This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.
1. THE BEGINNING
This innovation came to life when…
I was reading the Age newspaper one day at work and also saw a QR code in some advertising and thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to link that article I was reading to some more information or be able to download it to my phone?”
About 30 minutes later, it just came to me; why not make the QR code into a font? A font seemed like the perfect solution to the problem so I jotted it down and filed it away with my other ideas and that is where it stayed for a while.
2. WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
Simply link print to digital content with the use of a font based code.
It does this by…
Generating a code on our website that can then be copied and pasted into any publication once the publisher has downloaded the Shomi Font to their computer.
Once the code has been placed into the publication their end user simply downloads the free Shomi app, opens the app and holds it over the code and the displays the linked content.
3. PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
It can be used in places that no other code can fit, provides a consistent experience for the end user, we provide a platform for real user engagement and as we have full control over the platform we can innovate where QR codes cannot.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
Data insights into reader habits that have not been collected in the past, greater exposure to advertising through multiple platforms and for the end user being able to quickly and easily get access to topics of interest and share.
4. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
QR codes and typed URLS have been the main means of publishers directing their readers to their online content.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
QR codes, typed URL’s, OCR readers and to a limited extent, image recognition technologies or augmented reality but none of these come close the ease of use or versatility of Shomi.
5. TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
Publishers initially but the wider applications go far beyond publishing. We can see it used in signage, marketing, business cards, ticketing, or anywhere a link is needed between the physical and digital worlds.
We also see a new market with the introduction of wearable technology like Google Glass, so any device that has an internet connection and a camera could be used to scan a Shomi Code.
It is available for sale through…
Our website and the Shomi app is free to download through the App Store. Currently we only have the iOS version of the app available but the Android version will follow shortly after we get some more user data.
Our marketing strategy is to…
To approach smaller independent publishers with online content to link to.
We are currently running a test partners program were any publisher that agrees to come onboard as an early adopter will get access to all our products before they are released and free use of our product packages once they are launched.
Your Turn — VOTE!
The Readers’ Choice Index was created to provide an opportunity for Anthill readers to vote on SMART 100 applications, in one of three ways:
- Tweet it: Top left of each page (3 points)
- Trigger a Reaction: Facebook ‘Like’, etc (2 points)
- Leave a Comment: Anonymous comments excluded (1 points)
We’ll use your vote to create the 2014 SMART 100 Readers’ Choice Index.
FINE PRINT
This SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity.
