Mobile Phones Scan ColorCode on TV
Interactive television programming is walking out the door and onto mobile handsets, pressuring Japanese TV broadcasters to adapt content and programming. Networks TBS and FujiTV are linking up with ColorZip Japan, a new server-based full-color bar-code technology that synchs TV broadcasts to related digital content for sponsored websites, music samples, contests and prize drawings.
We spoke with ColorZip Japan CEO Christopher Craney about how ColorCode is developing the Japanese market. Already in talks with telecom providers over having the code embedded onto new handsets, Chris discusses both corporate and individual marketing campaigns for this next-generation bar-code technology. We also interviewed the CTO, Evan Owens, who demonstrated several applications of their product. For those who may have missed it, Evan Owens made a ColorZip presentation at Mobile Monday Tokyo event in April and his PowerPoint from that night is available online there.
Unlike typical black & white QR codes (think of it as bar code 3G), ColorCode was designed to scan from a comfortable distance even for low-resolution camera phones. Snap a photo of the code and the server shoots info, image, url or streaming video instantly back. In Japan, satellite TV music and shopping channels should be coming online soon with plans to incorporate ColorCode into e-commerce. The travel industry has taken notice with campaigns readying to roll out as well.
Interactive content, audience participation and user tracking promise both retailers and broadcasters deeper levels of engagement and new revenue streams. A recent Nihon Business daily report said downloads for program guides, ring tones and other mobile services netted Fuji Television around 3 billion yen last fiscal year. Mobile commerce over cell phones jumped 25 percent during the same period to around 971 billion yen ($8.8 billion) according to a survey on e-business released by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.)
Patent pending ColorCode has become the de facto mobile barcode standard in its home country of Korea. Already pre-installed on phones there, Japan just may follow shortly. Korea already has personalized Color Code postage stamps that link to senders?f website. Flexible and forgiving, these codes will work on anything even temporary tattoos! Rolling in Europe soon with France and England probably first to go technicolor code.
— Gail Nakada