These results are for the first in-market pilot test of reusable display shells that have QR code and near-field communication technologies built in. The program, which ran during the first quarter of 2014 in the Minneapolis area, delivered a 2.81 percent engagement rate and a 1.34 percent response rate.

“The consumer was instructed via an image on the transportation asset to ‘tap or snap’ either an NFC logo or a QR code,” said Kaley Parkinson, director of supply chain technology services at Rehrig Pacific Co., Los Angeles. “What makes this unique is the leveraging of organic, familiar transportation asset to do the advertising as a secondary function.

“Pepsi was able to find a way to do more with an asset they already own, and facilitate a meaningful, digital conversation with their customer at the point of sale,” she said.

Rehrig Pacific Co. offers intelligent secondary packaging and interactive in-store point-of-sale displays that enable retailers and brands to build brand equity.

Pepsi Bottling in Burnsville, MN, partnered with Rehrig Pacific, the Target Center stadium in Minneapolis as well as collegiate sports organizations NCAA and NCHC on the program.

In-store engagements
For the test, Pepsi Bottling’s entire float of 2-liter shells was mobile enabled during the first quarter of 2014.

The offer made available through the program was regional and provided a discount off the purchase price of tickets for the 2014 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Faceoff tournament.

The consumer who scanned the QR code or tapped the NFC tag was directed via quick link URL to an interactive Web site designed for Pepsi.

The site itself was targeted and based on the geographic location of the consumer. This meant customers in Minneapolis could get tickets to the Frozen Four, while customers elsewhere would see another offer.

Consumers were then prompted with a congratulations and thank you notice from Pepsi with a link to a digital coupon for use at the Target Center.

Interactive displays
The marketing platform that was integrated with Rehrig Pacific’s Pepsi 2-liter bottle display shells was designed to enable a geo-targeted mobile interaction for the distribution of a promotional offer inside a retail environment.

The goal is to deliver targeted content in the form of an interactive display making use of reusable transportation items already ubiquitous in the retail environment and that Pepsi already owns and uses every day. This can help reduce the need for increased merchandising or delivery costs.

The program is an example of how mobile is remaking the in-store shopping experience.

While much of the focus has been on in-store apps and the use of hardware such as iBeacons to deliver hyperlocal content, the Pepsi campaign shows how brands can enable point-of-sale engagements using assets they already own

“It is all very targeted and consumer/market focused,” Ms. Parkinson said.

“We also asked the consumer to supply their email address – they did not have to provide it – as an additional data point for reporting,” she said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York