Casa de Campo pushes e-newsletter signups via QR code

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October 12, 2012

Casa de Campo resort in La Romana, Dominican Republic, is letting readers of the October issue of Modern Luxury’s Manhattan magazine interact with its print advertisement via a QR code that encourages email signups with special offers.

The QR code links to a mobile-optimized page that shows a brand video and special offers. Consumers can enter their email address to receive more information about the offer and sign up for the Casa de Campo e-newsletter so that the resort can add readers of the magazine to its opt-in list.

“We want to stay in touch with our guests and future guests who are increasingly becoming more mobile,” said Kim Hutchinson, director of marketing and public relations at Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic.

“The strategy is to connect consumers who see our print ads to our Web site so they can learn more about Casa de Campo’s facilities and it might be a perfect match for their upcoming vacation,” she said.

New York state of mind
Brands including Rolex, Tous, Tourneau, Aria Resort & Casino, Royal Salute, Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Casa de Campo are advertising in Modern Luxury’s Manhattan magazine.

The region-specific magazine is featuring “Breaking Bad” actor Aaron Paul, religion and reason in New York and a courtside look with Venus Williams. Modern Luxury’s publications focus on specific cities throughout the United States, ensuring a targeted environment.

Hospitality brands take up a considerable amount of real estate in the October issue (see story).

Casa de Campo is using a QR code to bridge the gap between its print ad and e-newsletter. The ad is adjacent to a men’s fashion page in the magazine’s Style section.

When readers scan the QR code, they are taken to an optimized site that contains a video and links to special offers, the resort’s homepage, its Facebook and Twitter pages and the e-newsletter signup page.

Next, the special offers link brings users to another optimized page that shows two promotions including Advance Rewards and Casa Golf Legends.

Users can click on each offer for a blurb about the promotion. Furthermore, they must enter their email address to get more information and sign up for the resort’s e-newsletter at the same time.

Additionally, users can sign up for the e-newsletter directly from the QR code landing page.

Email is an opt-in channel that luxury marketers can use to target consumers who are most interested in the brand. Casa de Campo is likely tapping the magazine’s affluent, New York-based audience to extend the reach of its e-newsletter.

Travel to mobile
Other luxury brands in the travel sector are linking to mobile content from print ads in high-end publications.

For instance, Celebrity Cruises beefed up its database via SMS and QR codes in print ads that offered chances to sign up for weekly emails, talk to a representative and enter a sweepstakes.

Taking up real estate in magazines including American Express Publishing’s Departures, Celebrity Cruises’ two-page print ad with technological innovations likely hooked tech-savvy magazine readers (see story).

In addition, Crystal Cruises is connecting old- and new-world technology via print ads that use mobile application Aurasma to bring the static ad to life.

Breaking away from 2D bar codes typically used in print ads, Aurasma technology allows a brand to engage mobile without placing a bar code in their ad. Crystal Cruises’ ads appear in Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Town & Country, Travel & Leisure, Coastal Living, Elle Décor, Food & Wine and Forbes Life (see story).

It makes sense that travel brands are looking to engage the pool of high-net-worth consumers who read high-end print magazines. Also, these readers are likely to be using smartphones.

Moreover, a QR code with a particular goal – such as email signups or targeted video content – will likely be more effective than a mobile call to action that links to a general site.

“I think the QR code will definitely drive interest in the resort,” said Matt McKenna, founder and president of Red Fish Media, Miami Beach, FL. “People will start making plans to stay there on their next vacation.

“It transcends the print ad to a rich mobile experience,” he said. “A picture paints a thousand words, but a video paints a million words.

“The video takes viewers to the resort so they can begin to imagine themselves there.”