Clutter-breakers: Cleartrip's guerilla-esque ad that uses QR codes and print

In an age when newspapers and print advertisements no longer have the same impact or influence as they used to, ClearTrip’s interactive ad in a leading newspaper gives print a disruptive edge, blending the old and the contemporary seamlessly to provide readers with a unique and fascinating experience.

What's the big idea: With the onset of the festive season, brands are offering extensive and attractive offers and discounts on their products and services to cater to a larger consumer base. ClearTrip, a company focused on providing the best deals for travellers on flight tickets and hotel stays, saw an opportunity here. They released their own print ad which had a small QR code attached to it.

ClearTrip created a micro-site which opened once the QR code was scanned. With the help of this micro-site, you could scan any advertisement in the newspaper that offered what would seem like a steal-deal. Upon scanning the ads, you would be redirected to ClearTrip’s website where an airline ticket or the price of a hotel stay would be shown at the same or similar bargain rate.

Have you seen our print ad today? We hijacked the festive season & turned every sale into a #Cleartrip ad. The QR code on the ad takes you to a webpage where you can scan any product #ad in the newspaper to unlock insane travel offers on #Cleartrip for the price of that product. pic.twitter.com/s5wEo8r5kY

— Cleartrip (@Cleartrip) September 23, 2022

For example, if an e-commerce brand is offering an expensive phone worth Rs.50000 at a 50% discount, upon scanning you would be shown a hotel in India or abroad that has slashed its rates by almost 50%.

Similarly, if you spot the price of a smartwatch discounted to Rs.6000, upon scanning you would be redirected to an airline ticket to an exotic destination worth the same amount.

The guerilla factor: A smart move by the brand of using not just the traditional newspaper but also the modern smartphone in tandem to market its services.

A fabulous idea, brilliantly executed by the agency - Talented, proving that even traditional media has scope to be disruptive and interactive and can be equally fun, if used innovatively.

Ad-jackers: Newspapers and print, though comparatively less consumed in this digital age, can still be as relevant as before if used thoughtfully. Cleartrip's almost guerilla tactic of hijacking other brands' festive quarter advertising, certainly makes it a standout-campaign in the seasonal ad clutter.