The recent juxtaposition of modern technology and old world craftsmanship—cleverly fashioning 500-year old stones into scannable QR codes—underscores the importance of marketing creativity, and gives U.S. businesses fresh fodder for their mobile marketing swipe file.
Example 1: Laying It Down In Lisbon
To promote Portugal and provide relevant cultural content for visitors to Lisbon’s Chiado Square, Turismo Portugal and its marketing agency enlisted local craftsmen to refashion iconic, centuries-old street-stones into the world’s first cobblestone QR code.
Mobile users scanning the one-square meter block are whisked to a site featuring bilingual historical and cultural content, plus audio clips of artisans describing their work. Some stones were also placed into a sidewalk code in neighboring Barcelona, Spain to coincide with a popular trade and tourism conference there. The reward for scanning? A chance to win a free hotel stay… back in Lisbon.
Example 2: Quick Response, Gangnam Style
We’re pretty much over Psy (though his billion-plus YouTube hit is impressive). But the rapper’s now-famous horsey-dance video refrain has turned Seoul’s upscale Gangnam-gu commercial district into something of an international travel destination. In response to the publicity, local officials ordered QR codes (made of elegant faux marble) embedded into eight strategically chosen sidewalk sections throughout Gangnam. Scanning leads viewers to a map featuring nearby shopping, dining and entertainment destinations. Though mobile technology pervades South Korea, it’s reportedly the first time QR codes have been installed in public walkways.
The Small-Business Takeaways
Integrated marketing today is moving at lightning speed. Small to mid-size businesses need to be intentional about learning and employing new tactics, and using newly found knowledge to gain or keep their edge. Today’s marketing takeaways include:
- Be creative. Turismo Portugal designed an integrated campaign that was uniquely Portuguese, blending old-world charm with modern mobile technology. Find something unique about your business and tell the story in a creative and compelling fashion.
- Be alert. Even Gangam district officials—a group not readily associated with marketing creativity—recognized an opportunity to promote their interests. Alert business owners and marketers can turn even brief encounters from customer service logs, blog comments—even complaints—into actions that advance your brand.
- Be responsive. Both groups acknowledged key segments’ preference for mobile technology and integrated QR codes and web content to capture and stimulate engagement.
Couldn’t your business do the same?
