QR Codes Grab Attention (Once Again) in This Year’s Super Bowl Commercials
Super Bowl LVI in 2022 was a watershed moment for QR codes in TV ads, thanks to a simple ad by Coinbase. As a result, this year’s Super Bowl LVII showcased even more ads with QR codes.
Amongst the various celebrity cameos, nostalgic references and funny dialogue, the Super Bowl 2023 had its fair share of successful ad campaigns. And with a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl now costing on average over $7 million, brands are capitalizing on the best ways to make a lasting impact.
With attention being drawn to QR codes for a second year in a row, should advertisers consider using QR codes in all their TV ads? We’ll dive into both those topics, including simple, quick and efficient solutions for advertisers to include QR codes into their ads automatically.
How Coinbase Set the Stage for QR Codes During Last Year’s Super Bowl
In 2022, Coinbase’s Super Bowl ad debut surprised everyone. Viewers weren’t expecting to see a colorful, bouncing QR code as a commercial. In fact, even Coinbase probably wasn’t expecting how popular the ad would be. Within a minute, over 20 millions viewers scanned the QR code and overloaded Coinbase’s landing page with traffic, briefly taking it down. Not only that, the Coinbase app skyrocketed to second place (previously 186th) on the App Store.
Read more: Should All CTV Ads Have QR Codes After Seeing Coinbase’s Super Bowl QR Code Success? — Sharethrough
It was also the only commercial to prominently display a QR code, with the exception of a few other brands hiding QR codes in their ads. Fast forward to 2023, and we’re seeing even more Super Bowl ads featuring QR codes. But why? More on the benefits later, now let’s take a look at some of the ads that featured a QR code in this year’s Super Bowl.
The Most Noteworthy QR Codes Showcased in this Year’s Super Bowl
Here are some of this year’s Super Bowl ads that showcased a QR code:
Limit Break
Limit Break, a Web3 gaming startup, ran a commercial to advertise ethereum-based NFT-game project DigiDaigaku for the cost of $6.5 million, which showcased one single QR code in the entirety of the 30-second ad spot. TV watchers were encouraged to scan the QR code to win one of 10,000 free digital collectibles. Although various opinions are surfacing about the quality and motive behind the ad itself, we can’t help but notice how much attention the QR code garnered.
Though we could argue the process didn’t work the way it should have (or to its full potential), some viewers did get their hands on a free non-fungible token, and they’re now making profits worth hundreds of dollars. Limit Break definitely took inspiration from Coinbase’s groundbreaking ad spot last year, and they won’t be the last.
Avocados From Mexico
Avocados from Mexico is another brand that features a QR code in their Super Bowl ad spot. The commercial showcases what a world where everything is based on avocados would look like. A world full of friendliness, nakedness, and avocados. New York City is no longer “The Big Apple”, it’s now “The Big Avocado” and various other plays on familiar products and services. Would a smartphone made by Avocado, the alternate universe Apple, be called an “aPhone” instead of the “iPhone?”. The ad cleverly places a QR code on a billboard within the ad and at the end, when viewers scan it, they can create their own Tweet about the brand.
The Servant Foundation
The Servant Foundation spent $100 million as part of their 2023 ad spend for the Super Bowl 2023 promotion of their “He Gets Us” campaign. Their 30-second ad spot showcased black and white imagery with a voiceover. At the end of the ad, viewers were prompted to scan a QR code, taking them to a website with options to learn more about the ads, the third way theme, and free ways to engage their church.
The ad has gotten mixed reviews in the media, but its strategy to use a QR code was most likely successful in engaging with the audience. We’re curious to know how many leads it generated.
Maintaining the QR Code Momentum
Brands and advertisers recognized that the Super Bowl was a watershed moment for QR codes in advertising and took action to be at the forefront of this turning point. Capitalizing on the latest consumers’ expectations, QR codes translate the familiar scanning action from a menu or sign, onto CTVs everywhere. Viewers instinctively know how to scan one now, making shoppable TV even more accessible.
If your CTV ads don’t have a QR code, don’t worry! That’s where Sharethrough’s Dynamic QR Codes for CTV come in. You don’t have to redo the commercial, when simply targeting Sharethrough’s CTV inventory, the Dynamic QR Codes enhancement automatically applies a QR code for you. Not only is it easy to use, but our enhancement has shown to improve viewers’ attention by as much as 12%.
Furthermore, QR codes on CTV provide advertisers with a performance signal similar to CTR that they never had before: scan rates. Traditionally, brands and advertisers would have to directly ask users how they made it to the landing page from a TV ad, but now, they can get the same answers and more through scan rates.
Two-Point Conversion
Another added benefit to QR codes is that they enable advertisers to gain a greater view into their users’ device maps. Once converted, advertisers will be able to target their audiences on multiple devices and platforms.
Contact us now to learn more about how brands and advertisers are going the whole nine yards with Sharethrough’s Dynamic QR Codes for CTV.
QR Codes Grab Attention (Once Again) in This Year’s Super Bowl Commercials
Super Bowl LVI in 2022 was a watershed moment for QR codes in TV ads, thanks to a simple ad by Coinbase. As a result, this year’s Super Bowl LVII showcased even more ads with QR codes.
Amongst the various celebrity cameos, nostalgic references and funny dialogue, the Super Bowl 2023 had its fair share of successful ad campaigns. And with a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl now costing on average over $7 million, brands are capitalizing on the best ways to make a lasting impact.
With attention being drawn to QR codes for a second year in a row, should advertisers consider using QR codes in all their TV ads? We’ll dive into both those topics, including simple, quick and efficient solutions for advertisers to include QR codes into their ads automatically.
How Coinbase Set the Stage for QR Codes During Last Year’s Super Bowl
In 2022, Coinbase’s Super Bowl ad debut surprised everyone. Viewers weren’t expecting to see a colorful, bouncing QR code as a commercial. In fact, even Coinbase probably wasn’t expecting how popular the ad would be. Within a minute, over 20 millions viewers scanned the QR code and overloaded Coinbase’s landing page with traffic, briefly taking it down. Not only that, the Coinbase app skyrocketed to second place (previously 186th) on the App Store.
Read more: Should All CTV Ads Have QR Codes After Seeing Coinbase’s Super Bowl QR Code Success? — Sharethrough
It was also the only commercial to prominently display a QR code, with the exception of a few other brands hiding QR codes in their ads. Fast forward to 2023, and we’re seeing even more Super Bowl ads featuring QR codes. But why? More on the benefits later, now let’s take a look at some of the ads that featured a QR code in this year’s Super Bowl.
The Most Noteworthy QR Codes Showcased in this Year’s Super Bowl
Here are some of this year’s Super Bowl ads that showcased a QR code:
Limit Break
Limit Break, a Web3 gaming startup, ran a commercial to advertise ethereum-based NFT-game project DigiDaigaku for the cost of $6.5 million, which showcased one single QR code in the entirety of the 30-second ad spot. TV watchers were encouraged to scan the QR code to win one of 10,000 free digital collectibles. Although various opinions are surfacing about the quality and motive behind the ad itself, we can’t help but notice how much attention the QR code garnered.
Though we could argue the process didn’t work the way it should have (or to its full potential), some viewers did get their hands on a free non-fungible token, and they’re now making profits worth hundreds of dollars. Limit Break definitely took inspiration from Coinbase’s groundbreaking ad spot last year, and they won’t be the last.
Avocados From Mexico
Avocados from Mexico is another brand that features a QR code in their Super Bowl ad spot. The commercial showcases what a world where everything is based on avocados would look like. A world full of friendliness, nakedness, and avocados. New York City is no longer “The Big Apple”, it’s now “The Big Avocado” and various other plays on familiar products and services. Would a smartphone made by Avocado, the alternate universe Apple, be called an “aPhone” instead of the “iPhone?”. The ad cleverly places a QR code on a billboard within the ad and at the end, when viewers scan it, they can create their own Tweet about the brand.
The Servant Foundation
The Servant Foundation spent $100 million as part of their 2023 ad spend for the Super Bowl 2023 promotion of their “He Gets Us” campaign. Their 30-second ad spot showcased black and white imagery with a voiceover. At the end of the ad, viewers were prompted to scan a QR code, taking them to a website with options to learn more about the ads, the third way theme, and free ways to engage their church.
The ad has gotten mixed reviews in the media, but its strategy to use a QR code was most likely successful in engaging with the audience. We’re curious to know how many leads it generated.
Maintaining the QR Code Momentum
Brands and advertisers recognized that the Super Bowl was a watershed moment for QR codes in advertising and took action to be at the forefront of this turning point. Capitalizing on the latest consumers’ expectations, QR codes translate the familiar scanning action from a menu or sign, onto CTVs everywhere. Viewers instinctively know how to scan one now, making shoppable TV even more accessible.
If your CTV ads don’t have a QR code, don’t worry! That’s where Sharethrough’s Dynamic QR Codes for CTV come in. You don’t have to redo the commercial, when simply targeting Sharethrough’s CTV inventory, the Dynamic QR Codes enhancement automatically applies a QR code for you. Not only is it easy to use, but our enhancement has shown to improve viewers’ attention by as much as 12%.
Furthermore, QR codes on CTV provide advertisers with a performance signal similar to CTR that they never had before: scan rates. Traditionally, brands and advertisers would have to directly ask users how they made it to the landing page from a TV ad, but now, they can get the same answers and more through scan rates.
Two-Point Conversion
Another added benefit to QR codes is that they enable advertisers to gain a greater view into their users’ device maps. Once converted, advertisers will be able to target their audiences on multiple devices and platforms.
Contact us now to learn more about how brands and advertisers are going the whole nine yards with Sharethrough’s Dynamic QR Codes for CTV.
Behind Headlines: 180 Seconds in Ad Tech is a short 3-minute podcast exploring the news in the digital advertising industry. Ad tech is a fast-growing industry with many updates happening daily. As it can be hard for most to keep up with the latest news, the Sharethrough team wanted to create an audio series compiling notable mentions each week.
QR Codes Grab Attention (Once Again) in This Year’s Super Bowl Commercials
Super Bowl LVI in 2022 was a watershed moment for QR codes in TV ads, thanks to a simple ad by Coinbase. As a result, this year’s Super Bowl LVII showcased even more ads with QR codes.
Amongst the various celebrity cameos, nostalgic references and funny dialogue, the Super Bowl 2023 had its fair share of successful ad campaigns. And with a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl now costing on average over $7 million, brands are capitalizing on the best ways to make a lasting impact.
With attention being drawn to QR codes for a second year in a row, should advertisers consider using QR codes in all their TV ads? We’ll dive into both those topics, including simple, quick and efficient solutions for advertisers to include QR codes into their ads automatically.
How Coinbase Set the Stage for QR Codes During Last Year’s Super Bowl
In 2022, Coinbase’s Super Bowl ad debut surprised everyone. Viewers weren’t expecting to see a colorful, bouncing QR code as a commercial. In fact, even Coinbase probably wasn’t expecting how popular the ad would be. Within a minute, over 20 millions viewers scanned the QR code and overloaded Coinbase’s landing page with traffic, briefly taking it down. Not only that, the Coinbase app skyrocketed to second place (previously 186th) on the App Store.
Read more: Should All CTV Ads Have QR Codes After Seeing Coinbase’s Super Bowl QR Code Success? — Sharethrough
It was also the only commercial to prominently display a QR code, with the exception of a few other brands hiding QR codes in their ads. Fast forward to 2023, and we’re seeing even more Super Bowl ads featuring QR codes. But why? More on the benefits later, now let’s take a look at some of the ads that featured a QR code in this year’s Super Bowl.
The Most Noteworthy QR Codes Showcased in this Year’s Super Bowl
Here are some of this year’s Super Bowl ads that showcased a QR code:
Limit Break
Limit Break, a Web3 gaming startup, ran a commercial to advertise ethereum-based NFT-game project DigiDaigaku for the cost of $6.5 million, which showcased one single QR code in the entirety of the 30-second ad spot. TV watchers were encouraged to scan the QR code to win one of 10,000 free digital collectibles. Although various opinions are surfacing about the quality and motive behind the ad itself, we can’t help but notice how much attention the QR code garnered.
Though we could argue the process didn’t work the way it should have (or to its full potential), some viewers did get their hands on a free non-fungible token, and they’re now making profits worth hundreds of dollars. Limit Break definitely took inspiration from Coinbase’s groundbreaking ad spot last year, and they won’t be the last.
Avocados From Mexico
Avocados from Mexico is another brand that features a QR code in their Super Bowl ad spot. The commercial showcases what a world where everything is based on avocados would look like. A world full of friendliness, nakedness, and avocados. New York City is no longer “The Big Apple”, it’s now “The Big Avocado” and various other plays on familiar products and services. Would a smartphone made by Avocado, the alternate universe Apple, be called an “aPhone” instead of the “iPhone?”. The ad cleverly places a QR code on a billboard within the ad and at the end, when viewers scan it, they can create their own Tweet about the brand.
The Servant Foundation
The Servant Foundation spent $100 million as part of their 2023 ad spend for the Super Bowl 2023 promotion of their “He Gets Us” campaign. Their 30-second ad spot showcased black and white imagery with a voiceover. At the end of the ad, viewers were prompted to scan a QR code, taking them to a website with options to learn more about the ads, the third way theme, and free ways to engage their church.
The ad has gotten mixed reviews in the media, but its strategy to use a QR code was most likely successful in engaging with the audience. We’re curious to know how many leads it generated.
Maintaining the QR Code Momentum
Brands and advertisers recognized that the Super Bowl was a watershed moment for QR codes in advertising and took action to be at the forefront of this turning point. Capitalizing on the latest consumers’ expectations, QR codes translate the familiar scanning action from a menu or sign, onto CTVs everywhere. Viewers instinctively know how to scan one now, making shoppable TV even more accessible.
If your CTV ads don’t have a QR code, don’t worry! That’s where Sharethrough’s Dynamic QR Codes for CTV come in. You don’t have to redo the commercial, when simply targeting Sharethrough’s CTV inventory, the Dynamic QR Codes enhancement automatically applies a QR code for you. Not only is it easy to use, but our enhancement has shown to improve viewers’ attention by as much as 12%.
Furthermore, QR codes on CTV provide advertisers with a performance signal similar to CTR that they never had before: scan rates. Traditionally, brands and advertisers would have to directly ask users how they made it to the landing page from a TV ad, but now, they can get the same answers and more through scan rates.
Two-Point Conversion
Another added benefit to QR codes is that they enable advertisers to gain a greater view into their users’ device maps. Once converted, advertisers will be able to target their audiences on multiple devices and platforms.
Contact us now to learn more about how brands and advertisers are going the whole nine yards with Sharethrough’s Dynamic QR Codes for CTV.
Founded in 2015, Calibrate is a yearly conference for new engineering managers hosted by seasoned engineering managers. The experience level of the speakers ranges from newcomers all the way through senior engineering leaders with over twenty years of experience in the field. Each speaker is greatly concerned about the craft of engineering management. Organized and hosted by Sharethrough, it was conducted yearly in September, from 2015-2019 in San Francisco, California.
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