QR codes, like the one seen during Super Bowl LVII in a commercial for Planters, might make a comeback and become more popular with advertisers, based on a new consumer survey that shows that consumers like them and respond to them.
For Planters, the QR code generated a 70% conversion rate, which means that, when people saw the QR code and scanned them, 70% took some action when they arrived at the landing page.
Planters worked with Flowcode, an offline direct-to-consumer platform, that was involved in the survey, commissioned by creative technology company Origin and conducted by ad tech company LoopMe.
The study found that QR Code can be particularly effective in ads shown on connected TV. Nearly 95% of consumers understand how to scan QR codes and half of them are likely to scan QR codes that appear in relevant and engaging ads.
Heavy streamers were nearly twice as likely to scan a QR code than light streamers. Male audiences are more likely to scan than female audiences.
The survey found that 48% of viewers said they were most likely to scan a QR code to learn more about a product being advertised.
“Over time, QR technology has fallen in and out of fashion,” said Fred Godfrey, CEO and co-founder of Origin. “Recently, however, we’ve seen a surge in brand interest in QR on CTV as their ability to create instant second-screen engagement presents unlimited potential for brand interaction.
“However, limited foundational consumer research has meant that most QR-based strategies today are lacking vital basic intelligence, which in turn has held advertisers back from truly realizing their unique ability to invite direct engagement on the big screen," Godfrey said. “For that reason, we commissioned this nationwide study so that the entire advertising industry can now have the data they need to ascertain objective benchmarks for success and adopt critical best practices.”
Flowcode’s offline to online direct-to-consumer platform enables first-party connections with consumers across all brand touchpoints and is the only technology provider to offer real-time analytics, geo-location data and attribution across screens, the company said.
"The ability to use Flowcode insights to track which creative assets drive the most engagement and where geographically consumers are is incredibly valuable,“ Planters brand manager Robby Koons said. “It allows us to optimize real-time, and better engage with our consumers and fans on future initiatives.”
The Planters Super Bowl commercial featured the brand’s Mr. Peanut character being roasted Comedy Central-style by a panel of comedians. A QR code invites viewers to watch the full-length roast.
“Performance-based brand campaign elements are gaining ground,” added Rachel Conforti, senior VP, marketing at LoopMe. “We’re increasingly seeing QR codes being leveraged in commercials, indicating a shift towards making major CTV advertising investments more actionable. There is an incredible opportunity to better measure and optimize TV advertising to mobile actions that help brands gain further insights into the impact of their campaigns. We are thrilled that our AI-powered survey technology is helping educate TV advertisers on how to best close the loop on branding and outcomes.”
The research study was delivered to U.S. consumers via their mobile devices, resulting in 6,982 respondents, in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023. Data were normalized to account for population and gender splits, LoopMe said. ■
