Ukoko

One of the big disappointments with marketing that incorporates user-generated-content is that it rarely seems to resolve into something worthwhile for the users. Far too often it’s reduced to a competition: “make a film, win a prize” or “send a picture, win a prize”. Hardly imaginative, especially considering that those who regularly conrtute to Flickr/YouTube et al do it to share rather than compete; they are part of a community where the only opinions that count are your friends and peers, not the opinion of a selected-panel-of-judges.

But the Nokia Global Animation project executed by Universal Everything is one of the few exceptions to normal UGC marketing ideas. Nokia Global Animation project is, on the surface, a regular user-generated-content project but what makes it different is it’s inclusive aims, making all contributors part-of something bigger. Every contribution makes small but important difference, and, while I’m sure the images may be moderated, there won’t be one winner or, more importantly, any losers.

According to Reuters, a deal has been struck between Google and Japanese wireless carrier DoCoMo which should see Google’s Linux-based mobile OS “Android” rolled out on DoCoMo phones.

DoCoMo are founding members of the Open Handset Alliance along with other members Motorola, LG and Samsung but this deal marks the first major take-up of Android. It still  faces some big competiton in the Japanese marketplace but with support for DoCoMo’s innovative mobile Internet service, I-mode, and the  5o million customers subscribed to it they’ll be in with fighting chance.With mobile advertising tipped as a big growth area this year (and every other yea r since 2000!) and Google holding the lion’s share of online advertising, the future of Android is looking increasingly viable.

The Android powered DoCoMo phones are *rumoured* for release later this year and expected to feature maps, YouTube, Gmail and a revenue split for Google advertising between the companies.

QR codes allow people to “scan” an special image with their phone and get a link to a site, some text, contact details or potentially any small amount of info, instantly. While it’s been available in the UK since late 2007, only a handful of mobile phones currently provide support for it, but it’s growing.

Late 2007 in Shoreditch, London, the DVD release of “28 Weeks Later” was promoted with a giant poster with nothing but a QR code but it is still not as widely used as you’d expect. While high-end phones such as the Nokia N95 come equipped with QR readers, and QR code-reading software is available to install on camera phones which do not have a reader already installed, few people are going to go to those lengths unless they have to.

As a result, the effective use of QR codes for marketing purposes in the UK has, so far, been an elusive goal with varying levels support and extremely low public awareness. But this could be about to change since The Sun newspaper, ran a “page 3″ feature on it in December 2007. Already “big in Japan”, hopefully this spells the beginning of a UK public awareness which will open the way more useful applications of the Quick Response codes from business cards to e-commerce to augmented reality gaming.

If you are the proud owner of a Nokia n95 or another QR Code enabled device, and fancy having a play, why not try and create your own QR codes.