Contradicting typical protocol of an evening at the symphony, patrons attending Saturday evening’s performance on November 12 at the Stamford Symphony will be asked to turn their smartphones on.
 
At the beginning of the concert, Murray Martin, Chairman, President and CEO of Pitney Bowes Inc., will take to the stage to introduce the latest enhancement to the Symphony’s communications strategy, the QR (Quick Response) code, a move the organization is making to keep pace with changing preferences of current and potential patrons.
 
It will be the first-time concertgoers see the black-and-white square appear on Symphony programs, which Martin will describe as yet another way to access the Symphony’s messaging from users’ mobile devices. The invitation to debut Pitney Bowes’s newly unveiled pbSmart Codes to the audience comes from Stamford Symphony CEO Barbara Soroca who believes the time is right to explore new avenues, and new communications technology, to attract fresh faces to the Symphony.
 
“Mobile communication is no longer the future, it is now,” said Soroca.  “In this age of continuous communications, the symphony world must utilize mobile QR codes to interact with our audience. Our intention is to design offers and provide insights to enhance the Stamford Symphony experience and, ultimately, appeal to the younger audience in the community.”  Soroca continued, “We jumped at the opportunity to work with Pitney Bowes, to tap into their area of expertise, and explore the most effective ways of using QR codes to draw new people in to the wonders of classical music.”
 
QR codes now accompany summaries of each performance of the 2011-12 season, and are included in all advertisements, direct mail campaigns, and posters in the theater entrance. By scanning the QR code, patrons can view video interviews with Maestro Eckart Preu, be automatically directed to the Symphony’s website and get immediate access to purchase tickets for an upcoming concert.
 
“We are honored that the Stamford Symphony has invited us into their home, not just for tonight to introduce this new feature, but also into their day-to-day business plan,” said Murray Martin.  “We are excited about the impact pbSmartCodes will have on businesses.  We look forward to working with the Symphony to communicate their messages in new ways and expand interest in their remarkable programs.”

pbSmart™ Codes enable businesses, including cultural organizations such as the Stamford Symphony, to attract and interact with potential customers in ways never thought possible before, using QR codes on physical marketing materials like posters and tickets.

Since customers access the information via a mobile, or “mobi-page,” businesses can update or alter promotions digitally without changing marketing collateral, allowing businesses to remain dynamic and flexible. The product also includes a feature to capture emails for future campaigns, and provides analytics to know if their campaign is effective and to measure ROI.