Ut Classified Coupons With Microsoft Tags

U-T Classified Coupons with Microsoft Tags

By Brandy StemenEmerging Media Product Manager

The San Diego Union Tribune

Cutting edge technology that bridges the gap between print and digital interactivity

What if?• …your print advertisements had the potential to link consumers

to the digital world, where immediate needs could be gratified by instant information, purchases, specials and access right in the palm of their hands?

• …print advertising had the capability to link to real time information, such as Items that are on sale right now, or events happening at your retailers tomorrow?

• …consumers could easily enter contests, answer poll questionnaires or join your social networks using their mobile device right from the newspaper?

Sources: Pew Internet & American Life Project,.Waves 1-5. Oct. 2005 - March 2009. Neilsen Mobile.

82% of the U.S. adult population own a mobile device.

Mobile Internet usage has grown approximately 25% per year over the last three years.

88% of iPhone users access mobile Web approximately five times greater than the average cell phone consumer.

Solution = Microsoft TAG• With Microsoft TAG all of this and more are possible.• Tag is a free software created by Microsoft that creates a barcode• When the printed barcode is scanned with the “Tag Reader” application using

a mobile device, the barcode directs the consumer to information• The information the “Tag Reader” application displays to consumers is one of

these features:– To a URL or Mobile Website– To dial a phone number– To display a free text message– To upload a contact to the mobile device (vcard)

• No fees to use Microsoft TAG• Easy to create a TAG barcode in less than 2 minutes from start to finish• Printed barcodes can be reused or redirect changes instantly via the Tag

system, so if you want to print a stagnant printed barcode, but change the url in regards to what people see, it can be changed at any time.

• See more information at www.tag.microsoft.com

U-T Classified Coupons• The San Diego Union- Tribune uses Microsoft Tags

in our weekly Classified Coupons.• When users scan the barcodes they get a mobile

text of the coupon offer that they can use at the retailers, or they get directed to call the advertiser or go to their mobile website immediately.

• We sell approx 22 coupons each week, and gain about $1500 in weekly revenues to date.

• We started the program June 24th, and have been tracking the number of scans our coupons get. To date we have over 1,350 mobile scans on our coupons or about 100 scans per week on average. Reports are available on each tag.

• Ad cost is $100 per week or $80 per week with 4 week commitment (Ad size 2x1.5)

• Ads include the mobile Tag, a graphic and standard formatting with color

U-T Classified Couponso To make the program successful we promote

the section throughout the paper, and send out e-blasts to our customer base

o To get users familiar with the tags, we use them in our classified headers- when you scan them you will be taken to our mobile classifieds site

o All of our sales representatives have a tag in their email signatures that when scanned will upload the contact in a mobile device

Questions?

• Feel Free To contact me at any time: