QR code placement important for marketing campaigns...

QR code placement can make or break a marketing campaign...

By Kayla Hutzler

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August 29, 2011

Bergdorf Goodman uses QR codes

QR codes are becoming increasingly present in mainstream advertising, allowing consumer brands an opportunity to enhance their traditional advertising strategies.

Despite the growing presence of QR codes, some consumer brands seem hesitant to implement the new technology. However, QR codes can be an effective tool to seamlessly take a print ad, still used by a majority of consumer brands, and incorporate the ad into a multichannel campaign.

QR codes add relevancy and interactivity to traditional media in a way that has never been possible before.

Consumer brands now have the opportunity to engage users with real-time content from an offline ad and increase brand impact by encouraging users to take the brand experience away with them on their mobile device.


Mobile optimized
For consumer brands looking to enter into the realm of QR code marketing, there are some ways to optimize the technology and increase the campaign’s effect.

The placement of QR codes is very important. It is very easy to create a disastrous QR campaign just by selecting the wrong location.

For example, placing QR codes on outdoor signs or posters can be highly effective if consumers can reach or scan the QR code, but less effective on a high billboard.

In addition, consumer brands should monitor the mobile reception of the area in which they plan to place an out-of-home QR code ad.

Using this mind-frame, interior subway ads may be a poor placement for QR codes, but inside and outside ads on buses may work fine.

Also, QR codes should not be implemented until a brand has a mobile-optimized site.

Finally, leading consumers to a non-optimized site can cause frustration and lead to a bad brand experience.


Scanning in
QR code campaigns can be extremely effective for consumer brands since they generally use traditional print media more than other industries.

Indeed, QR codes work well in print magazines, where a majority of consumer brands still take out full-page ads.

In addition, some brands have already begun using QR codes in direct mail pieces and catalogs.

For instance, symphony orchestra New York Philharmonic engaged consumers via direct mail and mobile by embedding QR codes into its mailers.

Additionally, Bergdorf Goodman’s pre-Fall catalog included QR codes that brought consumers to the product page on its mobile site.

Mobile marketing is not something that can be ignored by consumer brands — by 2012 the amount of smartphones are expected to outnumber the amount of desktop computers.

Affluent consumers are most likely using smartphones, and are always looking for innovative campaigns that differentiate one brand from another.

Luxury brand consumers are also increasingly expecting  personalized and beyond-the-norm service, which a QR code campaign can provide.

Luxury brand buyers are looking for unique, high quality and prestigious goods.

Brands can use QR codes as exclusive, insider keys to unlock premium mobile content like videos, photos and contests and extend the brand experience.