The Frito-Lay subsidiary in Mexico called Sabritas is now using a 2D bar code on a special Halloween version of Cheetos packages to engage consumers.

The code is placed on the Cheetos package and links to free branded wallpapers. Scanbuy is making it possible for Mexicans to scan the code using a mobile application called Códigos Ideas, which is widely distributed on Telcel handsets.

?2D bar codes give Sabritas a very engaging way to deliver branded content right to the phone,? said Jonathan Bulkeley, CEO of Scanbuy, New York. "The code effectively mobilizes a physical object, like a package, in a very simple way for the consumer.?

ScanLife makes it easier and faster for people to find content on the phone and it really makes everything and anything interactive. 

Brands can use ScanLife to reach people in a very engaging way from any traditional media, including packaging. 

The content can be targeted down to the message they want to deliver at any given time. Plus, all of that activity is measurable, so they know what media is getting scanned every day.

Sabritas has placed a simple explanation of how to download and use the free application on the back of the Cheetos package. 

The application can automatically launch a specific mobile Web site and deliver downloadable content.

The software can read all major 2D bar code formats, including Datamatrix and QR codes, but the EZcode is compatible with a wider variety of camera phones, and they can be significantly smaller in size. 

Telcel, the leading wireless carrier in Mexico, is preloading the application on new phones like the Sony Ericsson W9955 Walkman, the S8000 from Samsung and the Motorola A3100. It is compatible with hundreds of other models around the world on all major operating systems.  
 
Cheetos isn?t the only brand using 2D bar codes on packaging.

Major marketers like Coca-Cola and Nike have seen good results with the Scanbuy technology in Mexico.

Bissell, floor-care innovator and maker of home-cleaning products, has placed EZcodes across an entire line of vacuum cleaners which are sold by retailers nationwide.

The codes link to additional information on the product to help inform shoppers in the store.

Customers can access the User Guide and Warranty information by scanning the 2D bar code and they have the option to explore the Product Selection Wizard, which enables customers to search for and buy Bissell products that meet their needs and requirements (see story).

?Often times, a company will invest in mobilizing their content, but then have difficulty driving traffic to it,? Mr. Bulkeley said. ?The visibility of the 2D code makes it easier for people to get to that content in seconds. 

?The technology is still developing in Mexico, but Telcel is the largest carrier there, and they have started to pre-load the application on new phones,? he said. ?By the end of the year, there will probably be at least 10 phones that will be sold with the Código Ideas application."