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Red Wing Fans Enjoy Interactive Game Program |
Quick Response Coding allows team to connect with fans through smart
phones |
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CONTACT |
Advertisement
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Nicole Yelland
Social Networking Coordinator
Detroit Red Wings
[email protected]
(313) 396-7595
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Organization |
Detroit Red Wings |
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PROGRAM TITLE |
QR Coding in
the Red Wings Today
game program
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OBJECTIVES |
The Detroit Red Wings' main organizational mantra for this season
was to become a younger, faster company while freshening up
older mediums of communication by integrating new technology that
would connect better with their fan base. One of these mediums in
need of alteration was the game program, which had seen recent
decreases in sales. The Red Wings wanted to make their printed,
in-arena program more interactive and add a shelf life to its views
with consumers. "We're
looking to enhance our published program, as well as drive usage of
our online material," said Bill Roose, Red Wings manager of new
media and publishing. "We're asking, 'How do we make the program
come alive and have a longer life?' We're also seeing that not
enough of our fans are taking the program home." |
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION |
The Red Wings' New Media
Department decided to move away from the traditional magazine-sized,
paid game program, and switch to a smaller, advertiser-supported
free book with embedded QR codes. QR, or quick response, codes
are electronic bar codes that
link to online content when held up to many cell phones and computer
Web cameras. The Red Wings took into account the affordability of
smart phones equipped with Internet connectivity and saw an
opportunity to interact with fans on a new level. These codes allow
fans to view a video on their mobile device instantaneously from
their seat.
The New Media Department chose the January 26th
issue of the
Red Wings Today game
program to
incorporate this new interactive opportunity. Using entirely
in-house software, the Red Wings were able to embed a QR code into
one of the stories, offering fans a chance to watch the highly
popular "Kronwalled" video on the team's YouTube page.
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QR Coding in the January 26th
article of Red Wings Today. |
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MEDIA |
Understanding that many fans are unfamiliar
with the technology, the team's Web Video Manager, Mike Purgatori,
drove fan participation by creating an instructional video that
played on the video board during the game and featuring "smartphone
interactive, scan here" messaging in the program ads.
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PARTNERS |
No partners were used for this program.
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RESULTS |
This experimental
technology has been a huge hit with Red Wings' fans, connecting the
team and online content to the in-game experience. Fans are actually
using QR code bar scanners on their mobile devices to access the
video, and sticking around to enjoy it. The Red Wings' Social
Networking Coordinator Nicole Yelland emphasized this point by
stating, "The Wings have found mobile devices to be the #1 viewing
medium fans are using to see videos accounting for an overwhelming
22% of fans viewing linked videos nearly 2,000 times all the way
through. We're very excited at the possibilities this technology
provides our team in giving more access and we've only just begun to
tap into the capabilities it provides us in both marketing to our
fans and giving them exactly what they are asking for in terms of
access to their team."
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Fans that scanned the QR Code were able to watch the popular "Kronwalled"
video from the Red Wings' YouTube Page. |
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LOOKING AHEAD |
With a successful trial run now complete, there
are many opportunities for the Red Wings to take advantage of moving forward with
QR codes. Nicole states, "We're looking to
create exclusive video content that is complimentary to stories
included in the magazine, create opportunities for our advertisers
to include offers in their ads via QR codes and put our fans in the
driver's seat when it comes to giving them information on the
Detroit Red Wings."
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL SPORTS FORUM
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THE NSF SALUTES OUR
SPONSOR
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For over 15 years, The National Sports Forum has been the largest annual cross-gathering of the top team sports marketing, sales, promotions, and event entertainment executives from throughout the broad spectrum of teams and leagues in North America. The 2011 NSF Conference and Trade Show will be held on
January 31 - February 2, 2011 in Louisville, KY. Additionally, NSF attendees and vendors rely on the NSF Alumni Association as their key resource for up-to-date and accurate information about what's going on in the sports industry. Visit www.sports-forum.com or contact The National Sports Forum at (619) 469-4101.
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