I thought I was impressed with the combination of Yelp + Google Maps + iPhone location, and how this would revolutionize how people make choices for what and where to buy. At least once a week I find myself making a query to Yelp on my iPhone about where to find something near my current location – whether an ATM, a greeting card store, or a particular type of restaurant.
I have just seen the demo of Sekai Camera from the startup Tonchidot, in Japan. It is an application that runs over an iPhone. I urge you to check out the demo video or the full presentation at the recent TechCrunch 50 conference. This is creating quite a buzz.
This is just the beginning of new services that will change our behaviors. That has significant implications for businesses that want to sell us their goods and services, because they will need to strategize how to get good representation in these new tools. Once we had the advertising jingle to guide us (TV and radio), then moved to SEO (search engine optimization on internet), then moved to positive recommendations on user-recommendation sites such as Yelp (Web 2.0).
Now we are seeing the early trends of marketing threats and opportunities based on user profile, location, context, and search objectives. This is the ultimate in ambush marketing if businesses can create a positive positioning with these new tools. Having a catchy jingle in your head will no longer matter if you learn that your friends highly recommend the product/service that is on sale now and right around the corner. More advertising money will flow out of traditional mass media into these new tools.