Nestle gave Australians their first taste of NFC-assisted shopping in supermarkets last week, with a trial built around Uncle Toby's oats that hopes to inspire us to use it more - and more creatively.
In the US, Bertolli Olive Oil, News America Marketing and Thinaire‘s SmartSource have got together to solve the question that has plagued shoppers for decades.
“What’s for dinner?” is being answered by recipes, videos and ingredients lists delivered to shoppers’ phones as they enter the olive oil aisle. In this first phase that launched in May, the NFC services are available only in the US. Bertolli Olive Oil, the world's biggest olive oil brand that was bought by Grupo SOS from Unilever in 2008, is sold worldwide.
When shoppers tap a NFC-enabled mobile device to specially tagged SmartSource ShelfTalk signs they will arrive at ‘This Week’s Recipe’ from Bertolli.
The recipe includes a shopping list that details all the necessary ingredients for the meal, so everything can be purchased during a single store visit. Additional content includes bite-sized videos starring Chef Fabio, which range from how to prepare this week’s recipe to an educational ‘Olive Oil 101′, discussing specific uses for Bertolli Extra Virgin, Classico and Extra Light blends.
“While NFC has been around for decades as a chain-of-custody tracking tool for CPG and apparel brands, contactless mobile engagement is now becoming the darling of shopper marketing agencies,” stated Mark Donovan, chief operating officer at Thinaire, New York.
“This emerging opportunity allows brands to learn about how shoppers interface with their favourite brands on their phones while in-store. Just at the moment when shoppers are making the decision to purchase these CPG brand items, brands have an opportunity to engage and offer immediate value exchange. By creating this mobile overlay, CPG brands can extend existing shopper marketing campaigns through a new channel – mobile engagement.”
NFC still has its challenges. The close-range connectivity is not a universal technology, as companies create personalised software systems that limit product pairing.
[But]“…for a shopper trying to make decisions about dinner selections, Bertolli is delivering menu ideas, recipes and ingredient lists on shoppers’ smartphones – right in the grocery store, where it’s the most important decision of the moment. Shoppers who watch the videos and prepare the recipes will be more likely to incorporate the information and the Bertolli brand into recipes they serve to family and friends. And shoppers who interact with the Shelf Talk, will be more likely to seek or "expect" similar shopping experiences in the future.”
Michelle Saettler from Mobile Marketer and Mobile Commerce Daily, New York, discusses the future of NFC:
