Scans direct smartphone and tablet users to candidate videos.
The Republican candidate for the Chatham County Commission Chairman, Eddie DeLoach, used QR codes as an element of his primary campaign.
The quick response barcodes are printed on mailers that were sent out to voters.
The success of this mobile marketing element of the campaign has yet to be seen, but critics have pointed out that the black and white square was tucked quite subtly into the bottom corner of the mailer, and that many voters may not even notice that it was there.
For those who do spot the QR codes, a quick scan can give them access to a video.
The video ran for 41 seconds, and featured DeLoach as he discussed his qualifications and why voters should choose him. DeLoach did win the July 31 Republican primary, and he will be facing Democrat Al Scott – who was unopposed – on November 6. That said, few are giving the QR codes credit for this achievement. This is because the majority of experts in mobile commerce and marketing feel that the code wasn’t used to its best advantage.
Equally, though, it is believed that QR codes will play an increasingly important role along the campaign trail from now on. The reason is that about half of the population currently owns a smartphone, and that portion is continually growing. Therefore, it makes quick response barcodes a great way to reach out to a very large number of people. The trick is to use them in a way that will encourage people to notice them and actually make the scan.
Marketing specialist, Rick Monroe, who is assisting DeLoach, explained that “We’re going to see a lot more of them in politics.” He added that the application of this technique is also continuing to improve, though it is certainly not at its finest quite yet. According to Monroe, the QR codes in DeLoach’s marketing were far more effective than the man he beat in the preliminaries.
Gaster’s barcodes were located on campaign signs, as opposed to on his mailers. According to Monroe, their design made it impossible to scan them unless the smartphone user was standing within 3 feet of the display. He went on to say that DeLoach’s QR codes were smaller and printed on a mailer which could be positioned much more easily for a scan.
