There’s a certain someone buzzing around everyone’s radars these days. She’s a bit of an enigma. Everyone knows who she is – in fact, millions of people talk to her daily – but no one could tell you what she looks like. You might have encountered her already, even though she only just made her debut on Earth two weeks ago. Who – or what – might this elusive thing be?

Siri.

Siri is the new personal assistant application for Apple’s iOS. Originally available for purchase in the AppStore, Siri was bought out by Apple and is now available only on the much-hyped iPhone 4S. The app uses language processing to find you coffee, put a reminder in your calendar, tell you the weather, and perform other simple actions based on voice activation. While its functionality may seem too good to be true, Apple’s recent TV spot for Siri speaks for itself.

Off the top of one’s head, it’s easy to think of the benefits of using Siri – convenience and access to a wealth of information, to name a few. Siri is a game-changer, and has the potential to be the calculator of the digital age.

But how can Siri be leveraged to promote one’s brand? The obvious answer is something like search engine optimization, which becomes key when plugging into Siri’s extensive search capabilities.

The not-so-obvious answer is to fit your brand in an organic way with the application’s natural functioning. For example, it may be possible in the near future to make an entire product catalogue available at Siri’s disposal. Or to train the app to answer consumer interest questions related to a specific brand.

All of these opportunities can help enhance a brand’s equity – but let’s take it one step further. Meet Beeri, a Rube Goldberg machine of sorts that’s already been created by some invent-repreneurs south of the border. They’ve come up with a way to have Siri pour a beer through a series of simple steps. While it might seem a bit of a stretch, this could prove to be a mere glimpse into the possibilities that Siri and its successors could represent. Watch the video to see for yourself.

Food for Thought: How can we integrate Siri with our products as a means of expanding their usage in consumers’ day-to-day lives? Are there other applications out there that can be leveraged in similar ways? If so, how can these be used to improve brand image and produce quantifiable results?

Over the past decade, digital has played an increasingly significant role in the overall marketing mix.  Smart brands have embraced this new communication medium as part of their plan, revealing unique new ways of interacting and engaging with consumers.

Then along came the smartphone revolution. Mass adoption of these devices has allowed marketers to stay connected with consumers virtually 24 hours per day. In transit, at the office, during dinner, even while sleeping, smartphones are rarely more than arms reach away. While still in its infancy, mobile advertising and promotional spending in the US is expected to increase six fold over the next five years, from $9.3 billion in 2010, to $56.5 billion in 2015. And globally, location based marketing is anticipated to grow from $2.8 billion in 2010, to over $10.3 billion by 2015. Have a look at the following companies that have found innovative ways of mobile marketing.

Metropoli (or Foursquaropoly) has taken the geosocial marketing platform, Foursquare, and turned it into a city scaled version of the popular board game Monopoly. Users are able to buy and sell buildings in their city, collect rent from check-ins, and grow their wealth with the ultimate goal of acquiring the most sought after properties in their city. There exists endless opportunities for brands to stake their presence and enhance user experiences. Think of retailers like Nike, Lululemon, Booster Juice, and the different ways they might entice consumers into store, and reward them for their loyalty.

Kiip is a marketing solution for mobile gaming.  It pushes rewards to gamers that complete levels, unlock challenges, and beat their opponents. The millions of people that play games like Angry Birds, Solitaire, and Cut Rope, can now be rewarded with real life prizes.  With rewards like food & drink, event tickets, and swag, consumers are finally being rewarded for time spent playing games. Think of how much time is spent gaming while commuting to work, waiting in line, and sitting in class.  Now think of your brand rewarding people for their hard work and dedication.  In the effort to build brand loyalty, it’s hard to beat free rewards.

Groupon Now! puts the consumer in control. No longer do you have to wait for daily emails.  No more skimming through dozens of offers that don’t interest you. Through their website and mobile app, users can define geographical area, type of deal (food, entertainment, activity, etc.), and choose the time of day they wish to redeem.  You’re instantly provided with a list of local deals that can be redeemed within 24 hours.  Heading out for dinner with friends?  Check Groupon Now! to find restaurants currently offering 50% off food and drink!

Food for Thought: The proliferation of smartphones has delivered to marketers yet another new and exciting gateway for consumer interaction.  How can we best utilize this tool for meaningful engagement while delivering greater value to our brands?