Near-Field Technology: The Magic Touch

Photo by allisonhare

If predicting the future of marketing was easy, fortune tellers would quit their day jobs. Even though it’s coming at us fast, we’re never exactly sure where it’s going until we’re chasing after it. Fortunately, Peter Dahlstrom and David Edelman break it down for in this article, where they share some predictions for the next decade.

What caught our eye was the mention of near-field communication. Just as the name suggests, NFC technology allows devices to exchange data upon contact. All you have to do is tag them with a chip, and you’re ready to get all kinds of information sent to your phone or computer. Think of it as mind-reading for electronics.

So far, NFC technology is most commonly used on phones, but why stop there? Imagine every physical object in your world connected with NFC–you could tap an apple with your phone and get its nutritional info, tap a treadmill and get your running stats, or tap a car to get its history and insurance info. One European beverage company even tested the tags on beer coasters—one tap with your device and it displays its beer info, promos and social sharing.

source

 With extra data comes more insight that marketers will have for understanding their consumers. With each interaction, the consumer will be creating new data footprints and streams that complement existing digital portraits, sharpening their potential impact. Across the entire consumer decision journey, every touch is a brand experience.

This allows marketers to map out new ways to influence their decision journeys and encourage more activity. A new frontier for marketing means that instead of studying consumers and asking them to provide insight, the data will lead the way. How well do we really know ourselves, anyway?

Digital technology advancements may hold some of the answers. Dahlstrom and Edelman believe that as their capabilities multiply, consumer demands will rise in four areas:

1. Now: Consumers will want to interact anywhere at any time.
2. Can I: They will want to do truly new things as disparate kinds of information (from financial accounts to data on physical activity) are deployed more effectively in ways that create value for them.
3. For me: They will expect all data stored about them to be targeted precisely to their needs or used to personalize what they experience.
4. Simply: They will expect all interactions to be easy.

If this is the case, we’re entering a whole new playing field, where the line between our physical and virtual environments will disappear. My advice is to hold on tightly to your phone and enjoy the ride.