The company partnered with SpyderLynk for the mobile initiative. The back-to-school mobile campaign was developed by Momenturn and uses SypderLynk’s SnapTags that lets consumers scan or text to score big savings.

“SnapTags give us the ability to engage with consumers during the important back-to-school season by offering great deals which can be accessed by simply snapping and sending a picture to us through SpyderLynk’s platform,” said Jason Shockley, senior manager of public relations at Office Depot.

“Consumers don’t have to worry about clipping coupons or entering sweepstakes to win,” he said. “It’s such a simple way to reward consumers for coming to our stores for their school supplies.

“If they win one of our mobile gift cards, they can redeem them instantly by simply taking their mobile phone to the check out and the cashier simply enters the discount code to redeem the gift card.”

Office Depot provides supplies and services to its customers through 1,627 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales force, top-rated catalogs and global ecommerce operations.

SpyderLynk, the creator of the branded, algorithm-driven SnapTag™, enables brands such as Coke Zero, Revlon, L’Oreal, MillerCoors, Warner Brothers, Toyota, Bud Light and others to engage consumers and accelerate purchase cycles.

Momentum Worldwide is a leading ideas agency with expertise across the marketing spectrum.

Snap me
The mobile campaign, which will run through Sept. 11, 2011 will award a hundred $100 gift cards each day during the campaign – totaling $500,000 in prizes during the promotional period.

The campaign began on July 24.

Consumers can participate in the promotion by snapping and sending a picture of the SnapTag, which is featured on in-store displays find out if they have won a $100 Office Depot mobile gift card.

The gift card can be redeemed instantly in-store.

Additionally, consumers can text the photo to short code 762478 to participate.

“Office Depot communicated the promotion via a number of methods including: TV and radio advertisements, in-store signage, direct mail, email, and through several online portals including Officedepot.com and Facebook,” Mr. Shockley said.

“The use of mobile is growing rapidly and continues to have a significant impact on how brands communicate with consumers,” Mr. Shockley said. “By using SpyderLynk’s SnapTag solution we are able to communicate with consumers while in store to provide great offers and generate a positive consumer experience.

“No internet access is required and consumers don’t need to download an app to get great offers,” he said. “SnapTags make it easy for consumers enabling entry and distribution of the gift card to consumers digitally over a mobile platform. Office Depot felt that the SnapTag technology offered the most optimal marketing capabilities and analytics tools.”

Mobile win
Consumers who win a gift card can redeem it by taking their mobile device and showing it to the cashier at the point-of-sale.

Additionally, for a limited time, participants will also receive special mobile coupons to save on a variety of back-to-school essentials.

“We’re delighted that Office Depot chose such a robust program to deploy SnapTags,” said Nicole Skogg, CEO of SpyderLynk. “At the end of the day, it’s all about making it easy for consumers to engage with brands and to provide real value to consumers – both of which were accomplished by Office Depot with this innovative program.”

The mobile campaign will be advertised in a broad spectrum of mediums and features well known TV personality and education advocate, Al Roker, as the spokesperson.

Advertising ranges from TV, in-store and out-of-home print advertising.

“Office Depot  was searching for a way to engage with the back-to-school shopper and provide additional value while they were in the aisle,” said Michael Kelly, director of business leadership at Momentum Worldwide. “Mobile was the ideal solution.

“Momentum recommended SpyderLynk’s SnapTag technology because of the unique branding efforts it provided while not requiring a smartphone to participate in the promotion,” he said.

Final Take
Rimma Kats is staff reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York