Brown Printing Launches New Mobile Solutions

Brown Printing Company, in conjunction with Prinovis and NeoMedia Technologies, announced today the launch of B.Mobile.

The new service transforms traditional print advertising into an interactive, multi-media experience. Utilizing 2D mobile barcodes, B.Mobile turns mobile phone cameras into barcode scanners allowing consumers instant access to real-time product or service information, downloadable content, and mobile commerce transactions.

B.Mobile integrates products from Brown’s sister company Prinovis and NeoMedia to provide a total solution package. B.Mobile provides the ability to optimize websites for the mobile phone display, adaptation of content for mobile internet, and statistical reporting on scanning activity. Code management tools provide the ability to change and update content linked to barcodes at any time, so printed pieces become interactive and dynamic. The mobile barcodes provide a reliable response tracking mechanism that helps measure success and allow campaigns to be adapted in real-time.

"B.Mobile’s tool kit makes executing barcode activities easy and intuitive, allowing magazines and catalogs to run smarter, more successful marketing programs," explained Mark Treat, Chief Information officer for Brown Printing Company. "This technology allows consumers to engage with barcodes on their own terms. The self selection yields interested and motivated prospects."

Prinovis & NeoMedia Form Strategic Partnership

NeoMedia Technologies has entered into a strategic partnership with Prinovis. The cooperation brings together technology leader NeoMedia and innovative print and publishing powerhouse Prinovis.

Mobile services add punch to print - Printed products become interactive thanks to 2D codes.

Prinovis now offers its customers a revolutionary linking of print, online and mobile: its new Mobile Solutions line of business adds interactivity to catalogs, magazines and ads, for innovative new marketing and communication campaigns.

The solutions were developed on the basis of 2D codes also known as Data Matrix or QR codes. These codes can now be sent to any mobile phone as mobile coupons, redeemable by the customer via a scanner at the POS. The content, timing and validity of a promotion can be continually updated as needed, and detailed reporting ensures total transparency throughout the campaign. Possible fields of application include special offers, attractive special promotions and shop openings, as well as targeted customer relationship management based on a CRM system. Another possible application is ‘mobile tagging’, where the camera feature of a mobile phone is used in conjunction with a 2D code for direct access to the mobile Web, where additional content can be presented, along with downloads, prize drawings and many more options.

The core benefit is clear: up-do-date, interactive printed products, along with one-to-one marketing without wastage. This allows Prinovis customers to run smarter, more successful marketing and communication promotions, combining the look-and-feel of printed advertising with the interactivity of mobile sites.

Prinovis was formed in 2005 from the merger of all German gravure-printing operations of the three companies Gruner + Jahr, Axel Springer and arvato. Prinovis offers its customers custom print and communication solutions, tailored to their individual needs and requirements.

NeoMedia & Arvato Reach 120 Million Worldwide

NeoMedia Technologies has entered into a strategic partnership with arvato services. The cooperation brings together innovative technology and leading services in the fields of media service, customer relationship management, data, finance, supply chain management, customer care, mail and IT to create a new and unique service chain.

arvato services is a leading service provider for effective customer communication, customer loyalty and supply chain management solutions both inside and outside of Europe. NeoMedia is a global leader in camera-initiated transactions using mobile phones and offers innovative and service-oriented solutions for targeting consumers with mobile marketing tactics. Using the NeoReader barcode scanning application and a 2D barcode on print products, consumers can connect to the mobile internet. By linking classical “push” media with the barcode as a “pull” instrument the marketing circle is completed. NeoMedia technology effectively turns books, magazines, posters and advertisements into vehicles that create an interactive dialogue with consumers.

In order to provide its customers with targeted, inexpensive marketing campaigns, arvato services is increasingly focusing on mobile marketing, and therefore on mobile code reading, taking advantage of the innovative technologies supplied by NeoMedia Technologies. With NeoReader® a mobile phone camera becomes a barcode reader, giving the user immediate access to content and services available on the World Wide Web. Valuable customer data can also be generated in this way.

Thomas Leitner, Vice President of arvato media GmbH explains: "NeoMedia is enabling us to open up a new dimension of dialogue with the customer. The ability to interact with a consumer via his or her mobile device adds infinite value to the CRM and marketing disciplines. NeoMedia’s system offers an unrivaled level of performance monitoring – way above that of conventional methods, allowing us to precisely tailor future marketing activities for our customers as well as accurately measure feedback."

Iain McCready, CEO of NeoMedia Technologies: "Gaining arvato services as a business partner is very gratifying. This accomplishment underlines our global market leadership and the outstanding quality of NeoMedia solutions. With this partner at our side we believe we will be able to reach new target groups and extend our mobile marketing value chain to the highest level thanks to integrated arvato 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.

Arvato Showcases Mobile Tagging & Couponing

Arvato AG, a Bertelsmann company, and a leading internationally networked media and communication services provider, showcased NeoMedia's Mobile Tagging and Mobile Couponing technology at Mail Order World 2008 on October 2nd in Germany.

Mail Order World Germany is the largest trade fair for the entire spectrum of mail and provides information and business platforms in parallel with the German Mail Order Congress. The Mail Order World is characterized by a diversified portfolio of exhibitors. At the congress, discussed topics visualize and thus illustrate the theory and practice combined. The exhibition parallels to the Congress of German mail industry gathering for decision-makers from mail order, e-commerce and direct marketing.

Hubert Peter, Head of New Business Development at Arvato Services attended the event and participated in Trade Conference 4: E-Commerce and New Business Models where he presented, Mobile Couponing & Mobile Tagging: New Business Approaches for Steering Customers in Target Groups.

For his presentation, Mr. Peter showcased Mobile Tagging and Mobile Couponing using NeoReader and EXIO technology from NeoMedia.

This past August Arvato teamed up with NeoMedia to launch an innovative mobile marketing campaign in Germany using 2D barcodes with INFOBON International and Deutsche Post.