Dell is letting consumers down under scan a quick-response 2D bar code using their mobile phone to enter a sweepstakes for the chance to win a laptop.

The Dell ad featuring the QR-code sweepstakes appeared in the first issue of Letterbox Deals’ new print-coupon catalog being distributed across the Sydney, Australia, metropolitan market. The campaign objective was to build awareness of the Dell and Letterbox Deals brands with Sydney households by giving away five Dell notebook computers.

“The strategy behind the campaign was to determine consumer behavior when confronted with new mobile technology and [gauge] the effectiveness of a QR code as a call-to-action,” said Nick Gonios, commercial director of Insqribe, Sydney, Australia. “This first issue of LetterBox Deals was the first time the client had used a QR code.

“The QR code accounted for 25 percent of all competition entries, so it definitely got some attention,” he said. “Consumers embrace new mobile technology very quickly, and QR codes are a great call-to-action for impulse-driven marketing campaigns.”

Based in Round Rock, TX, Dell Inc. is a multinational technology corporation that develops, manufactures, sells and supports personal computers and other computer-related products.

Insqribe is a real-time proximity mobile marketing platform that specializes in augmented reality and QR codes for brands, retailers and publishers. The company claims to have a few other ideas in the pipeline such as mobile coupons.

Consumers in Sydney households receiving LetterBox Deals had the opportunity to enter the Dell competition either via the Web site at http://www.letterboxdeals.com.au or by downloading Insqribe’s 2D bar code reader and scanning the QR code featured in the catalog.

The sweepstakes gave consumers the chance to win a Dell Mini 9 Inspiron notebook computer. Entry into the sweepstakes was free.

Consumers were exposed to the following call-to-action: “Scan the QR code with your mobile phone to enter. Don’t know what this is? Text the keyword ‘RDR’ to short code 0429 112 756 for more information.”

Campaign results
The number of households in Sydney that received the LetterBox Deals catalog surpassed 1.3 million. The number of competition entries was in the thousands. One-quarter of those entries was submitted to the campaign’s mobile site via QR code.

Sixty percent of consumers downloaded the QR code reader via the Insqribe service to enter the Dell competition. Insqribe cites that number to support its argument that not having a 2D bar code reader preinstalled on consumers’ device is not such a big barrier.

Insqribe found that a high percentage of the QR code scans occurred within people’s homes, even though the entrant was at home and could use their home computer to enter.

Insqribe believes that the QR code as a call-to-action option, together with the impulse and convenience of using their mobile device, was compelling enough to prevent participants from going to their PC.

LetterBox Deals has subsequently continued to use the platform for further QR-code campaigns and promotions, according to Insqribe.

“The most outstanding result of this effort was the high number of entrants via QR code, and the number of people who actually downloaded a QR Code reader to their phone in order to use the service, when they could have entered the competition from a Web site,” Mr. Gonios said.

“This  is proof that QR codes work—just look at the numbers we achieved,” he said. “All it needs is for a little thought to be put into the campaign, instead of just putting a QR code on an ad and expecting people to know what it is.”