Rio de Janeiro - Using QR Codes to Spread Tourism | Marketing Communications Case Studies

Details

Case Code : CLMC059
Publication date : 2013
Subject : Marketing Communications
Industry : Tourism
Length : 03 Pages
Price : Rs. 100

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Key words:

McDonald’s, advertisements, happy price menu, indianized menu

Note

1: This caselet is intended for use only in class discussions.
2: More comprehensive case studies are priced at Rs.200 to Rs.700 (US $5 to US $16) per copy.

Abstract:

The case is about the city of Rio de Janerio (Rio) in Brazil, which uses QR codes to provide tourists information about the city. The sidewalks in the city have unique mosaic patterns and the QR codes have been embedded in these. On scanning the code and downloading the app, tourists can get information about the place and the nearby tourist attractions. The case discusses how the technology usage was transforming the channels of communication and information.

Issues:

  » How QR codes are used in marketing and customer service
  » How QR codes can be used to bridge the gap between mobile and traditional media
  » How the QR code can be used as a customer engagement tool

Introduction

The Quick Response Code (QR code), a two dimensional code which could be decoded through a Smartphone app, had been used extensively in marketing since 2010 . In 2013, QR codes were put to novel use to promote a city and spread tourism. In Rio de Janeiro (Rio), the second largest city in Brazil, QR codes were embedded in pavements to help tourists get information about the city and nearby natural attractions.

QR codes were designed in 1994 by Denso Wave for tracking vehicle components on the assembly line. QR codes consisted of black square dots arranged in a white square, in which data was encoded. At the beginning, the QR code held just 4 characters data, and was 21 X 21 pixels. It was later modified to 177 pixels to hold 1852 characters.... ...

Questions for Discussion:

1. How can QR codes help Rio in enhancing the tourist experience?
2. How can QR codes be used in marketing and customer service?
3. What is destination marketing? Examine the use of QR codes in destination marketing.