A Wider Net

At the Mobile Internet World show today, I saw a company that made a really cool electronic coupon device. Ecrio is offering Mobeam, a keychain device that connects to your computer and downloads all the virtual coupons you can eat. You take it to the store and point it at the cash register barcode scanner and press a button to beam all your coupons into the register. Whatever coupons are “valid” (you bought the item(s)) will ring up on the register. Cool. Much better than clipping and sorting, saving and lugging.

I’m still trying to come up with a way to use this technology at a trade show or museum exhibit. And I’m also wonder what they were doing at a mobile internet show. Regardless, it was a claim on their brochure that made me write this post:

“…a Chance to go ‘Green’”
“Approximately 340 billion coupons were distributed in the US in 2006- most via free-standing inserts in daily newspapers. That translates to about 2.5 million trees - including the ~40% use of recycled paper in newsprint! Since MoBeam coupons are distributed digitally - and redeemed digitally as well - coupon providers can save money and the environment at the same time.”

Notice how they didn’t mention what those little metal, plastic, and battery-filled devices will do on our landfills (sit there for a gazillion years and poison our groundwater). This is a great device and if they get it off the ground, I’m in for two. But when it comes to marketing copy, I’m a big fan of green marketing only where the “green” is real.