March 10, 2010 | Volume 8, Issue 20

Red Wing Fans Enjoy Interactive Game Program

Quick Response Coding allows team to connect with fans through smart phones

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Nicole Yelland
Social Networking Coordinator
Detroit Red Wings
[email protected]
(313) 396-7595

QR Coding in the Red Wings Today game program 

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 26^th 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.

QR Coding in the January 26^th article of Red Wings Today.

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.

No partners were used for this program.

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."

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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