Northwest taps QR in outdoor poetry blast

Large-format QR code icons have been placed on outdoor billboards in Tokyo, allowing consumers with camera-enabled phones to scan the code. Participants are then automatically redirected to a mobile phone site, containing information on a senryu, or Japanese poetry, contest. The contest is available in two forms: a poetry quiz in which they are asked to name the correct travel destination described in the poem, and a poetry writing contest in which consumers can write and vote for their favourite poems. The winners of both sections of the NWA competition will receive e-certificates for travel deals, WorldPerks (Northwest's frequent flier programme) bonus miles and iPod Shuffles. "We believe it will enhance the current NWA positioning as a technology leader and increase awareness of our mobile sites, by utilising the latest technology in a more unique way," said Toshifumi Miyoshi, consumer marketing manager for NWA Japan. Although mainly running on billboards, the campaign also includes station pillars, station posters and transit advertisements. Ogilvy & Mather was responsible for the creative component of the campaign, while MindShare handled media. Aimed at leisure and business travellers, the creative work is focused on Tokyo's Shinjuku and Ginza areas, locations that form the base of NWA's target audience. "Many advertisers now use this QR code in their advertisements, and it is getting very popular now," said Yusuke Mitsumoto, Ogilvy & Mather Japan. "But most of them are used in a small size on publications, and users take a close-up picture of it." Mitsumoto said there are currently around 30 million consumers with QR technology mobile phones, providing the campaign with a large potential audience. "(NWA) has been putting an emphasis on introducing and improving its technology-related services, like online check-in services and self-service check-in systems and so on, for the last few years," said Mitsumoto. Although agency and NWA heads expect the campaign to be successful until its conclusion in December, there are no immediate plans for similar work.