The Brief

Korea’s no.1 discount retailer, emart, has begun a new mobile business. How can an ordinary retailer go mobile? We’ve raised the bar and raised expectations by bringing the next generation of mobile. Customers get excited when they get ‘hot deal’ items and special discounts. So we’ve made it fun and easy to find sales and deals within a huge retail setting. We’ve come up with emart Sale Navigation! A mobile navigation that tells you where you are and where you want to go to find the best deals. emart Sale Navigation utilizes the world’s first LED light activated mobile technology.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

emart SALE NAVIGATION, We’ve made it fast and easy for customers to find the current sales, hot deals and coupon offers through their smartphone. This innovative technology is the first in world to utilize the lights in the store as sensors that send information to the smartphone in real-time. This technology is called VLC (Visible Light Communication) Unlike the commonly known Wi-Fi or GPS methods for navigation, we use VLC as the essential foundation for our indoor-navigation. VLC provides high accuracy locators of close distances within 2 meters, followed by the appropriate coupon pop-up at just the right time.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

Not only the media but the digital technology and marketing academic communities such as TTA(Telecommunications Technology Association) in KOREA have also applauded this innovative effort. emart’s Sale Navigation is just the beginning and we expect this to spread beyond emart. Through this lighting technology, consumers can receive information and updates instantly, anywhere there is light. Thus, Street lampposts, electronic signs, automobile headlights and anything else that utilizes LED lighting can be used as an innovative marketing tool. The environmental friendliness of LED lighting also supports Green efforts and can be significant towards a company’s CSR efforts.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Strategy for the client : emart, Korea’s no.1 discount retailer has created a unique and never-before-seen mobile service. emart’s customers can have a unique shopping experience using their smartphone. emart is changing the way shopping has looked and raising the bar. Insight for the consumer : Customers get excited when they get ‘hot deal’ items and special discounts. So we’ve made it fun and easy to find sales and deals within a huge retail setting.