Code of Content

It's not the code, it's the content

It's finally been revealed why we humans have two hands...one to hold our smartphone and the other to open our wallet. If you plan on using QR codes to get into her wallet, here are some simple guiding principles that can help. First, three things matter in the QR code game – Content!, Content!, Content! I’m not talking about serving up ‘other items you might like” or “newly reduced sale items” content. In fact when defining your content strategy, remove the sell, get her into a conversation and immerse her deeper in your brand experience. She already scanned it - make her feel good about her already-intended purchase. Also, make your content platform and device agnostic (available to all).

Companies as diverse as retailers to real estate agencies are using smartphones to grow revenue through the blurring of channels, some better than others. Here are three examples and some insight on where this could go in the very near future.

Excellent QR Content Strategy

Title Nine - blurring print, digital and mobile: In the recent Title Nine sale catalog there is a QR Code which, when snapped by your app, leads you to a mobile experience allowing you to shop by size. Brilliant. Those of you who have wasted precious minutes scouring an online sale know that pickings are slim, especially in popular sizes. This app does two things well - gets you shopping (mobile) while browsing (catalog) and makes the experience more efficient in that it will not show you items that are not available in your size, saving time and also frustration.

Keeping it fresh: Title Nine’s follow up is a brand building execution – snap the QR Code on page 2 of the Fall 2011 catalog and you join the conversation on their selfless “Coach a Kid” initiative. They are simply encouraging parents, and better yet getting other parents to encourage each other to volunteer for coaching this Fall. They have completely removed the “sell” and simply dedicated content and catalog space to this feel good exercise. 

Where's the story you promised?

Land’s End – This venerable online merchant seems to be very tentatively dipping their toes in to the QR pond. My guess is consumers will return the favor and also be tentative in this case. In the recent Last Splash of Summer catalog, they bury the tag on the last page, promise stories, which used to be a big part of the brand experience and limit the experience to iPad and iPhone users by requiring an app from the iTunes store. On top of limiting the experience to the apple platform, they require the Microsoft QR reader rather than an open source QR code and reader.

When I scanned the code on my android phone, it simply took me to a miniature version of the very same catalog I was browsing. The promise of “stories” went unfulfilled. With as much great content as this company has, this should be a relatively small leap to really add a deeper brand experience for her as she moves between channels.

 

IKEA  - Long an innovator in both content and mediums, the retailer placed a QR tag on the back of their giant 376 catalog promising “an exciting message from IKEA”. When clicked you go to their mobile site and they serve up a 30 second brand promo spot “life Improvement Store” and a link to a $2,500 gift card sweepstakes landing page.

Exciting message from IKEA or about IKEA?

IKEA is a big complicated store and publishes a big complicated catalog. A great one for sure, but in the case of this effort, the content is about IKEA, not the shopper. She has already taken the time to scan your code and is in browsing mode. Pay it off, let the content be a catalyst for the shopping experience - perhaps they would better help her by asking a question or two and lead to her to what she is seeking to bring some focus to the experience. Or celebrate the vast possibilities that exist and give her a fly through of her local store or a list of ten ways to update your kitchen for under $500.

Some final thoughts on where this is likely going in the very near future…Let’s not get hung up on the discussion of whether or not QR Tags are a fad. The fact is the convergence of bandwidth and millions of tiny screens in consumer’s hands has happened and whether you use a QR tag or some other device to do so the companies that best blur channels based on this will win, steal and keep customers. Remember, when planning your content strategy she already scanned the code! She is interested and need not be “sold”, rather make her feel happy and fulfilled that she has chosen to engage with your product or service and she’ll keep coming back.

Jeremy Gustafson is SVP Retail & Digital Strategy at Kreber, a retail-focused content creation agency. He has helped retailers including NIKE, The Home Depot, Sears, Soma and Office Depot win and keep customer through innovative digital strategies and content solutions. He can be reached at Jeremy.gustafson@kreber.com and on twitter @jerfest.