[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCorqvoZSj0]
Remember ShotCode, those alienesque barcodes? Through a small program on your mobile phone, the mobile phone is “transformed” in a scanner. After taking a picture with your phone’s cam of the ShotCode, the phone opens its browser and connects with the right URL (for earlier coverage, see Springwise).
While the rest of us was busy developing bluetooth, triangulated and gps based solutions, Shotcode was further developing their service. The website got a Web2.0-style makeover (you can’t have a credible website without bright green and pink colours these days), campaigns where run for (amongst others) Nokia, Coca Cola, XBox and Jameson, the ShotCode system got a limited API and a new pricing plan was developed (no more free ShotCodes). Also, a new free service is being developed at Shotcode.org (subscribe to stay in touch). And, of course, all of this was recorded on the ShotCode blog.
Although I really admire both Dennisses because of their entrepreneurship and nifty concept, I really fear version 2.0 is the last one. Considering all developments in the area of GPS/bluetooth/triangulated social networks and the fact that ShotCode is a quite complicated service (install software first and then try to manage taking a decent picture), I really wouldn’t want to be in the developers’ shoes.
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The first major campaign by ShotCode, a game for Dutch brewery Heineken, which asked participants to visit different bars with shotcodes, demonstrated how difficult the concept is: a total of 8 people completed the game.
The future is in GPS/bluetooth/triangulated services. And although I really really liked ShotCode: exit Shotcode
This is a guest post by consumer, marketeer and storyteller Polle de Maagt
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