NeoMedia Adds To Strategic Advisory Board

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated barcode transactions for mobile devices, announced this morning during the company's shareholder conference call the induction of new Board of Advisors member Ian Maxwell, who brings with him extensive industry experience and is dedicated to the growth and expansion of NeoMedia Technologies.

Ian Maxwell, a well respected industry veteran, has been a director at Vodafone for the past 21 years. In 2003, Ian was instrumental in Vodafone's strategic partnership with Microsoft in which both companies came together to implement plans to help create mobile web services standards that would enable new business opportunities for application developers and mobile network operators across fixed (wired) and wireless networks. As a global leader in the mobile telecommunications market, Vodafone has over 300 million customers in 25 markets across 5 continents.

The development of NeoMedia Technologies' Strategic Advisory Board has combined many talented and highly qualified executives with much to offer in the technology and telecommunication fields. All the members bring extensive knowledge of the wireless and telecom industries, and NeoMedia is happy to have their commitment.

Ian Maxwell joins Marc Lefar from AT&T, Rich Cremona from Open Wave, Joe Gilbride from Saatchi & Saatchi, and Clarence Wesley from Xerox Mobile Solutions.

NeoMedia At DMVÖ MMA Mobile Innovation

NeoMedia Technologies, the global leader in camera-initiated barcode transactions for mobile devices, was in attendance at the November 11th DMVÖ MMA Mobile Innovation event in Vienna Austria.

The event, held in cooperation with DMVÖ Mobile Innovation Working Group and the Mobile Marketing Association of Austria was sponsored by m4c, DIMOCO and Nokia, and featured representatives from Ericsson, Bertelsmann-Arvato, T-Mobile, and Orange.

Thomas Hinterleithner, head of linking solutions and global sales at NeoMedia conducted an informative lecture and question and answer session on mobile code reading using various examples from Asia, Europe, and the United States. He demonstrated the many exciting communication channels and business models that are achievable through code reading.

"Innovative tools such as mobile code reading allow direct and easy communication with the consumer. The consumer has a quick, precise and even controlled access to the desired information and advertising is measurable, stated Thomas Hinterleithner, "The software is, for example, here in Europe but not yet preinstalled on the phone. But that will soon change. A global standard comes in early 2009."

Margit Anglmaier of DIMOCO and director of the Working Group DMVÖ Mobile Innovations prepared a white paper on the topic, "Use of mobile codes in marketing" that gives insights and views on mobile code reading and answers relevant questions for the Austrian advertising industry on the subject.

Custom Fit Realty Launches NeoSign

Custom Fit Realty, a Wisconsin based real estate company, recently announced the launch of their NeoSign Technology using 2D barcodes and mobile code reading technology from NeoMedia.

Continuing to push the frontiers of real estate innovation, Custom Fit Realty has added a new marketing feature called NeoSigns to their fee-based home selling service. NeoSigns allow direct access to a property’s web site using 2D barcodes, code reading technology, and the internet right from a consumer's mobile device.

In order to use the application, house hunters can direct their mobile phone’s web browser to get.neoreader.com in order to download the free NeoReader application to their iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia or other camera enabled cell phone. Once downloaded, the NeoReader can be used to take a picture of a 2D barcode which will directly connect the consumer to that property listings' mobile website.

"This is called mobile tagging and is a terrific new application. I think you’ll find these codes all over in the very near future, but Custom Fit Realty is the first to outfit our real estate yard signs with new NeoSign technology," said a representative at Custom Fit.

"All of our listings have a NeoSign code and in the next few weeks we’ll be installing new NeoSigns on our properties as well as on our printed material. We’re moving away from dead-tree based marketing and the NeoSign continues to move us in that direction."

Pepsi Launches Major UK QR Code Initiative

Thirsty tech-savvy UK consumers will be able to access music, games and other entertainment from their mobile phones now that Pepsi has introduced QR codes to its drink packs.

PepsiCo and Britvic are rolling out 400 million packs with quick response (QR) codes across Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max variants in the UK.

QR codes are two-dimensional barcodes that act as a conduit between print and web through the use of mobile phone camera technology.

With the help of a QR code reader, consumers can take a picture of the on-pack code, which will then direct them to great mobile entertainment courtesy of Pepsi via WAP. The QR codes will enable consumers to gain access to content, such as games, ringtones, wallpapers and more.

Chris Owen, Brand Manager for Pepsi at Britvic, said: “Yet again, Pepsi is at the forefront of consumer trends, providing great entertainment to people when and where they want it through their mobile phone. With the content being constantly updated, consumers will have more reason than ever to purchase Pepsi, to see what we’ve got to give them next. Pepsi has always led the way in providing consumers with entertainment. Now we’re using the newest technology to give people a kick in the right direction and really drive sales of the UK’s fastest growing cola in take-home grocery.”

Ahmed Abdel-Karim, Marketing Manager for Pepsi UK, said: “Pepsi is using QR codes to connect with, and engage consumers in a new and exciting way wherever they are. We're finding innovative ways to communicate with Pepsi drinkers and to reward their loyalty with entertaining and interesting content, ensuring Pepsi remains front of mind.”

Consumers can download the NeoReader to their iPhone, BlackBerry, or to their camera enabled cell phone in order to scan the 2D codes, which will direct them to a phone-friendly version of Pepsi's website.

The NeoReader is a free universal code reading application developed by NeoMedia Technologies and Gavitec AG - mobile digit.