Apparel retailer Miss Me is driving brand awareness and increasing sale purchases via a mobile QR code campaign.

Miss Me is tapping into its fashion-savvy consumers with videos that feature a behind-the-scenes look at its current collection. The mobile bar codes are featured in a variety of the company’s marketing materials, including magazine advertisements.

“QR codes are a way for our brand to reach out to our consumers,” said Jody Che, marketing and public relations manager for Miss Me, Los Angeles.

“Consumers get to experience the Miss Me brand through an interactive interface and gives an instantaneous return for print ads,” she said.

Interactive collections
Once consumers  scan the  QR code, they are taken to an interactive teaser video for the company’s current collection.

Consumers are then prompted to watch a video feature’s Miss Me’s current collection. The video also shows users images from the campaign and lets consumers access the clothing company’s Web site.

According to Ms. Che, Miss Me was one of the first retailers to use QR codes because the company saw an opportunity to use the new technology a few years as an innovative way to gage consumers’ interest in the brand.

“We started using the QR codes three to four seasons ago and have seen that they are a fantastic resource for interacting with our consumers,” Ms. Che said.

“Our consumers are young and connected to their mobile devices like no other generation,” she said.

“We didn’t see a specific need from consumers asking for ways to interact with their smartphones, but we did see mobile as a way to try to connect them with our brand on a device they use everyday.”

Brand therapy
Miss Me also has plans to grow its campaigns into a more interactive, commerce-driven experience with a scan-to-shop feature the brand hopes to launch soon.

“I think we’re eventually going to see more ways to make the buying process easier for consumers with retail on mobile,” Ms. Che said.

“The goal is to eliminate every possible middle step a consumer might have to make when purchasing an item to create a streamlined buying experience,” she said.

Miss Me is only one example of a retailer trying to connect with its users via mobile.

For example, retailer Paul Frank recently launched an iPhone game to increase brand awareness using the company’s mascot, Julius.

Additionally, Tommy Hilfiger used an augmented-reality app this year to let consumers virtually try on items from the company’s limited-edition Prep World collection.

“In this age, everyone is plugged into technology and advertisements, but people are rarely connected to a brand in the process” Ms. Che said.

“The next goal of retailers is going to be trying to find a way to make a meaningful connection with a brand while on their mobile devices,” she said.

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