Waitrose, the UK grocery retailer, has announced its intention to start a series of television commercials for Christmas using QR codes to engage with customers (and their phones) - news via ZDNet.co.uk.
Unusually, the snapping the QR code with your phone will take users to an App (for iPhone and Android) that provides recipes from celebrity chefs Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal. The more usual destination is to an informational website.
Also, the QR code is displayed for 2 seconds at the end of the commercial, so viewers had better be lightning quick or have the ability (and inclination) to record and replay the advertisement. (ZDNet reports problems with snapping the QR Code with Android 2.2 devices.)
Methinks someone had some marketing budget to blow up the chimney before year end and an ad agency dude managed to persuade someone that this would be claim some thought leadership, irrespective of actual bottom line impact. I assume a couple of people (and their iPhones) will be looking for a new position in the New Year!
Update: The TV Ad is back up with some point of sale advertising too. There's a good rant on the poor quality of execution of the campaign here.
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