2D Codes: Engage on-the-go
- Jul 16th, 2010
- Posted by Isabella
- Posted in Billboards, Mobile, QR Codes, Social Media
his week, Calvin Klein is giving billboards a makeover. No longer just static forms of advertisement, the billboards are employing QR to engage with Smartphone users on location by urging them to “Get It Uncensored.” Smartphone users (who have the appropriate scanning software) can take a photo of the billboard, which pulls up a 40-second commercial featuring several Calvin Klein models. Then, in traditional social media fashion (no pun intended), viewers can share the code on Facebook and Twitter. The use of the QR code as the billboard image is definitely attention-grabbing and more engaging than traditional billboards. However, the use of the QR code is also risky because it is essentially a form of opt-in advertising; if you don’t scan the image, you won’t be receiving the full message. The audience is also limited to the smartphone users with scanning capabilities. This means that Calvin Klein is relying on three things:
- Smartphone users will be curious enough to snap a photo of the billboards.
- The users will share the 40-second commercial on their social networks.
- Media buzz surrounding the innovativeness of the campaign will bring attention to the brand.
As more and more people are becoming smartphone users, QR codes will likely add an important, interactive layer to traditional advertising. The Calvin Klein advertisement has already gained significant buzz on Twitter (mostly tweets that link to articles about the new strategy rather than the commercials themselves). Either way, the ad got people talking.
The fashion world is not alone in its experimentation with QR technology. The City of New York is now putting QR codes on the sides of 2,200 New York City Department of Sanitation trucks. Residents use their smartphones to pull up instructional videos on how to recycle. For the city, putting QR codes on trucks is more economical than placing an advertisement on a billboard. While scanning how-to-recycle QR codes may not be as compelling as scanning Calvin Klein QR codes, the New York City initiative demonstrates the increasingly important role of mobile in creating engaging and cost effective advertisements.
For those who are without Smartphone, similar forms of interactive advertising are gaining popularity as well. Jagtag is combining traditional print media with digital media by allowing users to MMS photos of 2D barcodes in print advertisements to instantly receive digital
content from a brand (such as tips, coupons, and branded entertainment). Tops brand have already begun incorporating these barcodes into print advertisements. Dunkin’ Donuts displayed a barcode on its subway print advertisement; passengers who took a photo of the “JAGTAG” and sent it to the MMS number received a coupon back to their phone. This is one of the most notable and thoughtfully calculated uses of the JAGTAG technology because Dunkin’ Donuts is capturing their audience at such a receptive time (during their commute) and thereby increasing the chance that the audience will engage with the ad.
Mobile is becoming an increasingly important venue as marketers search for new ways to engage and interactive with audiences who have increased capabilities to connect on various platforms. The use of QR codes and barcodes is just one way in which marketing is going mobile. Will you opt-in?
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5 comments
Great post! I also remember seeing a movie poster with just a bar code on it a while back. I knew that my phone could take a picture of it but I wasn’t sure how to process it. I think this lack of knowledge of laypeople like myself can be detrimental to these barcode campaigns. But once people are more familiar with these barcodes, I bet that they will start popping up everywhere.
Great post….thanks for the shout out.
JC
Haven’t seen the DD code advertisement yet. I will see what I can find. Nice layout for the story btw!
Patrick Donnelly
QrArts.com
@ Josh – You could have made your circles donuts ! lol
[...] tuned for updates as I experiment and report on the ease-of-use and success of this giveaway). Calvin Klein also ran a mobile campaign on a smaller scale with the installation of a large QR code on an NYC [...]