Shadows cast on Korean QR Code campaign

When Korea's largest retail chain, Emart, realized that revenues were being held back by a slump in sales during lunch-time, they came up with a unique way to harness the power of QR Codes and... the sun.

by Helen Leggatt

emart qr code.jpg Strange, sundial-like installations started appearing in Seoul earlier this year. The installation was composed of 441 adjustable pillars with seven lengths.

They were three-dimensional QR Codes, positioned and located so that they could only be successfully scanned between the hours of 12 noon and 1pm, thanks to shadows cast by the midday sun.

Anybody who scanned the code was given a special 25% discount code redeemable in-store or through their mobile website. After a month the campaign generated over 12,600 coupon sales, increased Emart membership by 58%, drove a 25% increase in Emart mall sales during lunch hours and prompted ongoing on- and offline media coverage of their unique creativity.

The Emart campaign illustrates how best to use QR Codes to create intrigue and drive interaction, and how to maintain that interaction by offering value in return.

Called the "Sunny Sale" and developed at Cheil Worldwide, South Korea, by chief creative officer Ina Choi, the campaign won a Direct Lion at Cannes 2012.

Tags: barcode, campaign analysis, Korean, mobile campaign, mobile marketing, mobile trends, QR Code, retail, smartphone