Intel and Warner mobile barcode campaigns miss the mark

A few interesting bits came down the line from Scanbuy today. The mobile barcode company reports on campaigns by two major brands that are integrating 2d barcodes. Intel is using them to advertise a new processor, and Warner Bros. is using them for gaming and television promotions.

Intel:

This campaign is running in Wired Magazine. The ad is for Intels new Core Processor – and includes a 2D code. The code links to a YouTube from the recent CES in Las Vegas, showing how Intel technology could be used in the future.

Warner Bros.:

Warner Bros. is going to be placing barcodes on Pizza Boxes during Super Bowl season. Research shows that pizza deliveries spike around the Super Bowl, and Warner Bros. want to be ready – two different TV shows from the studio will be promoted on the boxes. Along with these promotions for Justice League and Halo Legends will be barcodes, which mobile owners can snap to get video trailers for the shows.

What we think?

Look, it’s great to see mobile barcodes getting more traction, but these campaigns are pretty weak. I can’t imagine all that many people would be thrilled to get connected to a promotional video for Intel. What’s in it for the viewer? The Warner Bros. campaign is a little better – it at least connects to trailers that people might be interested in, and the Super Bowl pizza-box targeting is pretty smart. But still, neither of these emplacements give the phone owner much of a reason to snap the code. There should be the possibility of winning a prize for snapping the barcode, or other promotional offers. Warner Bros. could offer a slight discount on your pizza once you’ve scanned the pizza box code. Anything to lift it above what it currently is – which is asking customers to spend their own data plans to watch your advertising. No thanks. You could view those barcodes as just clickable links, like on the internet. But the for the majority of people, “clicking” these particular links will both take time and cost them money. And you need to make that worth their while.

This is not a criticism of Scanbuy – this is a company that has done wonderful work in North and South America getting brands to use barcodes. But those brands need to realise that mobile barcodes aren’t immediately attractive to consumers. You need to make people want to use them.