Trends in Cause Marketing: Second Half of Interview with Laura Marriott

If 2-D barcodes represent a kind of bridge between the digital and world of print, what does that bridge actually look like? In this is the second half of my interview with NeoMedia Technologies acting CEO Laura Marriott, gets down to the nitty-gritty of how causes are using 2-D barcodes, and what they ought to consider doing in the future. (Read the first half of the interview here).

Describe how causes or their sponsors are currently using 2-D barcodes in marketing, promotions, PR, or fundraising?

Two examples for how causes are using mobile barcodes is outlined below:

Ed Randall’s Bat for the Cure, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about prostate cancer and supported by a partnership of mobile companies, launched the One Too Many: One Million Voices Against Prostate Cancer mobile campaign in June 2010, using both an SMS shortcode and 2D barcode to enable men and their families everywhere to quickly and easily sign up to a petition in favor of policy changes being sent to Washington D.C.

The animal campaigner Wild Art Believes is also using 2D barcodes to good effect in its marketing campaigns and online, using barcodes to point consumers towards important information and raise awareness of the ways in which atrocities are being committed against wild animals around the world.

Given your position at the cusp of 2-D barcodes, what are some ways that causes or their sponsors could use 2-D barcodes, but that you haven't seen yet?

Perhaps the easiest means for causes to use 2D barcodes is to simply enhance their existing call to action, whether for fundraising or interaction with the cause, to enable dialogue with the cause. For example, in addition to URL and call center address, include a 2D barcode, to more easily direct the consumer to interact with the cause. After the first couple of campaigns, consumers will come to understand what the code is and how to activate, and then the other traditional call to actions can be reduced or even, removed. Innovation in barcodes is happening but this is more on the creative integration in how they are used in traditional and digital media.

What are some trends in how causes and their sponsors use 2-D barcodes in their marketing?

The key trends for the use of 2D barcodes by causes at the moment are awareness, support and donation – providing consumers with a quick and easy way to access more information regarding a charity’s aims and work and they go on to pledge their support, whether that be financial or moral.

Causes always have to be thinking of costs and expense. What's involved in generating and publishing (if that's the right word) the 2-D barcodes?

2D barcode providers generally price on a CPC or a per code basis but pricing varies greatly depending on the use case, duration, etc and vendors will work with their customers to develop a business model which works for all parties.

Where does a cause or their sponsor find someone with the sophistication to utilize 2-D barcodes?

Although putting a mobile barcode campaign together is relatively straightforward, selecting the right vendor to help guide you, share their expertise and supply the appropriate technology is an important step to successful implementation. Before selecting your vendor, make a list of your needs so that you can better understand what elements you want to evaluate in your partner. Requirements may include type of code, desired interaction, reader, geography and reporting requirements. The partner may provide mobile barcode reader applications, barcode creation, resolution, management and data reporting, while ensuring appropriate geographic coverage and high-quality user experiences. Take the time to select the partner that is right for you. Industry associations such as the GS1 and CTIA can offer good advice on finding the right vendor for your company.

Part 2: How Chili's Used Cause-Related Marketing to Raise $8.2 million for St. Jude

[Bloggers Note: In this second half of this post I discuss the nuts and bolts of how Chili's motivates support from its employees and managers and how St. Jude 'activates' support from Chili's. Read the first half here.] How does St. Jude motivate support from Chili’s front line employees and management alike? They call it ‘activation’ and they do so by the following: They share stories of St. Jude patients who were sick and got better thanks to the services they received at the hospital. Two stories in particular are personal for Chili’s staff. A Chili’s bartender in El Dorado Hills, California named Jeff Eagles has a younger brother who was treated at St. Jude. In both 2005 and 2006 Eagles was the campaign’s biggest individual fundraiser. John Griffin, a manager at the Chili’s in Conway, Arkansas had an infant daughter who was treated for retinoblastoma at St. Jude. They drew on the support Doug Brooks… the president and CEO of Brinker International, Chili’s parent co...

Chili’s and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

I was in Chili’s today and I ordered their “Triple-Dipper,” a three appetizer combo. While I waited for the food, I noticed another kind of combo. Chili’s is doing a full-featured cause-related marketing campaign for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There was a four-sided laminated table tent outlining the campaign on the table. When the waitress brought the drinks she slapped down Chili’s trademark square paper beverage coasters and on them was a call to action for an element of the campaign called ‘Create-A-Pepper,’ a kind of paper icon campaign. The wait staff was all attired in black shirts co-branded with Chili’s and St. Jude. The Create-A-Pepper paper icon could be found in a stack behind the hostess area. The Peppers are outlines of Chili’s iconic logo meant to be colored. I paid $1 for mine, but they would have taken $5, $10, or more. The crayons, too, were co-branded with the ‘Create-A-Pepper’ and St. Jude’s logos. There’s also creatapepper.com, a microsite, but again wi...

Cause-Related Marketing with Customer Receipts

Walgreens and JDRF Right now at Walgreens…the giant pharmacy and retail store chain with more than 5,800 stores in the United States and Puerto Rico… they’re selling $1 paper icons for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). This is an annual campaign and I bought one to gauge how it’s changed over the years. (Short list… they don’t do the shoe as a die cut anymore; the paper icon is now an 8¾ x 4¼ rectangle. Another interesting change; one side is now in Spanish). The icon has a bar code and Jacob, the clerk, scanned it and handed me a receipt as we finished the transaction. At the bottom was an 800-number keyed to a customer satisfaction survey. Dial the number, answer some questions and you’re entered into a drawing for $10,000 between now and the end of September 2007. I don’t know what their response rate is, but the $10,000 amount suggests that it’s pretty low. Taco Bell’s survey gives out $1,000 per week. At a regional seafood restaurant they give me a code that garner...

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