New Era Cap Co. is using QR codes to connect the dots in a multichannel campaign that uses a YouTube video as a key driver for engagement.

The New Era mobile bar codes promote the brand?s line of National Football League-themed caps. The three-week campaign runs through Oct. 2 and includes approximately 1200 bar codes in retail store windows.

?We are trying to reinforce the NFL partnership with a consumer who might not have seen the piece on TV,? said Brian Wheeler, senior manager of interactive at Manager of Interactive at New Era, Buffalo, NY.

?We are also trying to get the consumer who knows New Era engaged and drive brand messaging,? he said.

?We have used QR codes a fair amount in the past two years, and as penetration has increased, we have seen growth in these activations.?

Sporty scans
New Era has placed the mobile bar codes at retailers including Foot Locker and Champs Sports nationally.

When consumers scan the QR code, a new YouTube clip from the brand pops up that is repurposed from the campaign?s TV spot. The video is 30-seconds long and is being used as part of a broader campaign as part of a partnership with the NFL.

Of all the mobile views of the YouTube clip, Mr. Wheeler said that 10 percent of activations have come from the in-store QR codes.

Repurposing video from a multichannel campaign can be effective for brands. However, the key is to keep content short and simple.

Video push
With consumers increasingly watching video on their mobile devices, using the medium to push out advertising messages can be particularly effective for marketers nowadays.

For example, recent findings from Rhythm NewMedia found that mobile video can generate upwards of a 89 percent completion rate compared to online videos with a 68 percent completion (see story).

Given video?s high engagement rates, the medium makes a natural fit to drive traffic to from a QR code because it gives users access to a quick piece of content.

Placing mobile bar codes on in-window signage is a smart way for New Era to take advantage of mobile shoppers.

However, the campaign could be more effective by tying the mobile bar code to commerce that would let consumers buy the caps on the spot, especially since the brand has a commerce-enabled mobile site.

New Era uses location to serve content for users. For example, a user in Miami sees content that is relevant to their location. In the future, the company plans to look for new ways to geo-segment users.

?We skew towards a younger consumer who is extremely active on mobile and uses devices to integrate into their daily lives,? Mr. Wheeler said.

?Integrating QR codes lets us stay with the trends that they are using,? he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York