Ad-serving firm Eyeblastermedia agency Mindshare have been running a QR (Quick Response) Code campaign for Volvo, promoting the companys Volvo Ocean Race Special Edition cars. QR Codes have been used in Volvo ads in magazines and newspapers around Europe (including The Observer, Newsweek, Le Monde, Sddeutsche Zeitung, La Repubblica and El Pais, among others). QR technology was provided through HH&S.
The ads offer a shortcode to text in to in order to receive a link to download a QR Code reader application. The consumer then captures the QR Code using the app, and receives a link which routes them via the Eyeblaster server to the official Volvo Ocean Race mobile site. There, they were presented with live updates, race news and images illustrating how the race, which finished at the end of June, was progressing. Using Eyeblasters Campaign Monitor solution, Mindshare was able to measure the response to the campaign in real time, though as yet, it says no campaign results are available. A pity, as the received wisdom seems to be that while QR Codes are undoubtedly very cool, the fact that most people need to download a barcode reader to interact with them means that response rates to QR Code campaigns are likely to be low. If Mindshare has some stats to prove otherwise, it would be nice, and actually rather useful for those pushing QR Codes as a viable mobile campaign tool, to see them.