Last week was the beginning of the Amgen Tour of California, a annual cycling stage race. To mark the occasion, Lance Armstrong, along with Team RadioShack, launched their social media promotion initiatives that will give fans a chance to interact with the race. One is a mobile website where fans can get real time information on the status of racers as well as see messages from coaches and celebrities commentating the race. The other is a scavenger hunt powered by QR codes.
While Armstrong will not be participating in the race, he will be sending updates to fans via the mobile website. He is also taking part in the scavenger hunt that will be running
throughout the course of the tour. A number of QR codes will be hidden throughout the course waiting to be found by fans.
When scanned, the codes resolve to a mobile website where fans can findspecial offers. They will also receive clues to the location of an exclusive party being held after the race. A number of famous celebrities will perform at the party which will be open to those that have pieced together the clues found in the QR codes.
The RadioShack Corporation has long been interested in the codes, recognizing them as an innovative and flexible promotional tool. The team’s initiative to use QR codes at the race will let fans experience a level of interaction they have yet to witness in such an event.
