Thanks to reader Paul who came across this one and who advises he’s had a good amount of success with a similar concept based around McDonalds (in the UK), rather than Taco Bell. It is fascinating to consider the potential and possibilities of text messaging. I think if, all of a sudden, the industry converted 160 character text messaging into real time presence based instant messaging along the lines of MSN, a great deal of the power of the medium would be lost immediately.
The enforced nature of the 160 character limit — although for many, it’s not not technically a limit any more with multi-text messages — is what has made the medium so popular with many. The brevity is key and the mobile nature. The Taco Bell Routine described below wouldn’t work too well, I don’t think, on instant messaging, which is far too personal and open-ended.
Link: The Pickup Daily » Blog Archive » Flirting with Text (SMS) Messages: The Taco Bell Routine