Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go careening across a lake in the Hurler or the Screamer? Water-sports manufacturer O’Brien is glad to show you – just scan the Microsoft Tag on its products with your smartphone, and you can view “experience” videos like this one for the Hurler (or its big brother, the Barf Ball).
The Tags on O’Brien’s products and in its 2010-11 dealer catalog also offer tips on how to use and care for the products, enabling shoppers to make informed decisions about its wakeboards, skis, tubes, and other gear.
O’Brien added Tag to its marketing repertoire after noticing Tags in magazines such as Entertainment Weekly. Pete Surrette, vice president of sales and marketing, decided that if Tags could effectively market a movie, they could do the same for his water-sports products.
“This went much further than just displaying pictures in advertising,” Surrette says. “Getting your customers to see a video of the product in action makes a huge difference.”
In a recent interview with Internet Retailer, Surrette said he chose Microsoft Tag because it’s in color and can be customized, so that it stands out better than other 2D barcodes. Plus, he believes that QR codes are “old technology, like VHS” and that within five years, Microsoft Tag will “rise to the top.”
“Tags are a very potent ‘silent salesman,’” Surrette told Internet Retailer. “We’ll be launching programs soon with Dick’s Sporting Goods where they feature our Super Screamer on their end-cap displays. We’re incorporating Tags on the header cards in the displays and on all of the product boxes. They’re great sales tools.”
Surrette also praises Tag Manager’s analytics, which enable him to see where and how often individual product Tags are being scanned. Knowing the geographic hot spots “can help us develop strategy in various locations.”
Would watching a video of the Hurler influence your buying decision? Are there even more ideas for getting the O'Brien experience in customer's hands? Let us know in the comments below or on Tag’s Facebook or Twitter pages.