Allure Magazine is enlisting Microsoft Tags for the fourth time in what it claims to be its biggest giveaway in Free Stuff issue history, with 37,298 items available.

The beauty magazine is giving away more than $1 million in beauty and fashion prizes as part of its annual Free Stuff issue. Readers have the option of scanning Microsoft Tags to sign up for reminders for each of the giveaway entries.

?In a controlled environment like a magazine with a high consumer dwell time, Tag may make sense, especially if incorporated into the app,? said Steve Timpson, chief operating officer of Siteminis Inc., Atlanta. ?Although Allure does not have a free app nor a mobilized site, so this may be simply the easiest method to use.?

?Tag is not open-source code and some argue, gives a better end-to-end control of the scanning process,? he said. ?Tag readers scan more consistently than QR codes because QR codes are open source and subject to scan issues mostly due to print quality.

?Tag seems to have taken a strong foothold in the print industry versus QR codes.?

Mr. Timpson is not affiliated with Allure Magazine. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Allure Magazine did not meet press deadline.

Tagging prizes
Allure will conduct 174 giveaways in August. The magazine will give away products such as a Zac Posen dress, Essie nail polishes and Philosophy night cream.

Microsoft Tags are placed throughout both the digital and print magazine. If a reader scans a tag through the Microsoft Tag application, he or she is directed to a landing page for the giveaways.

Readers can then sign up to receive an SMS reminder 15 minutes before giveaways. They will be able to enter all of the giveaways at once by scanning the master tag on page 193 of the issue.

Each tag, besides for the master version, corresponds to specific products on a page, and readers can choose to receive reminders for various items by checking them off on the Microsoft Tags Allure landing page.

Below each tag there is copy that directs readers to download the free scan-tag app by visiting gettag.mobi.

This site automatically sends users to the app store for their device, where they can download Microsoft Tag.

Readers can also enter the giveaways via allure.com/go/free-stuff.

Mobile allure
Over the years, Allure has built up its Free Stuff initiatives using mobile.

In August 2010, Allure?s Microsoft Tag campaign resulted in 444,572 scans for 159 giveaways worth $725,000 (see story).

In August 2011, the magazine gave away 25,403 products (see story).

?Customers will go out of their way to engage a brand when there is a value to be had,? Mr. Timpson said. ?Brands get more action when they market value, and consumers will work a bit harder to realize that value.

?This is marketing 101 and should be the way all brands use as a tactical method, of several to use, to engage and convert consumer calls to action,? he said.

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York