As part of a stealth push begun earlier this year nationwide, lingerie giant Victoria?s Secret is now running a mobile campaign to drive traffic to a new store opening this week in Chicago.

The mobile components comprise SMS and Bluetooth to direct foot traffic to the new Victoria?s Secret store opening Thursday, Oct. 22 on Chicago?s prestigious Michigan Avenue between Chicago and Superior streets.

Outdoor media including posters and billboards have different messages to encourage passersby to opt in to receive news, information and alerts as well as coupons for Victoria?s Secret merchandise.
Victoria?s Secret is the nation?s leading maker and retailer of lingerie, melding technology, models and media to generate interest in its merchandise, store openings and events.

Chicago bares
This particular effort for Chicago includes outdoor, online and mobile media.

For example, one 48-inches-by-70-inches poster shows a statuesque Victoria?s Secret model wearing nothing but black lingerie and a come-hither look. The headline reads, ?Victoria?s Secret Michigan Avenue between Chicago & Superior.? A line below says, ?Now open.?

Copy on that outdoor ad reads, ?Go to VSChicago.com to vote for Chicago?s sexiest people and places (and get a free panty when you buy a bra).?

The line below has the mobile callout: ?Text CHICAGO to ANGEL (26435) for exclusive mobile offers and alerts.?

Texting that common short code returns this message: ?UR signed up 4 Victoria?s Secret alerts! Look 4 offers & new product info. Up to 8 msg/mth. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for Help. Msg&Data rates may apply?.

These text messages will comprise alerts as well as special offers and coupons for consumers to redeem online or in-store.

Another poster of the same size and with the identical image and headline has copy that reads, ?Activate Bluetooth outside our new Michigan Avenue store for free downloads and offers.?

Once consumers accept a Bluetooth invitation, they will get a jpeg visual coupon which they can show in the store and get access to a promotion. Plans may also call for a video.

The BlueZone is powered by 5th Finger, the San Francisco-based mobile marketing firm that is handling the Victoria?s Secret ongoing mobile programs nationwide as well as this new Chicago push.

In addition, the retailer is running another outdoor ad pushing Bluetooth downloads, this one with a sultry model in only lace panties. The headline reads, ?Angel zone ahead. Activate Bluetooth for free downloads and offers.?

The Bluetooth effort is new for Victoria?s Secret.

The text and Bluetooth effort are part of a national loyalty program run by Victoria?s Secret to build its opted-in mobile database.

Not winging it
Indeed, the retailer is fast becoming adept at using other media to drive traffic to mobile and vice versa.

Visitors to the site at http://www.vschicago.com will see a video of Victoria?s Secret models sashaying down the ramp during a fashion show. Once the brief clip is over, the page settles to a shot of a model next to a calendar countdown.

The site?s homepage is headlined, ?The wings have landed on Michigan Avenue.? Copy reads, ?Take your pic in front of the wings and text or email to .?

Next to that copy is a link to a legal page and also a box to upload pictures taken preferably with the mobile phone to the site.

Below that copy is an image of the store on 734 North Michigan Avenue. Clicking on the link takes consumers to another page with a larger graphic of the store as it would look. Copy touts the glamour and luxury on Chicago?s Magnificent Mile as well as the concierge, VIP fitting rooms, personal shopping and courier services.

A section on the same site allows visitors to sign up for email and mobile alerts. The SMS alerts require consumers to enter their first and last names and mobile number and check a box to signify opt in. The obligatory disclaimer with STOP for SMS opt out is mentioned.

Victoria?s Secret is also encouraging mobile signups through emails sent to its opted-in database of customers and prospects.

Angels sited
The latest campaign comes five months after Victoria?s Secret launched a dedicated mobile Web site, with concurrent plans to target its mobile database of opted-in consumers with exclusive offers, event coverage and new product information.

Consumers can sign up for alerts on the mobile site at http://mobile.victoriassecret.com or text the keyword START to the short code 26435 (ANGEL).

All text message communication with consumers will include a link to the mobile site to drive consumers there.

The Victoria's Secret mobile site features different categories and shopping bags.

Gift cards can be bought right from the mobile site. Consumers can also locate and map the closest Victoria?s Secret store to them.

Usablenet, New York, handles the mobile site.

What?s most impressive about the site is that women can actually browse and then buy products right from their mobile phones, with the same secure settings that the retailer?s Web site provides.

Of course, it helps to retain some of the same sass that is seen at Victoria?s Secret fashion shows. For example, the main menu on the mobile site offers visitors a list of the ?Most Wanted Bras.?