Chicken and Text Short Codes

...Have nothing to do with each other.

Unless KFC starts using text short codes on the side of a 20-piece bucket to promote a contest.

For those of you that don't have a clue what I'm talking about then read on.

The Skinney: My Adverstising class chose this topic based on the fact that short codes are everywhere right now and it is a growing product in the mobile electronics industry. Text short codes affect every one who owns a cell phone device. It doesn't matter what country or region you're in, text short codes are rampant everywhere and could easily end up on your next cell phone bill.

Text short codes are text messages that come into your cell phone inbox because you have recently participated in a contest or signed up for those personality quizzes you see online using your mobile device.

Our group conducted primary research by interviewing Marc Choma, Director of Communications at Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA); an association that regulates text short codes in Canada. In addition to this, we subscribed to actual text short code services currently being offered in the market as promotions. After this, we conducted a survey to the target market (13-15yr olds) to confirm our findings.

Secondary research included finding other examples of text short code "scams" and examples of advertisements that purposely mislead consumers from the fine print.

Well, if you haven't figure it out, there is a charge for using this service and you won't see the charges until your monthly cell phone bill is printed and sent to you in the mail. If that is the case, unsubscribing is as easy as how you participated in the first place.

How to Opt Out: All you need to do is get the 5-digit short code number from your inbox (this is the number that appears in the "From" section of the text message) and reply the word STOP (just type in S-T-O-P without any punctuations or anything else) and you will be automatically unsubscribed. If you did it correctly, a final text message will be sent to your inbox confirming you successfully opted out of the service.






At this point, rejoice. The hard part is done. Now, all you have to do is pay your cell phone bill. If you think you're a good (and loyal) customer with your cell phone service provider, then go ahead and call them and explain the situation to them. Most of the time, they will give you some money back especially if it is your first offense. Remember, it is not your cell phone provider's fault this happened. They did not sign you up nor give out your cell number out. Only you can stop this and must be done from the cell phone.

Avoid! What everyone needs to take away from this is BE AWARE of what you're doing or signing up for when it comes to your cell phone number. Remember, your cell phone number is still private and personal so you shouldn't easily share it. You have the right as a consumer to ask or question the purpose of a retail cashier for asking your information. Some stores just use your cell phone number to identify you as a customer and pull up your account based on that number. My opinion is only give out your cell number to friends and family and for everything else: give out your landline number. If your cell phone is your primary number then you would just have to be careful who you give it to. Worst case scenario, you can see your service provider for a number change. There might be a fee to change your number but will be money well spent in the end. Of course you will have to contact all the peeps in your address book but that's kinda the point of the exercise... only contact the people you want to give your new number to.

To summarize: Stay away from text short codes and any promotion that require you giving out your cell phone number or having to text in an answer using sms (short message service). So again, short codes = bad. Chicken = good.