ZapCode is a type of barcode that will be printed in the corner of ads in SPH titles. When photographed by a camera phone, the code - a square made of coloured blocks - relays promotional information from the advertiser. SPH estimates that half of mobile phones in Singapore are already ZapCode-compliant.
The campaign, developed in-house by SPH’s special projects unit, broke on 14 February and will run in SPH newspapers. A second phase is expected to run later in other media.
Willy Tan, marketing manager, product development and branding, SPH, said: ”We expect tech-savvy, mobile-happy types like youth and young executives to adopt such new applications at a faster rate. As just about every Singaporean owns a mobile, there is potential for ZapCode to become as big as SMS. We are preparing the groundwork for advertisers to be able to take advantage of ZapCode to augment their marketing efforts. Only by getting consumers enabled and ready will advertisers come on board to reap the full effects of the technology.”
The ZapCode is based on an application used in Korea, developed by technology company ColorZip.