Kraft Heinz brings mobile-activated packaging to Walmart

Brief:

Kraft Heinz this month introduced mobile-activated packaging for Kraft Singles cheese sold at Walmart, letting shoppers use their smartphones to get a coupon for a later purchase, see recipe suggestions and enter a "Find the Golden Single!" contest to win a $50 electronic gift card from the discount chain. The packaging interacts with the near-field communications (NFC) chip in Android smartphones and iPhone 7 or more recent models, per an announcement.
Instead of asking shoppers to use their smartphones to scan a QR code printed on packaging, Kraft lets them hold their mobile devices near a product to activate a mobile page that collects information such as email, state of residence and date of birth to enter the contest.
Kraft Heinz worked with marketing technology company TPG Rewards to offer the "intelligent packaging" at Walmart. TPG also has worked with Excedrin, Snapple, P.F. Chang's Sauces, Flonase and Claritin on mobile "tap" activations, per its announcement. TPG's TAP technology originally was developed to track collateral compliance, and can now be used to engage consumers while they shop.

Insight:

Kraft Heinz's use of intelligence packaging aims to reach shoppers whose smartphones have become a must-have accessory when they browse store aisles. Brands can transform their packaging into an interactive mobile experience that provides more product information, offers instant discounts and collects consumer data that can be used for future promotions.

Kraft Heinz recently has struggled to keep up with changing consumer tastes and competition from healthier or private label brands in recent years, making its in-store marketing programs more crucial to gain attention. The number of U.S. consumers who use mobile coupons was forecast to grow 6.3% percent this year to 142.4 million, per an estimate by eMarketer.

Kraft Singles is among the brands that have added NFC technology to their packaging to activate mobile experiences. California wine brand Böen last month started urging U.S. shoppers to "Tap Our Cap" with a smartphone after equipping bottles with NFC technology that directs mobile users to a website with information about the brand. In June, Pernod Ricard's Malibu brand of coconut-flavored rum brought its NFC-equipped "connected bottle" to the U.S. for the first time after testing it in the U.K. and Germany.

Other brands have adopted computer vision technology that lets shoppers scan products with their smartphone cameras in store aisles to activate a mobile experience. Uncle Ben's, the Mars Food rice brand, this fall started showing content such as ingredient lists, nutrition advice and informational cooking videos through Google Lens, the search company's visual search app. Pinterest also has a visual search tool called Pinterest Lens that's become popular with retailers, along with Pincodes, which, like the Google Lens stickers, can be placed on products or retail displays to be scanned by consumers.