A technology, already available in North America and mainland Europe is set to become ubiquitous in Ireland through mobile services company Digital Reach Group (DRG). Smartphone owners will now have access to instant and extra information on their handsets when they scan a barcode displayed alongside a printed ad, editorial, on merchandise or displays.
The system is set to give print advertising in Ireland boost by making ads truly interactive and rewarding audiences with content they want. As well as additional informative content, competitions, promotions, timetables, music and games can now be easily accessed by pointing and scanning.
DRG has signed a deal with Scanbuy to begin offering the service exclusively in Ireland. Scanbuy is a leading global provider of mobile barcode solutions, or Quick Response (QR) codes, through its system ScanLife.
DRG’s CEO Colm Grealy says: “With mobile internet and smartphones becoming the norm there is an increasing expectation from the public to be able to get the information they have on the internet at home straight to their handset quickly and with no fuss. The service we are bringing to Ireland will truly integrate mobile internet browsing into consumer’s daily lives.”
The service is aimed at advertisers, ad agencies, retailers and traditional media publishers. QR codes can be bought as an add-on to traditional ad campaigns, packaging and merchandise displays. DRG will be offering a full service for advertisers wishing to integrate the technology into a campaign including strategy input, providing unique codes for campaigns and the option of designing the landing page or website behind the code.
Grealy adds: “QR codes are a very exciting development for print and outdoor advertising. For example, we can enhance a movie ad that will allow for someone to see a trailer on their phone instantly, download a movie wall paper and also find out where the next showing of the film will be. This dynamic advertising will give value to advertisers and consumers alike.”
DRG will be offering the platform exclusively in Ireland as part of a growing portfolio of mobile services, including mobile phone apps, advertising sales, advertising networks and ad-serving technology. The company is already in discussions with a major publisher to start using the system to offer additional value to printed ads and editorial content.
“The proliferation of internet equipped phones such as iPhones, Android and newer Nokia handsets gives advertisers a tremendous opportunity to reach a sizable and engaged audience. With mobile codes the offline and online world can now be easily bridged. A scan of a print ad will instantly take people directly to a supporting web site and the opportunities are endless from there,” said Scanbuy CEO Jonathan Bulkeley.
The Scanlife app is available for download on most popular phones including, Nokia, iPhone, Samsung and handsets using Google’s Android system.
DRG offers advertisers and businesses a full mobile web strategy service including app development and site optimisation for mobile viewing. The company was behind RTE’s highly successful News Now iPhone app and sells advertising on many highly popular mobile sites including Vodafone and Meteor for which it recently announced another exclusive deal.
For further information please contact:
Bernice Burnside/Thomas Brunkard
Bvisible Communications www.bvisible.ie
01-845-2401
087-2337366/085-7189920
bernice@bvisible.ie / thomas@bvisible.ie
About Digital Reach Group (DRG)
Irish mobile services company Digital Reach Group (DRG) was established in September 2009 and comprises two divisions. Its advertising network and sales division, Adforce, provides a single point of contact for media agencies and brands wishing to buy advertising across a number of the most visited mobile Internet sites in Ireland. A second division, Digital Reach, offers a full end-to -end service to website publishers including advertising sales, apps and the ad-serving technology.
DRG currently employs 10 people from its Dublin offices with plans for expansion in the coming months.
Existing clients include RTE, Meteor, Vodafone, Bebo and the HSE. More information can be found at www.drg.ie
About Scanbuy
Scanbuy is the leading global provider of mobile barcode solutions that use the camera phone as the link between the physical world and the digital world. The ScanLife solution consists of a multi-barcode reader application and interoperable Code Management Platform. The technology has been successfully deployed and supported by leading mobile providers and handset manufacturers in the United States, Mexico, Chile, Spain, Italy and Denmark. Media companies and marketers use the solution to create and manage measurable 2D barcode campaigns, extending brand engagement onto mobile devices.
Scanbuy has the largest and oldest patent portfolio of any company in the industry, with over 30 patents granted covering the entire solution. The company’s investors include Motorola Ventures, Masthead Venture Partners and Hudson Ventures.
For more information on Scanbuy, please visit www.scanbuy.com or www.scanlife.com
