McDonalds Uses QR Code to Drive App Downloads
Posted on by Timothy Boyle
I’m not often a McDonald’s customer, but seeing that I spend two to three weeks a month on the road for work I consume their products more than I would otherwise, particularly lately. So when I recently saw an advertisement for McDonalds that found its way into my house through a stack of junk mail I pulled out of my mailbox I didn’t automatically toss it in the trash. The advertisement seems to have accomplished its goal.
The McDonalds ad sat atop this stack of junk mail. Typically I would have thrown it away, and indeed I had just opened my kitchen trash can about to toss the junk pile when the ad struck my eye. It was a picture of an iPhone with a screen shot of free large sandwich coupon, and a QR code.
I read the call to action and it said I could get special deals sent directly to my phone if I downloaded their app. I figured I could use this to save a few Federal Reserve notes while I was on the road, so I scanned the code.
I was then taken to a great looking mobile optimized website with a button prompting me to download their app. I then proceeded to do so. Clearly their QR code advertisement worked.
This is one of those rare cases I have found where a company’s marketing team actually used a QR code perfectly. Everything about it was perfect, and it got me to do exactly what they intended for me to do.
Now when I am on the road I will more than likely be purchasing more McDonalds, thus benefiting McDonalds financially. At the same time I will spend less on nourishing myself. A win-win.
If it weren’t for the QR code, the call to action, and the easy to use mobile site they would likely have missed out on many of my future purchases. This is exactly how QR codes are supposed to be used, and this example points out one of the many ways QR codes can help you keep and/or increase sales if used properly.
Start using QR codes in this way if you aren’t already, just make sure that along with your QR code you have a great call to action, a mobile optimized website/landing page, and you are offering them something that they will actually want (like an app that gives them special deals for tasty Hamburgers). Do this and you are sure to see an increase in sales, app downloads, or whatever it is you are trying to accomplish with your advertisements.
