I’ve always been intrigued with the concept of proximity marketing, but a perceived lack of interest in the U.S has made any news or advancements in the technology all but lost in the shuffle. To me the concept provides a unique and inexpensive opportunity for marketers, but there has to be underlying factors prohibiting its advancement, but what are they?
With increased interest surrounding mobile marketing, it’s interesting that proximity marketing has been largely looked over, though both concepts are fundamentally different. While there’s really no definition that exists which separates the two, the easiest way to distinguish proximity marketing from mobile marketing is simply the concept of localized content. Potential advertising audiences must enter a “localized” area such as a grocery store or a shopping center in order to receive the advertisement with proximity marketing, while mobile marketing doesn’t require such an attribute.
Education of marketers in the U.S is one prohibiting factor in my mind, with almost no news coming out regarding the technology, even though numerous companies exist on U.S soil that provide proximity marketing solutions. Marketers are already bombarded with so-called new-age marketing channels, and adding one more to the mix will confuse the masses even more than they already are. Still, proximity marketing offers something even mobile marketing in large part can’t provide; being extremely inexpensive and very easy to integrate.
Integrating a proximity marketing campaign involves acquiring a simple, inexpensive module to place on-location, in billboards and posters, or even on people at events, and loading it up with content to send to consumers who come within close “proximity” of the module. Once it’s in place, the module does everything, sending highly relevant, location-based ads and content without any further interaction on part of the marketer. It’s a simple concept that has proven to be very successful in areas of the world with high usage, especially on a hyperlocal level.
Maybe I’m missing something here, which is why I ask you, the reader, to fill me in on why you think proximity marketing has fallen into obscurity. Lack of bluetooth penetration? Lack of overall interest? Lack of education? Take a moment and sound off in the comments.
