When on my travels, I often keep an eye out for the more unusual and innovative ways businesses and brands use social media and the latest tech trends, to promote their wares.
During the last month, I came across a couple of QR codes (A.K.A. ‘Quick Response’ codes) in unexpected places – both drink orientated.
The first was in a Subway restaurant, where I ordered a cup of tea and was given some of those plastic pots containing UHT milk (Yum!), atop of which was a QR code – as you can see in the photo on the right. I scanned the QR code with my free iPhone QR Reader app and it took me to the following web page, detailing product dietary advice and nutritional information – pretty neat!
The second, I stumbled upon during a visit to a local KFC when ordering yet another brew (yes, I am a confirmed tea addict!). As I took the plastic lid off my cup to ‘dunk my tea bag’ (and drip tea everywhere!), I noticed a QR code on one side of the cardboard handle – again, as you can see in the photo on the right. Curious as I am, I scanned the the QR code and it took me to the ‘Black Tea’ category page on the Twinings Teas website. Pretty good, but given that I was clearly drinking ‘English Breakfast Tea’ perhaps the code should have taken me to the specific product page here.
I get the feeling that Twinings were probably making it easier and more cost effective for themselves (from a printing perspective) by going for a generic ‘Black Tea’ category QR code – BUT I’d have found it more interesting and importantly, much more ‘Personal’ if it had been the page of the specific tea I was drinking, that way I’d have instantly felt a closer connection to the brand …only saying!