The company tapped JagTag’s 2D bar code technology and has integrated it into in-store signage. By snapping and sending a photo of the JagTags with any camera phone, consumers can automatically enter to win an all-access VIP package to a Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon of their choice, or other prizes, such as free running shoes and a runner’s gift bag with a water bottle, T-shirt, keychain and eco-tote.

“The Ghost 3 shoe launch featuring JagTag is designed to engage the consumer and to have them interact with the product,” said Dyana Berger, retail programs manager at Brooks Sports, Bothell, WA. “We bake a lot of technology into a shoe like the Ghost 3, and most of it is not visible at a quick glance. 

“After viewing the product video and entering the contest, we hope a consumer starts a conversation with a sales clerk not only about the product but also about the Brooks brand, helping increase our brand awareness,” she said.

“We then hope to continue an ongoing, direct dialogue with that consumer to give them more running related information that might be of interest to them.”

Brooks Sports is a running company that designs and markets a line of performance footwear, apparel and accessories in more than 40 countries worldwide.

To promote the new Ghost 3 performance running shoe from Brooks, mobile 2D bar codes are featured in print materials and on employee promotional t-shirts at 600 retail locations nationwide, as well as in direct mailings to 10,000 Finish Line consumers.

Consumers who engage with the bar codes receive a video about the Ghost 3 shoe and an opportunity to opt-in for more information and communications from Brooks, the official footwear and apparel sponsor of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series.

“We know space is limited on the retail footwear wall, prohibiting room for video monitors or large posters explaining shoes’ features and benefits,” Ms. Berger said. “With the JagTag 2D bar codes program, we are able to bring the product to life with a snap of a photo.

“It’s a medium that allows today’s consumers to interact with and consume production information like never before,” she said.

JagTag mobile 2D bar codes work on all major wireless carriers and camera phones in the United States without requiring users to download an application.

The Brooks “Host the Ghost” campaign incorporates the bar codes to strengthen the in-store marketing experience.

The campaign will run nationwide until Aug. 31.

“JagTag enables brands to connect the dots between their traditional media and digital assets, creating a more integrated and immersive campaign,” said Ed Jordan, CEO of JagTag, New York. “By placing unique JagTags on different media, brands can identify the source of a consumer engagement and measure the media’s relative effectiveness.”