A Mighty Mix Of Conventional Ad And QR Code Campaign

We are sure Starbucks or San Fran coffee or any other coffee outlets’ have seen the great potential in promoting their outlets with smart tactics like printing ads that includes a QR Code which leads people to their websites and such. But scan to get FREE coffee? A pretty neat idea employed by Israeli café chain, Café Joe.

Café Joe is a relatively large chain of cafes in Israel and recently launched QR Code campaign which promised anyone who scanned the code a free cuppa together with instructions to their nearest outlet.

Café Joe first placed ads in their local dailies with the QR Code. When the code is scanned, it takes them to a page where mobile phone users can download a coupon for their free coffee. Using the phone’s GPS system, the application will help the customers locate the nearest café outlet and then using Google Maps, give them directions right to the doorstep of the shop.

There are several images that flashed through this writer’s head when reading this little piece of news – a busy professional commuting to his work place first thing in the morning, waiting for his ride, reading the newspaper and seeing the ad. He pulls out his smartphone and scan the code to get the free coffee coupon and gets detailed instructions to the nearest branch. Heads over, grabs free coffee together with a muffin or cake for breakfast and catches bus/train/cab.

This branding exercise is actually quite interesting because they are actually rolling out a branding exercise at the same time advertising their food. By leading consumers right to where the coffee is, the company has effectively introduced consumers to a new café to head over whenever they are in the area.

Although many similar coffee places are familiar to us, we don’t really know ALL their locations. One pops up here and another might pop up nearer to us within the next week. So, if you can go to the nearest one, why do we have to keep going back to the older and farther one?

Café Joe has most definitely crossed the bridge that divides our online and offline world by using technology to bring consumers to their brick and mortar businesses.