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The Quick and Dirty About QR Codes

April 13, 2010 in Mobile by Lauren McCabe | No comments

Best Buy QR CodesIf you’re an avid reader of Chicago’s Red Eye, then you’ve probably spotted their weekly promotional ”mystery” code contests.  But, you’ve probably also wondered what the heck those black and white, square codes are and how you actually win the contest.  Well, my friends, this is the latest craze taking over mobile advertising and, in my opinion, it will also be the future for disseminating information … on billboards and on products.

QR Codes, or quick response codes, is a bar-code-like code that you take a picture of with your iPhone, Droid or other smartphone and you are immediately brought to a corresponding website.  For example, take a picture of a QR code placed on a billboard for Hawaii and you are immediately taken to the Hawaii Tourism Board’s website right on your phone.  (This is a real example I saw in Tokyo.)

QR Codes were developed in Japan in the 90s and after traveling there this past summer as part of a Global Marketing class while at Northwestern I can attest that they are everywhere: on billboards, in magazines, even on shampoo bottles.  Now, they are coming to America. 

The whole ”snap and connect” idea is not new.  I’ve seen Scholastic media use it as a marketing solution for their magazine clients when I worked at PBS KIDS and, more recently, Playboy used it in an ad for their annual Swimsuit Issue in a recent edition of Marie Claire magazine.  However, QR codes expands the technology from pure advertising to a logistical solution.

 One company that is really embracing this new technology is Best Buy.  While walking down Fifth Avenue in New York City during the Easter weekend, I noticed that Best Buy is prominantly displaying a QR Code in its window display.  I’ll admit that I’m not entirely surprised that Best Buy is using QR Codes.  I worked on a project last summer for the company in which our team recommended that they use QR Codes for their mobile marketing strategy.  But, how Best Buy decides to use QR Codes can really impact how consumers get product information and even purchase a new HDTV or DVD player right from their mobile phone.  All you need is to download a QR Code reader. 

Keep your eyes open as these codes will undoubtedly be popping up in more places.  Perhaps, you’ll receive a resume with one right on the bottom-right corner.

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Tis the Season … to be Frugal

November 19, 2009 in Integrated Marketing, Television by Lauren McCabe | No comments

Best Buy CarolersFor anyone taking notice of the start of this year’s holiday commercials, you’ll see that spending is out and saving is in.  Retailers like Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy are focusing their messages on “value” and “smart shopping”.  It seems that almost everyone is already touting their Black Friday discounts and their plans to honor the lowest prices found.  This makes sense since according to a new Nielsen survey, 42 percent of U.S. consumers surveyed said they are planning to spend less money on holiday gifts than last year.  Only four percent intend to spend more. 

This theme is not new for business, especially those retailers and manufacturers who cater to budget-conscious consumers.  However, what is interesting to note is that I have yet to see one of those ever-present Lexus “December to Remember” ads that we’ve seen for years.  Apparently getting a car with a big red bow for Christmas or Hannukah this year is not the priority for Americans.  Surprised?

Watch Best Buy’s singing Twelpforce carolers in one of this year’s holiday commercials.

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Boosting Purple’s Power

October 14, 2009 in Integrated Marketing, Medill by Lauren McCabe | No comments

FedEx Fleet

How is your company boosting your brand’s power applications?  For a company like FedEx, there is a lot of strength in the presence of its airplanes, trucks, packaging and employee uniforms.  But according to Len Hostetter, vice president of marketing, other companies have taken note and are looking for ways to incorporate their brands with FedEx.

As part of our Medill IMC Professional Speaker Series, Len discussed how some companies are looking to get their products, services and logos on the sides of FedEx trucks – mobile advertising billboards in their own right.  He also alluded to the development of an in-store retail network within their 1,900 FedEx Office stores.  Initiatives like these not only allow FedEx’s to leverage its brand strength as a global package shipping company, but also give it the opportunity to think of itself as a media company. 

This was an idea that we presented to Best Buy this summer as part of a group residency project.  As advertising becomes more segmented and the challenge to capture the audience’s attention becomes more challenging, companies like FedEx and Best Buy should look at creating a centralized communications network to leverage their assets and create new revenue streams.  This would include creating an internal department that is responsible for coordinating advertising placement on weekly newspaper inserts, direct mail pieces, in-store video ads, etc.  With this there is the opportunity to take in more revenue from existing vendor partners and external marketers who are looking to target the company’s key customer segments. 

For Best Buy, we called this internal initiative WaBBam.  What could FedEx call its?

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