Video Marketing Archives - Fair Trade Connection

Sep 20

FAQ about the QR Code Videos

By Diana Muñoz | Digital Marketing, Video Marketing

How do you know people will scan the QR codes?

While there is no absolute guarantee that people will scan the QR codes, our research on whether they would be an interesting marketing tool look pretty promising.

For example, US based Marketing Agency MGH has published a research called “QR code usage and interest survey”. The survey was conducted among 415 smartphone users and shows that:

65% of respondents answered “yes” to the question: “Have you ever seen a QR code before?”
56% of respondents who had seen a QR code before have seen it on a product
49% of respondents who had seen a QR code before have used one
To the question “Would you be interested in using a QR code, either for the first time or again?”, 70% of respondents answered “yes”, only 9% answered “No” and 23% answered “I don’t know”
To the question “What have you used a QR code for?”, respondents answered:
- To get a discount, a coupon or a deal (53%)
- To access additional information (52%)
- To access a video (24%)

Access the whole survey here

We also have conducted our own survey (with our limited means), we asked :

“If your favorite fair trade product had a QR Code on its packaging that could connect you to a short video telling the producer’s story, would you take 2 minutes to scan it and watch the video?”

We received 60 answers:

50 said: Yes this sounds like a great idea
7 said: No, I’m not interested
3 said: I don’t know what a QR code is

Source: Fair Trade Connection Survey on Facebook

How will you cover all the fair trade products, there are too many?

Our idea is not to cover each and every product sold by WFTO members – that would be an impossible task – but rather to create at least 1 video per producer member and ideally 1 video per product line sold by a producer member (ex. Leather, wood, jewelry, textile, … for Bombolulu Workshops).

We’ve tried QR codes with the Geo Fair Trade Project and consumers did not use them

As Inboud marketing specialist Hubspot explains: “there are a number of reasons why QR codes might be going “out of style,” but the most important is probably that they’re often misused. They’re in subway stations where there’s no WiFi, on TV commercials that have an air time of a second or two, and some of them lead to broken links or landing pages that aren’t optimized for mobile. Once a consumer is disappointed by the mobile experience behind a QR code, she may never scan one again.”

Source: “Are QR codes dead?”, Lindsay Kolowich, Hubspot

Unlike the Geo Fair Trade concept that led the QR code user to a mini website containing lots of written information, our concept leads the user to a video in only 1 click/tap. The video format allows us to present the information in a dynamic and entertaining way. But most importantly, the user can relax and enjoy the experience instead of going through the effort of reading a lot of complex information.

How will you measure the effectiveness of the QR codes?

One metric that we’ll have at hand to measure the success of the QR codes is the number of views for each videos. We should set some goals in terms of reach before launching the campaign and monitor them throughout time.

Also, in her article “QR Codes: When Do They Work?“, marketing expert Asia Matos explains that:

QR codes really, truly work when these things are present:

1/ There must be added value so great, that the user actually thinks about the opportunity cost of not scanning the code.

2/ The placement of the QR code must be perfect. There has to be enough foot traffic, but can’t be in an annoying place where people won’t want to stop.

3/ If placement is an issue, the QR code must be transportable, i.e. placing the QR code on a Taco Bell cup that the user can take with them.

Source: ”QR Codes: When Do They Work?”, Asia Matos, http://education.arke.com

We believe the videos will deliver that great value to the fair trade consumers who often are wondering “If Fair Trade is really helping the producers and how”. We also believe in the series effect and trust once a consumer will have enjoyed the experience of learning more about the producer of 1 specific product he will be tempted to scan other products to hear more stories about how fair trade is improving the producers’ livelihoods.

Because the QR code will be placed on the product directly, consumers can scan them in the shop (less likely but possible) but also in the comfort of their homes with their good WIFI connection.

Printing the QR codes on the product labels requires a big investment

Yes printing the QR codes on the product labels/packaging will have a cost. In the early stages of the campaign, this cost could be reduced by adding a simple label to the products with the QR code on it and a call to action. But we believe the campaign will be truly effective if the QR codes were fully integrated in the design of the packaging. Placing the QR code right next to the new “WFTO guaranteed member” label will improve WFTO’s credibility as a agent for change and strengthen its brand image.

You have more questions/concerns about the use of QR codes on the fair trade products?
Send us an email, we will do our best to bring you answers.

Sep 16

The Revolution Fair Trade Needs

By Ronny Hermosa | Digital Marketing, Video Marketing | One Comment

We have always believed in the benefits of fair trade for marginalized producers and were strong supporters of the movement even before starting Fair Trade Connection. Being on the road for so long and meeting so many of them has just confirmed our initial feeling that fair trade contributes to lifting small producers out of poverty and gives them more control over their lives.

We have been to the villages, talked to the artisans, shared meals with their families, visited their houses and spent hundreds of hours getting to know them. What comes out is a huge collection of testimonies all pointing out to the same reality: fair trade products are made with love and the income that they generate do create better lives.

Our job now is to tell you these stories, so that just like us, you can realize that fair trade does make a difference.

Fair Trade and Social Media
Most Western fair trade organizations (retailers and labeling organizations) have already adopted Social Media and use them as part of their marketing efforts to different extents. Social Media is now the name of the game, even for fair trade.

Organizations share all kinds of content on different Social Media platforms. Many of them provide information about the products they sell, raise awareness through advocacy campaigns, communicate about events that they organize and so on.

We believe that the positive growth of fair trade sales (12% increase since 2010 according to Fairtrade International) could be, at least partially, explained by the ever growing use of social media to promote the movement.
We see in social media the perfect tool for further connecting producers and consumers.
One tool in particular caught our attention…

QR Codes
If you’ve been in a public space in the last year or two, you’ve probably seen a QR (Quick Response) code —a small, square two-dimensional barcode that looks a bit like a miniature chess board. People who see these codes can use an application on their mobile phone to scan them and view information immediately.

In the context of fair trade, we strongly believe that the QR codes can deliver real value for retailers and consumers at the right place and the right time, offering a great medium for sharing the artisans’ story. A study shows that nearly half of all smartphone users have used their phones while shopping in brick-and-mortar stores.
Fair trade is ready for a revolution and the QR codes might bring just that.

We can make your products speak

The concept
Our concept is simple: we will use the QR code technology to create a link to the artisan’s story.
By scanning the QR code on the product label with a smartphone or a tablet, one will access a short video of the farmer or artisan who produced the product.
The aim is to connect fair trade consumers to the people and communities that they are supporting by buying the products.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynb2VGLeASk

Our Content Library
So far we have gathered around 300 interviews, mostly from certified handicraft producers (WFTO). We also met a few FLO-certified organizations, generating interviews about food products. Of course this is just the beginning and we plan on meeting many more producers in the months to come.
Our current video collection allows us to cover over 500 different products distributed by an estimated 20 Western retailers. This means that our videos could be used by most of the major fair trade retailers and producers but also supermarkets who distribute fair trade certified products.

Be a part of the QR Revolution
It is a fact that smartphones are replacing old « dumb » mobile phones at a rapid pace, so more and more people could get a QR code scanner for free. This opens a new and not yet well explored world to marketers by creating an offline-to-online experience.
It is only a matter of time before QR codes hit mainstream. Knowing how to implement them in the right way for your fair trade business will keep your brand on the cutting edge of marketing and technology.
By using QR code technology to create a connection between the producers and the consumers your business will not only answer the eternal question of the impacts of fair trade on the local communities, it will grab a competitive edge on its competitors who will stay out of the digital game.

Download the full report here: We Can Make Your Products Speak.

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