my visibility ON for YEARS without a problem - if you scan who is visible anywhere in a big city you will see tons of phones. And based upon the software structure of bluetooth its not possible to do mass attacks like with SMS - a "hacker" would have to be within a 50 foot radius of your mobile phone - it can't be done from around the world.

I bet these authors with the negative comments have never even received an advertisement via bluetooth and especially not a virus either.

TRY SOMETHING BEFORE YOU MAKE THE FINAL JUDGEMENT and if people are going to be so negative at least get the proper facts straight.