Marketing Home Products

Earlier this year, Google introduced Google Wallet, a revolutionary way to pay for items using Near Field Communication (NFC) to turn your smartphone into your wallet. But Google’s not the only one turning smartphones into something more powerful.

Blackberry announced that starting in 2012 several of its phones will be equipped with NFC technology similar to that used by doors that are unlocked by tapping cards to a card reader.

Image source: Geek.com

So instead of using a card to get into your apartment building or office, you’ll just need your smartphone. Blackberry says this will create an extra layer of security by allowing users to set a PIN on their phone that must be entered after the door has “scanned” their device. Preventing thieves from being able to access your home by stealing your card, they would now have to figure out your PIN, too.

There’s no word yet on whether other phone manufacturers will start adding similar features to future phone models, but with NFC technology already being explored by other manufacturers (again, think Google Wallet), it seems to be a logical progression of events. This could have major implications for both door and door lock manufacturers and security companies. If home security via smartphone is the way of the future, doors that come standard with this technology and integrate into the home’s security system could be a very real possibility. And why stop at the front door? Could we see security system keypads replaced by an NFC receiver? Or perhaps a security system that detects when an NFC-enabled device goes out of a home’s range and automatically arms the system? Smartphones already touch many parts of our lives, and soon they will change the way we think about home security.

What types of marketing techniques will really help your product stand out?  A recent article, “Pat the Bunny-It Can Help Your Agency,” gives us some insight on why stepping outside of the box is a great option for marketers.  Trying to gain the attention of a child is no easy task.  Children’s book authors and illustrators have the daunting task of creating something that will keep a child’s focus for more than two minutes.  “Pat the Bunny” is a popular children’s book that allows for an interactive experience, engaging children through their sense of touch.

Similarly, Dr. Seuss used vivid imagery to attract the attention of young children.  The bright colors and unique illustrations in his books can bring excitement to any child’s face.  So what does this have to do with marketers today?  Gaining the attention of a prospective client requires more than just words on a screen.  Much like children, audiences want to see something that stimulates their senses.  Marketers want their products to be remembered.  By simply adding an image or video to an email, you create a visually appealing experience for the viewer.  Add some creativity to those emails that may otherwise be overlooked… you may even create a long lasting impression on your clients.

A few years ago, K&A put together a white paper on “Missing Males,” and how many – if not most – marketers tend to ignore the male consumer, focusing almost completely on female head of households &/or moms.

Advertising Age recently published further information about how marketers still have yet to embrace this growing consumer base of men. It highlighted a Yahoo survey in which more than half of men said they were the primary grocery shopper for their household… even though a small majority of packaged goods actually speak to them via advertisements. Yet, men still tend to wind up at the butt-end of a joke, implying they’re incompetent, goofy or aloof – especially when it comes to food and consumer goods for the home.

Have dads become more important targets for marketers over moms? That’s not quite the case, as household decision makers are still by and large women. For some, however, there’s something to be desired in advertisements and marketing in which men are left out.

It may be a difficult line to draw, but some brands have revamped their M.O., including Jif peanut butter’s addition to its “choosy moms” tagline and Kellogg’s targeted campaigns on ESPN.com. While the female head of household may very well make the majority of purchasing decisions, it’s clear that men simply can’t be ignored in advertising campaigns. The good news: a fair amount of white space exists here for specifically targeting men. Let’s see what they come up with…