Bluetooth Enables British Cellphone Ad Invites

Users passing through London's Heathrow Airport may get an invitation to view an ad on their cell phones. High-end mobile phone owners, meet high-tech advertisers. That's the focus of a Wall Street Journal story on a British advertising effort. One company, Filter UK, have been responsible for disturbing people who would otherwise be enjoying a few quiet moments in the first class lounge for Virgin Atlantic. Another company called Maiden Group has been working on a similar initiative, but at English train stations now, with shopping malls to be covered at a later date. Their ads have featured red-hot rock act Coldplay, while Filter UK's airport ads feature the new Range Rover Sport SUV. A notification sent over Bluetooth asks users if they would like to view an advertisement. Accept, and a 30-second ad will play on the small screen. Refuse, and they won't be bothered by other ads in the same series. There is no opt-out provision, as the concept of such ad delivery hasn't yet been considered legally. These ads won't be going away anytime soon. The article cites a two-week test, where messages sent to 87,000 phones returned 13,000 acceptances. That's around a 15 percent response rate. In the ad industry, where high single-digit responses set hearts aflutter, 15 percent may have people speed-dialing their cardiologists. With people, especially the slavishly coveted 18-24 demographic, tuning out traditional advertising mediums like TV and newspapers, expect these efforts to grow in number and presence. here