As the mobile world gathers today at Barcelona in preparation for the 3GSM onslaught, I’ve had a couple of dodgy experiences from the show organisers, who really ought to know better.
Firstly, when I was standing in line for registration, I was consistently urged to accept a Bluetooth message from “3GSM”. I’m assuming this was genuine, rather than a clever way of spreading a mobile virus - mainly as hackers probably haven’t thought about it yet. But what a perfect way this would be to spread nasties among the thought leaders in mobile.
I’m not even going to grace this technique with the description of “marketing” as it’s clearly spamming the recipient - I have not given consent to be contacted in this way and asking me politely if I want to be spammed doesn’t make it acceptable - the first invitation is already spam.
It’s incredibly disingenuous to argue that because I have my Bluetooth switched on, I have consented to be spammed like this. It’s like saying that because I have a computer I consent to get spam email, or that because I’m crossing a road, I consent to being run over.
Very, very disappointing to see the organisers condoning such a squalid practice.
Talking of squalid, our booth (which doesn’t come cheap) is right opposite an “adult” content provider, meaning the view today is of a picture of a woman, legs akimbo, wearing a micro-skirt. If your knowledge of female biology was a little sketchy, it wouldn’t be after a glimpse over there.
I don’t wish to be prurient about these things, but it doesn’t take a genius to work out that some people, for whatever reason, would find this very embarrassing and/or offensive. It might be well within the value systems of the sellers of such content, but it shouldn’t give them the right to inflict these value on others. I mean, my value system says that vomiting over other people in booths near me is cool. That doesn’t mean that I would do it or should be allowed to for that matter.
So surely, adult stuff should be given their own section of the show? Firstly, it would spare the blushes of those who don’t wish to see this kind of thing. Secondly, it would make adult content easier to find for potential buyers.
And the organisers’ position that it conforms to their guidelines, because the young lady in question was “clothed” just doesn’t hack it.
I’m not a prude by any means and this isn’t really about porn - it’s about respecting other people.
So, please, next year, let’s put the adult content in its own quarter and stop Bluespamming people!
Yeuch, that’s tawdry. If the organizers of 3GSM want to stay big-league they have to sort this out.
Mind you, if word gets around it makes your booth a must-visit attraction!
Hmmm I agree with what you say about blue spam / but then I disagree in the context in which you high light once again your dismay at the “marketing” tactic. 3 years ago at Sonar in Barcelona we blue-jacked mobile phones with Disel redemption vouchers and targetted in excess of 100 people / small number but we had a 96 response rate. The youth were up for it s it was in their space and a “tactic” they were open to / even today it is a common practice. Where I concur is making it happen in a space where people are accepting to these subversive and guerilla tactics - a business conference such as 3GSM with stiff collars and corporate bull is not for such mobile marketing initiatives!
As for the porn it is misplaced totally agree / however isolating it makes it seem like it is a dirty thing - morals with standing!
/ albeit could help you get foot fall by your booth / in fact every conference I attend with mobile especially at MILIA I encounter middle aged life crisis “mobile gurus” and CEO’s pushing porn as the next killer ap. One time it was even presented to me by a CEO of a highly public mobile telco at MELIA in Cannes 2004!
It was like that even in Cannes (the adult stuff) - I remember spending a day in the content hall there interviewing mobile games developers, and they were all in the same position as you - except with even more graphic visuals hanging opposite.
I think grouping the adult content providers together would work, even if they were just in one corner of the hall, rather than a separate venue. As you say, it’s not a prudish thing, but if you’re trying to do business with people who ARE put off by it, it’s not great.
But you could argue that the position of content within 3GSM needs work on a higher level - bunging it all in Hall 7 right at the back of the venue seems counter-productive. I met a lot of people who hadn’t even found it in the first couple of days.
I know the Nortels etc probably pay huge sums for their stands in the big halls, but surely there’s a way of putting content more at the centre of things.
As for whether porn is the killer app - wasn’t 3G supposed to be games, gambling and girls? ;o)
[...] Link: 3GSM Embraces Bluespam and Porn at MobHappy Talking of squalid, our booth (which doesn’t come cheap) is right opposite an “adult” content provider, meaning the view today is of a picture of a woman, legs akimbo, wearing a micro-skirt. If your knowledge of female biology was a little sketchy, it wouldn’t be after a glimpse over there. [...]
Pictures or it didn’t happen
Russell, this is a cultural difference between Europe and us. Nudity is nearly not as offensive in Europe as it is in the US. Being European, and having visited the US many times (and working for a US company!), I have tons of examples about that. The biggest example is probably Janet Jackson at the superbowl a couple of years back: in the US the news was about the actual view, while in Europe that news was about Americans going nuts over that not particularly shocking view
Another example was an American colleague at the Amsterdam airport, who stopped me while we were walking to the gate and said “look!”. It took me 30 seconds (and he explaining to me) that it was the picture of a bare-breasted woman in the advertisement that was dragging his attention….
On the other hand, I was europeanly shocked to see that one could buy weapons virtually “over the counter” in Redwood City, California, the first time I was there (not that I didn’t know, but yes, the actual view the first time was shocking)…
Luca
Luca - I agree up to a point, but you kinda had to have seen it to understand. Many “European”, sophisticated women were a little shocked (and more) at this particular image. It wasn’t so much about nudity as in-yer-face, tacky sex.
Anyway, most people were so interested in us that they hardly gave them a second glance
But I do wish they’d have a separate area for these folks.
Wow, some mobile users get really angry about ‘bluespamming’ - I guess it’s not going to work out as a viable channel for reputable brands.
There may be potential for abuse (real spam, hackers etc) but in the context you mention here - a message from the conference organisers as you stand in line to enter the conference - I personally can’t understand the negativity.
It’s probably not helpful getting into equivalents (eg crossing over and getting knocked down), but similarly: if someone at the conference approached you in the line with a clipboard, would you have punched them on the nose before they spoke, or perhaps just blanked them?
I’m curious as to the attitude here: whether the phone is considered totally sacred to the user and how attitudes vary depending on the channel.
It’s labelled spam, yet it seems to me you have an opportunity here to actually approach the sender if you have a problem with their message. In this example, you could complain to the conference.
That isn’t possible with ‘real’ spam, unless you employ Columbo and set aside a decent travel expenses budget.
A message from a conference organiser at a conference at which you are a delegate seems pretty targeted. I would imagine the message was fairly relevant, rather than an invite to buy Viagra. This could have been a practical way to get important info to all those in line.
Out of interest, with Bluetooth switched on, what kind of acceptable messages/uses are people expecting or open to receiving?
It seems to me ‘Bluespamming’ could actually work really well for some and enable some quite creative campaign ideas…yet if this hostility is widespread it isn’t going to happen.
My blog on this: http://www.reachstudents.co.uk/blog/2007/03/02/bluetooth-proximity-marketing/
I always enjoy the Mobhappy blog insights - kutgw.
Luke
Luke - the point here is that it’s illegal. So whether or not individuals approve of it, the marketers are in breach of a European directive. If it’s such a great marketing channel, its proponents need to convince the EU that it’s cool and all will be well - in theory, at least, as some people will object to it, which is kind of why the law is there in the first place.
Bluetooth is there primarily for swapping data and information - the typical one being electronic business cards. So that’s why you might have it switched on at a networking event.
Bluetooth as a legitimate marketing channel is possible, providing that prior consent exists or if the user opts in there and then eg in response to a poster or an approach from a real person (legal as it’s not digital communication!). But these sorts of campaigns require a lot more thought and tend to get lower response rates.
Russell
Hi Russell
Perhaps what they should have done was to put up some signage telling visitors that they are in a Bluetooth zone this way there would not be any doubt as to what the message was all about. Maybe one should not blame the medium when the actual problem lies with the planning and execution.
The Bluetooth SIG was close to the entrance and they also had a Bluetooth zone in operation which they would not have done if it was in contravention of an EU ruling.
[...] Link: 3GSM Embraces Bluespam and Porn at MobHappy Talking of squalid, our booth (which doesn’t come cheap) is right opposite an “adult” content provider, meaning the view today is of a picture of a woman, legs akimbo, wearing a micro-skirt. If your knowledge of female biology was a little sketchy, it wouldn’t be after a glimpse over there. [...]