Starz Entertainment is implementing mobile bar codes in its print and outdoor advertising campaigns as part of an initiative to reach consumers with special offers and exclusives.

The company partnered with AT&T and is the first television network to join the carrier?s mobile bar code charter program. Starz is using the service in select national and direct-to-consumer marketing programs, including in promotions for its ?Spartacus: Gods of the Arena? show. 

?Starz is participating in the charter program and will leverage this opportunity to use 2D bar code technology to bring to life our advertising message for current and prospective subscribers,? said Jennifer Schouten, vice president of affiliate sales and marketing at Starz Entertainment, Englewood, CO. 

?This novel technology enables us to highlight the exclusive new, hit movies and original series found on our networks and reach potentially an attractive, affluent demographic,? she said. ?For now, it is a chance to learn and adjust.

?Mobile marketing is a relatively new tactic in the U.S. and as it is building momentum, we want to be a part of it.?

Starz Entertainment is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States.

AT&T Inc. provides wireless, Wi-Fi, high-speed Internet and voice services. 

Mobile testing
Over the next five-to-six months, Starz will test the technology in a variety of ways and determine what consumers respond to best in terms of content of the advertisement and what forms of information they seek when scanning mobile bar codes.

Additionally, the company plans to give consumers special offers that highlight the network?s programming.

?Many mobile users express immediate intent and are apt to be transactional versus informational,? Ms. Schouten said. ?We believe that mobile is a great add-on to other campaign tactics. 

?Bringing this to our affiliate partners is just one more idea from Starz,? she said.

Television integration
Starz plans to integrate the mobile bar codes in a variety of consumer marketing tactics, such as direct-to-consumer and via its affiliate partners.

In addition, the company plans to use the mobile bar codes in advertisements across various channels. 

?We are measuring every code, and we are glad to see that the technology is working and that consumers are responding to the initiative,? Ms. Schouten said. ?We expect to have more data later this summer.

?This year we are looking to learn a lot from participating in this charter program and we are pleased that we are the first network to do so,? she said. ?The results from this program will help shape additional 2011 plans in the mobile marketing space.?