SonyBMG Aligns with Real Content Group to Bring Exciting Technology to Indie Retailers

One of the highlights of the Urban Network Summit last spring took place during the New Media Panel Session where Digital Media Entrepreneur John Huffman premiered a ground-breaking piece of technology called the bCODE—a device certain to revolutionize the music retail experience and much more.

The bCODE is a distribution, mobile ticketing and coupon technology platform that allows consumers to get digital content including music, videos, wallpapers, concert tickets and lifestyle specific coupons via simple text message, thus driving additional traffic back to brick and mortar stores while providing customer purchase habit information to the retailers, content owners and advertisers. It works on 99% of all cell phones. It is fast, safe, easy to use and from what we saw at Urban Network, very exciting!
Real-bCODE is a joint venture between Los Angeles based Real Content Group and Australian based bCODE. The company has pioneered the patented technology and has established a business model to merge digital distribution with independent retail. Now coupons and digital content can be bundled with brands, advertising partners and a network of community based lifestyle locations. “Our focus is to bring to market a mobile content and lifestyle based subscription service that is attractive to cell phone subscribers, brick and mortar retailers and advertisers,” says Huffman.

Because of his proven digital media track record that includes building one of the broadest online and mobile distribution and business development networks for independent content owners, and technologies like bCODE, Huffman is on the radar of the major music and media groups. His company, Real Content Group, most recently secured SonyBMG as an advertiser and content partner to introduce bCODE to the independent retail community.

The initial bCODE campaign grants customers, via their mobile device, a $2 coupon toward the purchase of a physical CD at a bCODE enabled retail location. “We are starting with the coupon toward the purchase of a physical CD but our vision includes supporting independent retail by working with bCODE to deliver digital content, local concert tickets and even a subscription service,” says Anthony Ellis V.P. Urban Marketing, Sony BMG. Sony BMG will market the campaign on billboards, vinyl banners and fliers designed to drive customers into the stores.

The campaign will launch in three pilot markets; Los Angeles being one of them. Among the Southern California independent stores participating are VIP Music, VIP Records, Vision Records, Bombass Music, and Midnight Records.

Boost Mobile, a company at the forefront of delivering music and youth-based content, is the wireless mobile partner, delivering content via cell phones.

The brain children of this patented technology and business model:
Michael Mak & John Huffman

bCODE RETAILERS
“Retailer 1
VIP Music
1606 W. Rosecrans Ave.
Compton, CA 90222
1 (310) 537-0678

Retailer 2
Vision Records
4323 Crenshaw Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90008
1 (323) 291-8457

Retailer 3
Midnight Records
2867 Robertson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
1 (310) 839-9455