Marketers latest attack - BLUE-SPAMMING

First there was Volvo - that decided to send business class travelers a special Volvo video clip while they waited in their BA lounge (as reported by Media Week (Media Week - Advertisers take a bite out of Bluetooth)

Now - Adverblog has discovered that Lowe's Cinemas are getting into the game. (Adverblog: Movies, advertising and stress)

What's happening here is called BLUE-SPAMMING.

Marketers are using Bluetooth technology to SPAM unsuspecting passersby with alerts that interrupt consumers. There is no express or implied permission to intrude on people's mobile devices in either if these venues (at least not anything in print).

And marketers are smiling broadly in saying that the anti-SPAM laws don't apply because they are using Bluetooth - and not SMS, MMS, e-mail or any of the more traditional methods of delivering content to mobile devices.

What's at issue is here is that there are still marketers that don't understand the incredibly personal nature of a mobile device makes reactions to a blatant and unsolicited invasion of privacy something that makes for BAD MARKETING.

But what if the content is cool?

The most common argument that I get when I try to discuss BLUE-SPAMMING with marketers is, "If the content is cool, then the consumer won't mind." Well - actually that may be true in the old 80/20 rule (80% of the people won't mind or maybe only 20% of the time people would get upset). From the marketer's point of view, if there are only a few people that mind - it doesn't matter. What they don't understand is that the voice of the few can have a mighty impact on the many.

But they can always just turn off Bluetooth.

OK - you're right. I could. So could everyone else. We could all just turn off bluetooth when we went out. And then we wouldn't use our bluetooth headsests - our bluetooth car kits - our bluetooth computer connections - and all those things that bluetooth was designed to do. Let me put it another way. "Why should I have to turn off my bluetooth avoid your marketing?" - That's right - I shouldn't.

And before you try it - the fact that I leave bluetooth on is not an implied permission to SPAM me. No - not even if you put a notice outside the door that says I should turn my bluetooth off if I don't want to receive advertising messages.

Consumer Call To Action

This is really simple - the BLUE-SPAMMING will continue unless 2 very significant things occur.

1) Every consumer who receives a BLUE-SPAM immediately complains to the manager on duty. The great thing about being BLUE-SPAM'd is that there is a human being right there to go and talk to. It's not e-mail - or even SMS - there is actually a live person you can go to and express your outrage at having your phone invaded by unsolicited marketing - BLUE SPAMMING.

2) This applies to any form of SPAM really - and it's only common sense - Don't buy it. Don't buy anything from anyone that sends you SPAM. E-mail, SMS, or BLUE-SPAMMING - they will quit if people don't buy anything.

In the meantime...

In the meantime I'll be bringing the issue to the Direct Marketing Association, the Mobile Marketing Association and the Mobile Data Association to get some discussions started on this latest attack on consumer's mobile devices. I certainly hope that legitimate marketers will not even start.

Until next week,




Sr. Consultant - Mobile Marketing
Pocket Reach Solutions, LLC