Film production company Fox Searchlight Pictures is drawing promotion for its new “Martha Marcy May Marlene” film via  mobile bar codes.

The mobile bar codes are placed on marketing materials, including both outdoor locations and traditional print marketing materials throughout New York and Los Angeles. The film hits theaters on Oct. 21.

“For the marketer, QR codes are effective because they are able to connect media to other content and they are easy to track,” said David Javitch, vice president of marketing at Scanbuy, New York.

Mr. Javitch is not affiliated with Fox Searchlight Pictures. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Fox Searchlight Pictures is a international film company that distributes movies under Twentieth Century Fox. The company did not respond to press inquiries.

Exclusive scans
Users can scan the mobile bar codes on the promotional products and be taken to a landing page where they can watch two exclusive trailers for the film.

“Using exclusive content is a strategy we highly recommend to our clients,” Mr. Javitch said.

“You always have to be thinking about the end user, and if you can’t activate exclusive content without scanning the code, then the campaign has a high engagement factor,” he said.

Consumers can also view additional information about the film via the mobile bar codes.

According to Mr. Javitch, one of the key parts of a mobile bar code campaigns for marketers to understand is knowing where your audience will see the ads and how it will impact how they interact with the ads.

“One perspective is that print ads generally have good results because consumers have the most time to engage with them,” Mr. Javitch said.

“However, with advertisements that are on subways and are outdoors, consumers can potentially sign up for email blasts and more information,” he said.

Movie magic
This campaign is not the first time Fox Searchlight Pictures has embraced mobile bar codes.

In 2009, the film company drove awareness to the movie Notorious with mobile bar codes on promotional materials around New York (see story).

Giving consumers additional content as plugs for movies and entertainment is nothing new, but exclusive content gives consumers an incentive to engage with mobile.

According to Fox Searchlight Pictures, videos  for Martha Marcy May Marlene are exclusive  only by scanning the mobile bar codes.

“Mobile bar codes give users added value when they scan something they can’t find elsewhere,” Mr. Javitch said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York