This seemingly well thought through advert (shown above) was designed to encourage readers of the London Evening Standard to buy flowers for their loved ones. It first assumes you have a QR code (2d barcode) app on your phone. That’s OK because many smartphones do and many shopping apps come with a reader. Then you have to spot the beautifully hidden code in the heart. This is the best camouflaged QR code I’ve seen and certainly makes it less offensive to the eye in print media. Once you’ve played “Where’s Wally” (ie found the QR) you zap it with your camera and get taken to…the wrong page!
Unbelievable marketing error. So you thought you were buying your girl, lady, lover, wife a dozen roses did you? Nope, unfortunately, you’re supposed to order a dine in meal for two for £20. What happened? Did they run out of roses? Or is this a PR stunt gone wrong?
Still at least after eating your scrumptious meal of antipasti, duck a l’orange, gastropub chunky chips, 2 triple chocolate heaven desserts downed with a bubbly bottle of cava you won’t roll around in a bed of thorny rose petals…this has to be better for everyone in the end.
Happy Valentines!
(Oh and by the way, if you’d like to have your mobile commerce done properly, with QR codes that do what they’re supposed to, call us!)
- M&S advert in the London Evening Standard 10th Feb
