The hard part is knowing “frame of mind” as @nmw pointed out. You dont always have a lot to go on, but you might be able to do things like –

- someone has been standing in electronics for longer than usual. Maybe I should send them some help? maybe a coupon?

- this person just brought A, so they might be interested in B. So lets push a coupon to their phone (as the POS).

- if I use a free wifi service, splash screens and sponsors are already offering local ads.

Its an interesting time and there seems to be far more willingness to explore possibilities than there was, even 6 months ago.

The other main challenge is just the range of capabilities – unlike online, you have to address a much more diverse set of device capabilities and so it takes a little more work to make interesting capabilities available to the broadest possible audience.

The hard part is knowing “frame of mind” as @nmw pointed out. You dont always have a lot to go on, but you might be able to do things like –

- someone has been standing in electronics for longer than usual. Maybe I should send them some help? maybe a coupon?

- this person just brought A, so they might be interested in B. So lets push a coupon to their phone (as the POS).

- if I use a free wifi service, splash screens and sponsors are already offering local ads.

Its an interesting time and there seems to be far more willingness to explore possibilities than there was, even 6 months ago.

The other main challenge is just the range of capabilities – unlike online, you have to address a much more diverse set of device capabilities and so it takes a little more work to make interesting capabilities available to the broadest possible audience.

Either way, I don’t see run or crawl theories happening effectively until the carriers get onboard.

Until then, whatever your work around is, it will not have enough reach to make the time and technology it takes to do this cost effective.

Either way, I don’t see run or crawl theories happening effectively until the carriers get onboard.

Until then, whatever your work around is, it will not have enough reach to make the time and technology it takes to do this cost effective.

In Asia, you get location based messaging as soon as you get off the plane.

What I’d like to see happen is location based technologies synch with other systems/customer information to provide better understanding of where you’re headed *to* vs. where you are right now (i.e. Loopt said you were at x restaurant, so now I’ll offer you VIP entrance to my nightclub vs. a food offer or a free dessert vs. a free appetizer) and data for more relevant offers (i.e. person was searching for t-shirts on their iPhone, so as they walk by Gap, they receive a t-shirt vs. pants offer).

While the phone is becoming less of a personal space, it is still a new space for most. If customers are willing to let us play there, then it is our job as marketers to offer high value, relevant offers.

In Asia, you get location based messaging as soon as you get off the plane.

What I’d like to see happen is location based technologies synch with other systems/customer information to provide better understanding of where you’re headed *to* vs. where you are right now (i.e. Loopt said you were at x restaurant, so now I’ll offer you VIP entrance to my nightclub vs. a food offer or a free dessert vs. a free appetizer) and data for more relevant offers (i.e. person was searching for t-shirts on their iPhone, so as they walk by Gap, they receive a t-shirt vs. pants offer).

While the phone is becoming less of a personal space, it is still a new space for most. If customers are willing to let us play there, then it is our job as marketers to offer high value, relevant offers.