#MARKiesAwards 2021 highlight: Yeo's bet on QR codes and AR draws overwhelming response

Yeo Hiap Seng, together with its agency, Digimagic, tapped into digital engagement to reach out to its target audience to support Yeo's CNY 2021 campaign. It carried out various strategies to bring out-of-home advertisements to consumers' homes. Leaning into the familiarity with QR codes due to COVID-19 safe entry scanning, the brand developed its AR game which would allow users the chance to win coupons. Both parties saw over 1,000 coupons redeemed within a one month period. This led Yeo's to secure the silver award for Most Creative - Out of Home at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's recent MARKies Awards 2021.

Challenge 

To complement and support Yeo’s CNY 2021 campaign, Digimagic conceptualised and developed digital engagement through experiential media to engage commuters at Chinatown (North East Line and Downtown Line) and across its various channels.

The key objectives are to elevate share-of-mind during CNY period to drive consumers down the consideration purchase, to amplify reach and visibility through online engagement, to generate online enquiry, buzz and word of mouth, and to establish, reinforce and heighten Yeo’s brand awareness. It targeted festive grocery buyers from January to February 2021. Some key considerations included mobility in experience to use Chinatown as one of the touchpoint but more importantly, experience can be brought anywhere, and managing the engagement time at the platform itself considering crowd control. Additionally, friendly UI engagement for target audiences of all ages, quick access to digital engagement and repeat engagement and sharing of rewards and fun, also fell under the list of the key considerations. 

Strategy 

Its strategy involved bringing out-of-home advertisements to the consumers' homes. With the implementation of safe entry scanning, everyone was familiar with QR code scanning. Digimagic proposed a web-based augmented reality and web game engagement by scanning a QR code, linking to a microsite that is contactless interactive, which adds a delightful interaction to traditional print presentation. MRT commuters are always on the move to get to their destination, therefore Yeo's felt they will most likely only engage with the advertisements along their route. With that as a consideration, the web AR engagement once accessed can be “transported” anywhere with photo taking opportunities where they are, the web game has a certain score target in order to redeem coupons.

This encouraged and enticed commuters to explore again for the duration of the campaign. Advanced AR where AR content elements are mapped accurately to the physical environment is generally mobile app-based in the past years. Meanwhile, web AR is new and can counter the challenge of app download deterrence, which promotes prompt engagement

In addition, the microsite included access to other in-store promotion mechanics terms and conditions, making it a one-stop for the campaign’s digital engagement, channelling traffic from print, outdoor, in-store and social media directly to this microsite - all-encompassing with just a scan of QR code or click of a link.

Execution 

Within less than two months of production lead time, Digimagic worked closely with Yeo’s and its vendors to adopt its key visuals for the development of microsite, AR Lion Dance, Double Prosperity web game and key in-store promotion mechanics.

Users are to spot the signature Yeo’s tea icon among the chrysanthemum flowers, with product associate with their Chrysanthemum Tea. Reaching a certain score target, users will receive a SG$5 coupon code for their online purchases with a direct button to link to Fairprice Online.

The AR Lion Dance is an animated 3D Lion with Yeo’s branding colours. Users can scale the lion in size and shift it around in relevance with their physical environment. With this, they can pose to take a photo with the Lion, save it to device and share on social media or messaging platforms with their friends and family.

For users who accessed the link via desktop browser, it will prompt them as such:

At the end of every engagement interactive, there is a five seconds lead out page to reinforce brand awareness and relevance.

These QR codes were incorporated on various OOH prints:

Results

It saw over 1,000 coupons redeemed within a one month campaign period. With an initial 500 coupons catered for, the coupons were periodically released once fully redeemed or collected and due to the overwhelming response, over 1,000 coupons were released at the end of the campaign period, linking to the objective of elevating share-of-mind during the CNY period, driving consumers down the consideration-purchase. Over 7,000 web AR clicks within one month campaign period With web AR being a relatively new type of AR engagement, we strive to make the user interface as intuitive as possible to cater to the general masses.

With this in mind, the results have shown over 7,000 AR clicks and generated multiple photo-sharing opportunities across different platforms. Adaptation of CNY digital engagement for regional markets such as China, Malaysia and Hong Kong. After the start of Singapore’s campaign, it received notice to help adapt for the regional markets and done so within a week, retaining the key functions and features. This aided in the reach expansion in consideration of the campaign’s objectives with mobility and repeat engagement.