Seeker Wireless Home Zone LBS Mobile Advertising

I met with Seeker Wireless guru Andrew Grill at Mobile World Congress and we spoke about this new Home Zone mobile advertising initiative.

Home Zone advertising

Well, we are all familiar with Home Zone services. This is where the user calls for less from within the home for cheaper than mobile calls. So in home zone calling from Genion (O2) is cheaper than out of home. The home zone is usually between 500 meters and 2km around the home area.

So, Seeker Wireless is going to push adverts via the home zone based on location. So if you have signed up for adverts or promotions and there is a home zone in a shop of your choice – when you get to that shop or place you get adverts served. This can include coupons or special offers.

From the press release
“We believe our participation in the market will have a big effect on the LBS industry”, commented Andrew Grill. “Recent trials of our product on live networks have demonstrated a high level of accuracy on standard GSM and 3G handsets and a number of operators have already seen the benefits of our HomeZone solution.”

Grill continued, “To build on our SeekerZone product, we have a range of exciting products planned for 2007 focussed on tracking, location search and location advertising. We feel that our unique approach to location will in turn benefit the whole LBS industry”.

What we think?
I like Andrew and he spoke with conviction about the new advertising service. But it does mean a lot of work and getting high end advertisers or companies such as supermarkets involved to make the service a success.
He said that this is not proximity marketing and proximity marketing via Bluetooth didn’t work. I agree and there is a bigger push on LBS, but at the end of the day – its too soon to tell. I am watching this one and will report back.

No offense to Seeker, but there are so many companies touting Advertising right now only time will tell which solution is scalable.

Related News:

1. Seeker Wireless powers innovative new Local Zone product from Vodafone New Zealand
2. Seeker Wireless announces SeekerZone powers LocalZone Vodafone New Zealand service
3. Does SMS count for Mobile LBS advertising
4. CTIA: Quattro Wireless and uLocate Find Each Other to Launch Location-Based Ads on WHERE for the iPhone
5. MobiLuck’s Patrick Lord on Mobile Search and LBS