March 3, 2005
Camera phones click with contests
Big advertisers are starting to turn to camera cell phones as the latest way to reach consumers, reports USA Today.
"The newest is Pontiac, which launches a "Catch a G6" sweepstakes with a $1 million prize Friday aimed straight at camera cell phone users. The winner will be picked from those who snap and transmit a shot of its edgy G6 sedan with their mobile phone.
The General Motors division follows Toyota, Kodak and Qwest among companies that have run camera cell phone campaigns. The campaigns typically are directed at younger, tech-savvy customers.
Like other new technology, camera cell phones have had to "play the same waiting game" of acceptance, but now are ubiquitous enough that advertisers can use them, says Jay Conrad Levinson, co-author of the Guerilla Marketing series of business books."
Other camera cell phone promotions have included:
-- Toyota. For its youth-oriented Scion brand, Toyota is considering relaunching its ScionSpy wireless photo contest. Toyota received more than 1,000 entries a year ago in the contest to shoot pictures of new Scion models, says Adrian Si, Toyota's interactive marketing manager. (cf Toyota launches photo contest)
-- Kodak. Along with Cingular Wireless, Kodak sponsored a "Share a Smile" photo contest last year for camera cell phone users. "We got some great entries," spokeswoman Liz Scanlon says. (cf
MMS Smile Contest
-- Qwest. The telecom company hosted a scavenger hunt for five Washington state high schools. Students were set loose with camera cell phones, which they used to shoot pictures that could help solve a puzzle. (cf Scavenger hunts with camera phones)
The contest will be expanded to schools in other states this spring, Qwest spokeswoman Kathleen Lessman says.
-- Jane magazine. In a trial, readers who snapped cell phone photos of ads in the magazine last year received a return e-mail with more information and an offer for product samples or incentives. (cf Taking Pictures of Magazine Ads)
Click here for other examples of marketing campaigns involving camera phones.
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