Nuffield Health has joined with Marie Claire to run a print ad embedded with a near-field communications (NFC) tag, giving readers access to additional content on their smartphones. It is the first time that a UK magazine has used the technology.
Without needing to download software, readers can place their NFC-enabled smartphone on the ad to launch a webpage offering a free two-day Nuffield Health pass.
Those without an NFC-equipped smartphone are able to text for the offer or visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/marie.
The NFC technology powering the campaign was supplied by specialist marketing company Kyp, who worked with IPC’s Innovator department on the project. MediaCom planned and bought the campaign.
Many new smartphones – including Sony Xperia, Samsung Galaxy and Blackberry Curve models – have built-in NFC readers. Use of NFC technology is growing in retail environments and outdoor advertising, but this is the first time it has featured in a UK magazine.
Declan Boyle, advertising director at IPC Innovator, said: “This is another great example of how magazines continue to provide innovative and effective advertising solutions. As the number of NFC-equipped handsets grows, this technology becomes attractive for advertisers looking for a way to bridge the offline print world with the online digital world and boost consumer engagement. It’s immediate, measurable, dynamic and a low-cost platform with flexible distribution.”
Dominick Holmes, associate director at MediaCom, said: “We are excited to be testing this developing technology within a traditional mainstream direct response channel, especially with such a tangibly business driving application. Our client Nuffield Health is a brand which is using technology to reach out to their customers in the medical and fitness environments, so this innovation was naturally appealing. It is imperative we fully understand consumer response preferences, how to better encourage print advertising interaction and assess how these all important mechanics are changing over time. We hope this presents many opportunities for future planning.”
Matthew Sandall, senior account manager at Kyp, says: “Capturing attention is only half the battle for today’s advertisers. The strongest creative can fail if it isn’t easy for time-poor consumers to act on the message before the moment is lost. Our clients are embracing NFC as an instant, intuitive way to promote on-the-spot response.”
The NFC Nuffield Health ad appears in the December issue of Marie Claire in a limited number of subscriber copies.
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