Welch’s Fruit Snacks ties big game giveaway to QR code-enabled ads

Dive Brief:

Welch’s Fruit Snacks is running a giveaway promotion through QR code-enabled TV ads, according to a news release. The effort is timed ahead of the Super Bowl on Feb. 12.
This marks the first time the brand’s parent company, PIM Brands, has applied QR codes in its advertising. A new spot running on connected TV (CTV) platforms and linear channels stars NFL player Mark Andrews and features a code that can be scanned via smartphone to enter the contest through Jan. 31.
The omnichannel campaign was executed with QR code specialist Flowcode and promises the grand prize winner a smart TV, home theater and additional goodies for the ideal game-day viewing setup.

Dive Insight:

Brands continue to experiment with QR codes in TV advertising to tap into mobile-first habits and get better visibility into engagement with their video creative. Welch’s Fruit Snacks is enticing people to whip out their smartphones and scan its latest spot with the promise of prizes that will enhance football viewing parties and through the appeal of Andrews, a tight end on the Baltimore Ravens.

While the campaign isn’t actually running around the Super Bowl, it leans into excitement in the weeks ahead of the big game, with a grand prize package including a smart TV, home theater, $500 gift card, cornhole set and large box of fruit snacks. Welch’s Fruit Snacks is deploying the tech-powered ads on CTV platforms including YouTube and Hulu and traditional broadcast channels CNBC and ESPN, angling to reach a sports-friendly audience. Social elements round out the media mix.

Interest in QR codes appeared on the wane until the outset of the pandemic, which forced many companies to devise contactless ways of conducting business. At the same time, the adoption of internet-connected TV exploded, resulting in more omnichannel advertising strategies that link multiple screens together.

The Super Bowl has inspired some innovative applications of QR codes in recent years. Cryptocurrency marketer Coinbase produced one of the buzziest big game commercials in 2022, showing a QR code bouncing around an otherwise blank screen for 60 seconds. The minimalist commercial, which reportedly cost $14 million to air, led to a surge in sign-ups for the exchange, though that proved to be only a short-term boost. Coinbase’s prospects have dimmed amid a broader crypto winter in the time since.

Packaged goods brands could value QR code-enabled TV ads for other reasons. First-party data acquisition has become a growing mandate for the category as the deprecation of third-party cookies looms. The Welch’s Fruit Snacks Big Game Giveaway asks participants to share their name, age and email to enter the sweepstakes.

Welch’s Fruit Snacks is marketed by PIM Brands, a snack and confectionary company, while the Welch’s known for its jams and jellies is owned by the National Grape Cooperative Association.