Heineken has revealed the results of providing attendees with free QR code stickers at the company’s 2012 Open’er Music Festival, to spread its brand message, “Open Your World”.
Last summer’s Gdynia, Poland festival saw Heineken with computers set up so that attendees could create short messages that describe themselves, then convert that message into a QR code and print it out onto a sticker, called a “U Code” by the company, that they could wear while they were at the event.
According to the Poland marketing manager for Heineken, David Lette, by creating the QR code sticker and printing it off, it is declaring to other people that the code wearer is looking to meet new people, and encourages other people to approach the wearer. Therefore, the message of the campaign is converted into a usable strategy to meet new people, so that those who use it understand it even if they don’t actually say it out loud.
Over 5,000 attendees used this feature, which was approximately twice the number that had been expected by Heineken. In order to receive a QR code, an attendee simply needed to step inside the “Heineken Digital House”, which was a dome-shaped tent located next to the festival’s main stage. There were several computers and printers available for creating and printing the codes, as well as lounge areas where the attendees could relax, and technical support people to help out.
Attendees were also provided with a free app so that they would be able to read their own code or the codes of others using their mobile devices.