Tag: conversational ui

Amazon Launches Alexa In U.K. & Germany, Starts Sharing Limited Alexa User Data

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Amazon’s virtual assistant Alexa is going to Europe as the ecommerce giant announced the launch of Alexa Voice Service (AVS), which was launched in the U.S. in June 2015 and allows device manufacturers to install Alexa inside their products, in the U.K. and Germany. With this international expansion, Alexa now also understands German and British English, making it possible for Amazon to reach more users in foreign markets.

In related news, Amazon has also started sharing some high-level Alexa data with third-party developers, digital consultancies, and analytics startups as it continues to woo developers to develop more Alexa skills. Developers and brands now can track usage patterns such as the number of unique customers accessing the skills or the total number of “utterances” related to their skills, to help them gauge user intent and track skill performance.

What Brands Need To Do
Expanding Alexa into global markets offers internationally-minded brands a new channel to leverage conversational experience to reach foreign markets at scale. Although Amazon is still very tight-lipped about the user data that Alexa collects, the high-level information it now opts to share is a welcome start. Alexa dominated CES this year, and according to a report from analytics firm VoiceLabs, about 33 million voice-first devices will be in circulation by the end of 2017. Therefore, It is up to brands to start working with developers to figure out their brand voice and incorporate conversational tools into their marketing efforts.

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building Alexa Skills and chatbots to reach consumers on conversational interfaces. So much so that we’ve built a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue. The “Miller Time” Alexa Skill we developed with Drizly for Miller Lite is a good example of how Dialogue can help brands build a conversational customer experience, supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data.

If you’d like to learn more about how to effectively reach consumers on conversational interfaces, or to leverage the Lab’s expertise to take on related client opportunities within the IPG Mediabrands, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: TechCrunch & AdAge

PayPal Debuts Slack Bot For Convenient P2P Payments

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
PayPal ventures deeper into the world of conversational services by launching its first branded bot on team communication platform Slack. Designed to facilitate easy peer-to-peer payments among coworkers and friends, the PayPal bot let Slack users send and receive up to $10,000 with one simple message of the shortcode “/paypal” and a Slack user handle. The bot is now available to Slack users in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K.

Although this is its first entry into branded chatbot, PayPal is no stranger to conversational platforms. Last October, PayPal joined Facebook Messenger’s beta program to allow bots to accept payments via its service. A month later, it integrated with Siri to let iOS users send and receive p2p payments via voice command.

What Brands Need To Do
Slack currently enjoys five million daily active users and 1.5 million paying subscribers. While that pales in comparison to Messenger’s one billion monthly active users, Slack’s unique positioning as a popular workplace chat app gives it an edge to help brands reach a certain upscale, professional demographic at work. Thanks to semi-open productivity tools like Slack, the workplace is becoming newly accessible to brands. While it’s an obvious place for B2B brands to explore, it may also make sense for some consumer-facing brands to reach their target audience in a work context.

How We Can Help
Based on our extensive experience in building branded chatbots to reach consumers, the Lab has developed a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue. The NiroBot we built in collaboration with Ansible for Kia is a good example of how Dialogue can help brands build a chatbot experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data. If you’re interested in learning more about this or have a client opportunity, please reach out to our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

 

Source: VentureBeat

Domino’s Adds Full Menu And Customizable Orders To Messenger Bot

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Gearing up for the upcoming Super Bowl Sunday, the busiest day of the year for pizza deliveries, Domino’s Pizza has updated its Facebook Messenger chatbot to add more ordering options. The Dom pizza bot was launched in August last year and only supported reordering the default order saved on a Domino’s customer account. Now with this update, Messenger users can chat with the bot to put together a customized order from a full menu without a Domino’s account. One caveat remains, however, that all orders made from the bot will have to be paid with cash, as Domino’s opted not to integrate the bot with Messenger’s existing payment system.

What Brands Need To Do
Domino’s latest move in improving its chatbot reaffirms its commitment to developing chat-based ordering tools to better serve mobile customers. The pizza chain also launched an Alexa skill last year to allow customer to place order via voice. It also shows how brands may consider a tiered release strategy when it comes to creating branded chatbots. After all, no bots are totally perfect at launch, and it is crucial that brands continue to put resources and efforts into maintaining and improving the bot based on customer feedback long after the initial launch.

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building branded chatbots to reach consumers on messaging apps. So much so that we’ve built a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue. The NiroBot we built in collaboration with Ansible for Kia is a good example of how Dialogue can help brands build a chatbot experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data.

If you’d like to learn more about how to effectively reach consumers on messaging apps and other conversational interfaces, or to leverage the Lab’s expertise to take on related clients and learning opportunities within the IPG Mediabrands, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: VentureBeat

 

Kia To Launch Super Bowl Spot Via Messenger Chatbot

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Kia announced Monday that it will release its Super Bowl spot via NiroBot, the Facebook Messenger chatbot that the Lab created in collaboration with Ansible, as the auto brand looks to bolster the technologically advanced image of its new Niro crossover. Starting this Wednesday, Messenger users will be able to ask NiroBot to play Kia’s Super Bowl spot for Niro crossover starring Melissa McCarthy ahead of the game day.

What Brands Need To Do
Designed as a customer engagement tool, the NiroBot packs some great customer service functions including a guided vehicle discovery, comprehensive technical knowledge, and test-drive scheduling. Choosing the NiroBot as the place to launch its anticipated Super Bowl spot is a good way for Kia to draw attention to this new chatbot and send more customers on the discovery journey to learn more about its Niro model.

Facebook Messenger is used by more than one billion consumers worldwide monthly, and study has shown that more and more customers are opting to communicate with brands on social and chat apps. For brands looking to connect with customers on those messaging platforms, a well-designed chatbot is an effective tool that brands should consider for handling basic customer service and boosting engagement.

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building branded chatbots to reach consumers on conversational interfaces. We’ve built a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue, which aims to help brands build a chatbot experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data.

If you’d like to learn more about how to effectively reach consumers on messaging apps and other conversational interfaces, or to leverage the Lab’s expertise to take on related clients and learning opportunities within the IPG Mediabrands, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: AdAge

Header image courtesy of Kia’s YouTube

Alexa Can Now Take Your Starbucks Orders

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Starbucks has updated its mobile app to bring new voice-ordering features to its iOS app. Dubbed “My Starbucks Barista,” the new feature that will let customers order drinks with voice commands by speaking to a virtual AI barista. If they prefer, customers can also opt to put in their orders via texts. Moreover, Starbucks also launched this voice-ordering function as an Alexa Skill so that Amazon Echo owners can conveniently reorder their pre-set Frappuccinos simply by saying “Alexa, order my Starbucks.”

What Brands Need To Do
As an early-adopter of mobile ordering and payment technology, Starbucks have been quite advanced in embracing new mobile channels. In fact, the massive popularity of its mobile ordering feature has reportedly resulted in its baristas are having trouble keeping up with the huge amount of mobile orders during rush hours. And with the recent rise of voice-activated devices led by Amazon’s smart speaker Echo, it makes sense for Starbucks to embrace conversational interfaces so as to enhance its customer experience.

As tech giants such as Google and Amazon continue to make strong pushes for their conversational products, more and more mainstream consumers will soon become reachable via those emerging voice-based devices. Therefore, brands will need to explore opportunities in building advanced applications for these emerging platforms with highly engaging user experiences and conversational interactions.

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building branded chatbots to reach consumers on conversational interfaces. So much so that we’ve built a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue. The NiroBot we built in collaboration with Ansible for Kia is a good example of how Dialogue can help brands build a chatbot experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data. If you’re interested in learning more about this or have a client opportunity, please reach out to our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: Engadget

Fox Teams Up With Amazon To Promote “24” Reboot Via Echo

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Fox network has struck a deal with Amazon to promote the premiere of the franchise’s “24: Legacy” reboot, which will air immediately after Sunday’s Super Bowl game. As part of the promotion, Echo users can set their alarm sound to the trademark “24” ticking-clock sound effect starting this Monday. This is the first time Amazon has created a branded built-in function for the Echo devices. The Alexa alarm tie-in will also be featured on Amazon’s homepage as a top carousel ad this Sunday.

Moreover, starting Wednesday, March 1, Fox and Amazon will launch the “24: Legacy Daily Mission,” a mini-game that challenges Echo users with a 24-second-long challenge every day. Users will be quizzed with themed questioned or asked to perform quick exercise routines such as jumping jacks or push-ups by Alexa.

What Brands Need To Do
This is the latest example of brands exploring Amazon Echo speakers as a potential marketing channel, as well as a good example of how an entertainment brand can leverage Echo devices to reach customers in their living rooms. Last week, Sony Pictures created a cross-platform chatbot based on a character from its “ Resident Evil” franchise to promote its upcoming flick. While the “Daily Challenge” mini-game may seem trivial, it offers a good sticking point that will keep reminding viewers of the show and hopefully help with audience retention.

As a first attempt, Fox sets a clear path for other brands at employing Echo devices, Alexa, and Amazon’s online properties as part of an integrated marketing campaign. As more and more customers start to embrace conversational devices such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, their development as emerging marketing channels is something that all brands need to pay heed to.\

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building branded chatbots to reach consumers on conversational interfaces, including the NiroBot we built in collaboration with Ansible for Kia. We’ve built a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue, which aims to help brands build a chatbot experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data.

If you’d like to learn more about how to effectively reach consumers on messaging apps and other conversational interfaces, or to leverage the Lab’s expertise to take on related clients and learning opportunities within the IPG Mediabrands, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: Variety

Facebook Starts Testing Display Ads In Messenger

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Ads are coming soon to Facebook Messenger as the social network announced its plan to start testing display ads in its chat app, which now counts over one billion monthly active users, in Thailand and Australia in the coming weeks. The ads will be in a scrollable Carousel format and will be limited to just the Messenger home screen, meaning that they won’t be infiltrating your conversations for now.

What Brands Need To Do
Given the global reach of Messenger, it makes perfect sense for Facebook to start monetizing the massive amount of consumer attention it has congregated on the chat app. It is, however, unclear how long it would take before such ad products will be made available to U.S. brands. In the meantime, brands looking to capture customer attention on chat apps should consider building a branded chatbot to engage with mobile users and drive conversations.

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building branded chatbots to reach consumers on messaging apps. So much so that we’ve built a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue. The NiroBot we built in collaboration with Ansible for Kia is a good example of how Dialogue can help brands build a chatbot experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data.

If you’d like to learn more about how to effectively reach consumers on messaging apps and other conversational interfaces, or to leverage the Lab’s expertise to take on related clients and learning opportunities within the IPG Mediabrands, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: VentureBeat

 

Google Assistant Adds Support For WeMo And Honeywell Devices

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Google Assistant continues to play catch-up with Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service as it adds support for two prominent brands in smart home gadgets, Belkin’s Wemo and Honeywell. At this year’s CES, where Alexa basically dominated the show floor, Google Assistant also unveiled several upcoming brand integrations, including one with new Mercedes-Benz models as well as NVIDIA’s new connected home product line. Most recently, the search giant partnered with HBO to promote its hit show Westworld with a bot named Aeden that is programmed to answer some show-related questions.

What Brands Need To Do
As Google continues to add integrations for Google Assistant in order to compete with Alexa, voice-activated assistant services are quickly becoming more component. And if what we saw at CES earlier this month is any indication, they are set to take over the home space and bring AI-powered interfaces to mainstream consumers soon. Resultantly, it is becoming more evident than ever that voice-based brand-customer interaction is something that brands have to explore and master if they wish to establish a new touchpoint in consumers’ living rooms.

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building chatbots and Alexa Skills to reach consumers on conversational interfaces, which we’ve leveraged to develop a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue. The NiroBot we built in collaboration with Ansible for Kia is a good example of how Dialogue can help brands build a conversational customer experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data.

If you’d like to learn more about how to effectively reach consumers on conversational interfaces, or to leverage the Lab’s expertise to take on related client opportunities within the IPG Mediabrands, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: VentureBeat

Sony Pictures Launches AI-Powered Chatbot To Promote Resident Evil Movie

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Sony Pictures has created an AI version of the Red Queen character from its film Resident Evil: The Final Chapter to promote its impending theatrical release. Partnering with artificial intelligence agency IV.AI, the companies created a chatbot across messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and Telegram and social media in multiple languages to engage with fans to build up buzz. This is not the first time sony has created a chatbot to promote one of its movies. Previously, it worked with our sibling agency UM to create a Facebook chatbot to promote the Goosebumps movie.

What Brands Need To Do
Sony’s latest chatbot effort offers another example of an entertainment brand seeking engagement with their prospective audience with a chatbot, following the Kik chatbot that Paramount created to promote the Teenage Ninja Turtle movie. As consumers continue to embrace messaging apps and chatbot services, brands need to consider developing useful bots to reach customers on the popular messaging apps they’re already using.

How We Can Help
The Lab has extensive experience in building branded chatbots to reach consumers on conversational interfaces. So much so that we’ve built a dedicated conversational practice called Dialogue. The NiroBot we built in collaboration with Ansible for Kia is a good example of how Dialogue can help brands build a chatbot experience supercharged by our stack of technology partners with best-in-class solutions and an insights engine that extracts business intelligence from conversational data.

If you’d like to learn more about how to effectively reach consumers on messaging apps and other conversational interfaces, or to leverage the Lab’s expertise to take on related clients and learning opportunities within the IPG Mediabrands, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: Marketing Dive

Google Assistant May Soon Handle Your Payments

Posted on by Lab Team

What Happened
Google is reportedly readying its voice-activated Assistant to store your credit card information and handle payment, opening up Google Assistant to a variety of ecommerce opportunities. In the latest update to the Google app, the company included a string of code that paves the way for payment integration. In comparison, Amazon’s Alexa can handle online purchases from the start as it is linked to user’s Amazon account and can access stored payment information.

What Brands Need To Do
As Google Assistant play catch up with Alexa in terms of functionality, Amazon still handily leads the voice assistant market, with an estimated 9 million Echo devices sold worldwide over this holiday season, bringing the total number of Echo devices in market to about 14 million. A new survey reports that 32% of Echo owners used Alexa to make purchases on Amazon. For brands, the popularization of digital assistant devices like Echo or Google Home opens up a new channel to reach customers in their living rooms via voice.

The Lab has extensive experience with building Alexa skills and helping brands navigate the new realities that conversational interfaces are set to bring. If you’re interested in learning more about our take on this topic, please contact our Client Services Director Samantha Holland ([email protected]) to schedule a visit to the Lab.

 

Source: 9to5Google