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FUTURE OF
MOBILE
PSFK presents
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A REPORT
TAGGING
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FUTURE OF MOBILE TAGGING
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AWARENESS
FOREWORD
Mobile tags offer a unique opportunity for brands and their agencies to
interact with potential and existing customers. These two dimensional
barcodes can be applied to almost any surface and the information
contained within them can be leveraged to create incentives and drivers
that lead consumers along the purchase path.
By bridging the online-offline divide with a click of a mobile phone
button, mobile tags can drive a brand or product’s awareness. In this
report we look at how companies are using competitions and gaming
to engage a new audience.
When a shopper scans a mobile tag, they can also gather a deeper level
of information that will help them decide about the purchase of a
product. Marketers are using the technology to provide an insider’s view
about a brand—and they are also using the mobile tag to provide
immediate status updates sent directly to a customer’s phone.
Mobile tags can support the purchase stage. Opportunities being
explored by brands and their agencies include the ability to scan-to-
pay and also the offering of loyalty rewards.
Beyond the purchase, marketers can use the technology to enhance

customer service. For example, how-to instructions can be made
easily accessible with the simple capture of a mobile tag.
Mobile tags provide an exciting opportunity to interact with
customers in ways not previously available to marketers. This report
shines a light on to the work of other marketers to both inspire you
and present some mobile tagging options as you consider your
next campaign.
Piers Fawkes
Founder & President
PSFK
This report is kindly
sponsored by
PSFK.COMPSFK.COM
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AWARENESS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
introduCtion 1
CrEAtiVE usEs 3
AWArEnEss
Instant Lottery 5
Mobile Arcade 11
Travel By Tag 17
inForMAtion gAtHEring
Product Preview 26
Content Sampling 32
Behind The Scenes 38
Scan-Triggered Updates 44
ACtion/PurCHAsE

Scan-To-Pay 53
Unlockable Rewards 59
Post-PurCHAsE
Feedback Loop 68
Mobile How-To 74
HoW to MobilE tAg
Introduction to Tagging, Benefits and Uses 83
Reporting and Measurement 85
Custom Tag Marketing Execution Showcase 86
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INTRODUCTION
SPONSOR
The publication of this report is kindly
supported by Microsoft Tag ®
Throughout this report you will see
tags that take the reader to additional
information, including videos.
Get your free tag reader in your
smartphone’s app store by searching
for ‘Microsoft Tag,’ or at the URL:
www.gettag.mobi
PSFK.COM
PSFK PROCESS
PSFK conducted a research cycle during which our
researchers searched for signs of change and spoke
to opinion leaders about shifts in the mobile tagging
landscape. Our researchers gathered hundreds of pieces

of data that provided signals of change in usage of
mobile tags. At the end of the research period, PSFK’s
team conducted pattern recognition to identify trends,
the strongest of these are featured in this report.
ABOUT
PSFK is the go-to source for new ideas and inspiration
for creative business. The New York City based trends
research and innovation company publishes a daily
news site, provides research and business consultancy,
manages a network of experts and hosts idea generating
events. PSFK aims to inspire its readers, clients and
guests to make things better—whether that’s better
products, better services, better lives or a better world.
CONTACT
Piers Fawkes - Project Lead

Jeff Weiner - Business Development

For copies of this report, scan the mobile tag on this
page or visit:
www.psfk.com/future-of-mobile-tagging
PSFK’s Future Of Mobile Tagging
report presents key trends in the
mobile tagging space, so as to
inspire marketers and their creative
agencies about their future use of
the technology in their branding
activity and communication
campaigns.
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AWARENESS
INTRODUCTION
ABOUT MOBILE TAGS
A mobile tag is a two-dimensional image encoded with information. It is decoded using a cameraphone application. These tag reader applications
are able to scan tags and react accordingly based on the patterns within the image. Based on the information contained within the tag, the tag
reading software can perform a variety of functions including the display of text or images, hyperlinking to specific URLs, linking to video
content and providing contact information.
VARIATIONS
Information can be encoded into two-dimensional images in multiple ways. There have been upwards of 70 different types of tags developed
over the past decade, each with associated applications built to identify their specific method of encoding. Many of these application designs
are used for logistical purposes in industrial verticals. For the purposes of this report, it is important to consider three key consumer-facing
methods for capturing information through a cameraphone.
Microsoft Tag
®
is a barcode
designed to deliver encoded
information to a phone from a
server. When the Microsoft Tag is
scanned by a mobile phone’s
reader, it gathers information
loaded on a server and sends it
back to the phone. This feature
allows the tag to be used
differently over time as the
information can be updated on
the backend without changing
the design of the encoded image.

Microsoft Tag offers an array of
tracking metrics including
location data.
Originally used as a method for
tracking vehicle part inventory,
the Quick Response code is an
open source platform now used
as a form of scannable barcode.
QR is a not a proprietary
medium, so there are a number
of disparate formats available for
use. The design of this type of
mobile tag contains the entirety
of the information being
transmitted and therefore doesn’t
need online access to decode the
information held within it. Each
code can contain over 4,000
alpha numeric characters.
Various mobile phone
applications are using the
barcodes found on products to
serve up information and
services. When a user scans the
barcode with their phone’s
camera, services like Stickybits,
RedScan and eMoby will identify
the product and provide pricing
information, user reviews and
other product data.

MICROSOFT TAG QR BARCODES
Learn more about creating mobile tags for business and marketing in a special How To Tag section beginning on page 81, brought to you with help from our sponsor Microsoft Tag.
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CREATIVE USES
For AWArEnEss
1. INSTANT LOTTERY
2. MOBILE ARCADE
3. TRAVEL BY TAG
For inForMAtion gAtHEring
4. PRODUCT PREVIEW
5. CONTENT SAMPLING
6. BEHIND THE SCENES
7. SCAN-TRIGGERED UPDATES
For ACtion/PurCHAsE
8. SCAN-TO-PAY
9. UNLOCKABLE REWARDS
For Post-PurCHAsE
10. FEEDBACK LOOP
11. MOBILE HOW-TO
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AWARENESS
CHAPTER 1
Mobile tags can be used to capture people’s
attention and draw them into an experience.
Marketers can use them to raise awareness,

build brand perception and engage an audience
that is on the go.
1. Instant Lottery
2. Mobile Arcade
3. Travel By Tag
INSTANT
LOTTERY
AWARENESS
Rapid entry into contests and competitions
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“Brands are doing a number of things to drive people to sweepstakes. From the consumers’ point of
view, they just want to scan, sign up and have a chance to win. It is simply a more convenient way for
somebody to start interacting with them at the beginning of the experience.”
Aaron Getz
Product Unit Manager, Microsoft Tag
bEAutY
ProduCt
giVEAWAY
sCAn
EntErs
FAns into
tiCKEt
giVEAWAY
Point
oF sAlE
ContEst
INSTANT LOTTERY
The organizers behind promotional
competitions are leveraging mobile
tags as a platform for instant entry

into contests. With the ability to
quickly access information through
a personal phone, people are able
to enter contests with less friction
around signup and registration.
OPPORTUNITIES
• Turns static media into a “live”
experience where the shopper may
win instant prizes.
• Information like location and
contact details can be easily
captured from the phone, making
it a one-click, opt-in process to
enter sweepstakes.
• Promotions that can be updated
through mobile tags give print
media a longer shelf life.
• Downloadable content including
contest details can be shared
among friends.
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INSTANT LOTTERY
turning
ProduCt
bArCodE
sCAns into
rEWArds
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INSTANT LOTTERY
BEAUTY PRODUCT GIVEAWAY
For the August 2010 issue of Allure Magazine, readers were given a to-
tal of $725,000 in free beauty products through a series of mini-sweep-
stakes. Readers who had signed up for the US fashion publication’s
contests were notifi ed by text message 15 minutes before new give-
aways were about to take place. At this point, they opened the maga-
zine and entered by simply scanning a Microsoft Tag on a specifi ed
page. The use of mobile tags reportedly attributed to a 28% increase in
entries over the previous year’s issue.
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INSTANT LOTTERY
POINT OF SALE CONTEST
When Wilkinson Sword launched their new Hydro Razor 5 in the UK,
they featured mobile tags alongside the retail product displays. By
scanning a QR code on a POS promotional fl yer, shoppers were able to
visit a site where they could view videos highlighting the razor’s new
features and enter a competition.
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INSTANT LOTTERY
SCAN ENTERS FANS INTO TICKET GIVEAWAY

Independent record label Fearless Records published Microsoft Tags to
help fans win tickets for their bands’ shows. Printed fl iers and websites
advertising upcoming shows invited fans to scan the tags to receive a
free track download and also get entered into a drawing for tickets.
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TURNING PRODUCT BARCODE SCANS INTO REWARDS
To promote their newly launched fair trade ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s partnered
with Stickybits in November 2010 to reward the first 500 users to scan the
new flavors. Upon scanning, consumers had the chance to win free Ben &
Jerry’s products, and were able to win a branded T-shirt after scanning two
separate pints.
INSTANT LOTTERY
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AWARENESS
MOBILE
ARCADE
Playful experiences fuse physical with digital
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MOBILE ARCADE
Mobile tags are being used as a
platform to initiate social games
and group-based challenges. Tags
that are tied to one another can be
spread across physical and digital
spaces to encourage discovery and
playful experiences.

OPPORTUNITIES
• Team and group affi liations can
be facilitated through the use of
mobile tags, giving people the
option to scan different mobile
tags to show their support for
groups and brands.
• Promotions can deliver an
incentive to drive people to
particular locations and bring
them together for shared
experiences.
• Tags can be used to turn
the phone into a console,
launching experiences that use a
smartphone’s camera to react to
the physical world.
“We work with a mainstream audience, and we know they’re playing games on their phones. If we can
incorporate gaming into a brand’s advertising and make it fun with value to the consumer, it becomes
a win/win. There’s the potential for these games to add something that people don’t already have on
their phone.”
Carlos Lamadrid
Senior Vice President & Chief Brand Offi cer, Woman’s Day Brand Group
PHonE As gAME
ControllEr
riddlEs
EnCourAgE
CitY
EXPlorAtion
loCAtion-

bAsEd gAME
tHrougH
CEntrAl PArK
tEAM-bAsEd
MobilE gAME
EnCourAgEs
CAMPus
intErACtion
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MOBILE ARCADE
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MOBILE ARCADE
TEAM-BASED MOBILE GAME ENCOURAGES CAMPUS INTERACTIONS
A student team at Boulder Digital Works, the creative technology program at
Colorado University, developed the on-campus game Zombies vs. Hippies through the
use of posters embedded with a Microsoft Tag. By scanning different posters,
participants were entered into various group missions and hunts that took place on
campus between groups of students, guided by instructions delivered through each tag.
By completing missions for their team, participants added to their team’s overall score.
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MOBILE ARCADE
PHONE AS GAME CONTROLLER

Pirata is a multi-player, augmented reality boat racing game that uses
iPhones as controllers. When standing in front of a computer screen
loaded with the game’s website, each player is able to choose a side
by scanning one of two tags. Once enough players sign up for a team,
the players compete by making a rowing motion with their phone and
propelling their boat forward.
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MOBILE ARCADE
LOCATION-BASED GAME THROUGH CENTRAL PARK
To promote New York City parks during Arbor Day weekend, Agency Magma
devised a game played using mobile tags scattered throughout Central
Park. Participants moved along a map to various points in the park where
they could scan QR codes to learn more about the immediate area. This
information came in the form of a trivia-based game, where players were able
to move along different paths as a strategy to potentially earn more points.
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MOBILE ARCADE
RIDDLES ENCOURAGE CITY EXPLORATION
Russian beverage company Red Energy staged a hunt through Moscow that
led participants from one tag to another, using riddles as clues to the next
location. The game began each week at a large mobile tagged billboard at
one of Moscow’s central metro stations. By scanning the QR code on the
advertisement, participants were sent to specific street corners and bus stops.
The winner was the fastest to crack all seven clues. The game and prizes were

updated each week, providing new challenges for returning players.
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AWARENESS
TRAVEL
BY TAG
Distant experiences in the palm of your hand
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FUTURE OF MOBILE TAGGING
TRAVEL BY TAG
TRAVEL BY TAG
By delivering rich video experiences
and location-specifi c content, mobile
tags can help potential travelers get
a better understanding of unfamiliar
places. Regional information can be
instantly available anywhere, espe-
cially via tags on promotional fl yers,
postcards and travel material.
OPPORTUNITIES
• Destination experiences can be
brought to life through point-
of-view videos and live webcam
previews of actual locations.
• Mobile tags can give people
the opportunity to purchase
tickets directly while previewing
destinations, at a time when travel
is most actively on their mind.
• Tags can include supplementary

information that lives on location-
relevant items like mail, buildings,
and regional marketing collateral.
“The storytelling ability we have today is so much more advanced than it was even fi ve years ago
because of the ability to immediately link people to content. This is a great boon to products and ser-
vices that are promoted best through demonstrations. Mobile tags are the tool to enable these expe-
riences, quickly changing a static two-dimensional communication piece into a very rich experience.
Marty Yaskowich
Managing Director, Tribal DDB Vancouver
liVE PrEViEW
oF VACAtion
dEstinAtions
rEgionAl
inForMAtion
EnCodEd
in PostAgE
stAMPs
bringing
tourist
dEsitinAtions
to liFE WitH
VidEo
tAggEd CitY
giVEs tourists
HistoriCAl
ContEXt
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TRAVEL BY TAG
LIVE PREVIEW OF VACATION DESTINATIONS
By adding Microsoft Tags to print advertisements, the Fort Lauderdale
Convention and Visitors Bureau was able to deliver live views of beach
destinations. Posters were distributed through Manhattan to attract tourists
to vacations in the state; when scanned, users were directed to live webcams
which showed various areas in real time. In addition, tagged brochures sent
readers to descriptive videos of Fort Lauderdale resorts.
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TRAVEL BY TAG
REGIONAL INFORMATION ENCODED IN POSTAGE STAMPS
Correos, Spain’s postal authority, in conjunction with the mobile marketing
company Macanudos, has released a QR-coded stamp that when scanned
will pull up additional information about a particular product or place. The
mobile tag on the fi rst release of stamps directed a phone’s browser to
information and videos about the Alhambra of Granada region.
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TRAVEL BY TAG
BRINGING TOURIST DESTINATIONS TO LIFE WITH VIDEO
The Canadian Tourism Board has used mobile tags in a print campaign aimed
at attracting travelers from the US. QR codes appeared in ads designed to
look like blog posts that were featured in publications including the New
York Times. When scanned, people were able to fi nd out more about various
travel destinations through interactive videos that brought to life experiences

like riding down a mountain zipline at 90mph or taking a horse carriage ride
through old Quebec City.
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TRAVEL BY TAG
TAGGED CITY GIVES TOURISTS HISTORICAL CONTEXT
In the Italian city of Turin, web agency mediaKi.it placed Microsoft Tags
in parks, museums, and monuments, so that visitors could scan them as they
walked past important landmarks. When scanned, the tags provide informa-
tion about the history of the location as well as maps to help tourists navigate
new areas.