QR Code: Win or Fail?

“THE AD DID NOT WORK.”

Your internal sales rep is hearing this quite frequently right about now. As you begin the daunting task of approaching all of your current program book advertisers, we all know that 35-40% will extinguish their contracts for the 12-13 Season. The reason: The ad was not effective. (see earlier blog entry of EFFECTIVE ADS = HAPPY ADVERTISERS = LOW ADVERTISER ATTRITION”

A QR code (quick response code) might be a way for YOU to control and measure the actual effectiveness of an ad.

The $64,000 question: Does a Quick Response Code work?

Yes and No.

Depending on how the application is used will determine if the message will be win or fail. We have had the opportunity to “play” with the QR codes in our advertising campaigns for our performing art clients. Here is what we found. QR codes that go to websites equal fail. The reason we have found this does not work is that there is no incentive for the audience member to “investigate”. One typically sees this in advertising campaigns. Visit us at (PLACE QR CODE HERE). We did find in the beginning that this would work. It was simply the “intrigue” of the new technology. However, the shear novelty of the QR code has worn off.

Here are a couple of ways in which we found that the QR code does work effectively.
For restaurants it works tremendously well for making reservations. Whether the restaurant has a place on their website, where a patron can make a reservation, or if the restaurant participates with open table, this application will get results. Direct the QR code in the ad to either site

Another creative way to use the QR code is for a “contest”. Here is how we applied this technique for a current advertiser. We came up with a contest for our advertiser. In this particular case we were working with a cosmetic dental practice. The contest was for a “Free Professional Teeth Whitening that also included imaging of the teeth.” We used the QR code in the ad to go to a “submit page”. Now here is another place to be careful. Through our trial and error, we have found that the more information you ask from the participant in the contest, the less effective the response. We have found that a name and contact (either email address or phone number) is enough. If you try to get an address, fail. The contact information is emailed to the advertisers email when the audience member hits the submit “button”. The benefit for the advertiser is that they are now collecting local prospects that they might be able to use for future “sales campaigns”

The dental practice ran the ad for a one night Broadway event and acquired 47 “submits”. It was an impressive reaction for a single night event.

Here is something to also be careful of, coordination on the part of your advertisers. Make sure that there is a clear communication on how the data will be collected, and who will be the receiver of the information for the advertiser.

The Key to the success of the QR code application is the ability to have an internal measurement in place. (All of our advertisers QR code responses run through an internal server, so we are able to get reports on usage for all of the unique QR codes that we produce.) This will allow you to show the advertiser actual results from participants in the audience. It is a strong piece of ammunition to “THE AD DID NOT WORK.” Argument.

Feel free to let us know of any unique ways in which you have been able to apply the QR code effectively.