Universal Pictures is conducting a mobile campaign promoting its film Repo Men. The studio worked with digital agency 360i, mobile barcode technology firm Red Laser and creative agency The Visionaire Group on the effort.
Playing on one of the film’s themes, the campaign incorporates mobile barcodes into all creative, including out-of-home posters, print ads, in-theater displays and online and TV ads.
“The characters in the film have barcodes and are constantly at risk of being scanned on the streets to see if their organs are past due,” said Ben Blatt, manager of digital marketing for Universal Pictures. “We initially thought it would be an interesting thing to use this idea of barcodes as a way to promote the film with mobile advertising.”
When a consumer scans the barcode, he or she receives content related to the ad’s creative. For example, after scanning a poster “selling” a liver, a consumer will receive mobile content trying to get him or her to buy a liver.
Universal’s primary audience is tech-savvy young men, said Blatt.
“There are a lot of different options when it comes to mobile barcodes, so it was nice to have a tie-in to the real product,” said David Berkowitz, director of emerging media and innovation for 360i.
The campaign runs through March 19, when the film is released in theaters.
