I think that I was 17 years old when I got my first Visa credit card.
Before my parents would allow me to apply for it, I had to sit down and listen to my father’s lecture about the dangers of abusing it...and guarding it with my life.
When I got it, I think that my credit line on the card was $250.
As time went on over the years, I must admit that I have used more plastic than paper cash.
And every month, I pay off the balances rather than use the cards as true credit lines.
It’s a bunch easier to swipe the cards than make trips to the ATM or hold up the cashier lines filling out the checks.
I remember when I first learned about PRIZM geodemographics that the developer had access to Visa and Mastercard transactions and was able to link purchase behavior with the user’s address to plot out behavior by lifestyle group.
When I worked with American Express, the transaction process and database mining helped to shape our understanding of the customer and the brands, destinations and design of the travel adventures we packaged for customers.
In the new September issue of FAST COMPANY Magazine, there is a great article titled “Pocket Change.”
In fact, what this article talks about will likely become one of the featured trends in the BrandVenture 2011 Trendcast!
Here is the lead-in sentence from the article…
“Flash your phone virtually anywhere you go for almost any purchase and it’s automatically logged into a digital expense report.”
This process is called “Tap-to-Pay.”
Wild?
Citibank, Nokia, Mastercard and Vodafone have gotten into bed together over in Japan and India and found out in the Beta Test programs that consumers love the fact that their smartphone has also become their combination wallet and checkbook all wrapped up in one devise.
Talk about multi-tasking!
The race is on to transform the smartphone into your wallet.
When I see stories like this, I quickly realize that technology is moving faster than even record speed!
A year ago…when scripting the 2010 Trendcast, I observed the following…
“Not only has the mobile computer replaced the desktop, but the computer today is quickly becoming interchangeable with everything from iPhones to Blackberries to Kindles to Netbooks to Crunchpads to Android Tables to Dashboard built-ins.
In 2010, how we communicate, write documents, do calculations and prepare presentations will not only be fluid and transportable, but so will the operational and organizational models of business.”
With Tap-and-Pay, we can now add in this mix of “do’s” …how we purchase products and services and complete transactions in the off-line real world!
The article goes on how the new “Tap-and-Pay” function can link into everything from your app set to where you are located on Google Map to stream feed custom purchase management and promotional incentives directly to that little device we still refer to as a “cell phone.”
I remember how “revolutionary” it was when AT&T became a competitor up against the cable providers.
Do you realize how “revolutionary” it will be when Verizon becomes a competitor to Bank of America?
(Me Inner-self wants to scream out, “GO VERIZON!” and I’m not even a Verizon customer… I just outright hate Bank of America!)
It’s very easy for businesses to cocoon. Very easy.
This past week, I heard back from a company that has a chain of ham retail stores that its hiring a person that has years of work experience in the retail food industry as their new marketing director that was referred to them by their ad agency.
Something tells me that the marketing of this brand will not veer too far from where it has been over the past few years and that the ads will remain pretty much the same with the same style and approach used by the agency and endorsed by the CMO who used to work for KFC.
In this same issue of FAST COMPANY Magazine, there is a second great article about Alex Bogusky titled “The Adman Wants A Soul.”
(“Bogusky” as in the agency name “Crispin Porter + Bogusky”)
Alex’s agency was crowned not only Agency of the Year in 2009, but also Agency of the Decade by Advertising Age Magazine.
Alex is known for pushing brands way beyond their comfort levels and those brands turned out to be BIG WINNERS as a result of doing so.
Alex may think of himself as a creative guru… but he really is a guru change agent.
Its unfortunate that businesses defend their cocoons so much that they quickly cast aside the change agents that can catapult their brands forward!
I have written about it, present it, preached it, screamed it…and started a company driven by it.
Change is inevitable. Change is revolutionary.
Business Success is fueled by it. Brands thrive on it.
And if you don’t venture outside of your business cocoon and embrace it…
Kiss your business good-bye.
It’s not prophetic… it is a Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious…
Tap-to-Pay is going to change the way we live, work, play just like cars, televisions and computers have changed us.
Embrace it. Envelop it. Integrate it.
Just Do It.
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