PARTNER NEWS: Food giant Kraft Heinz is using tamper resistant NXP NFC tags for an innovative marketing campaign that lets customers tap their NFC phone to a tag incorporated into product packaging for a chance to win a gift card — but only if they have first purchased the product and opened the packet.

Tamper resistant NFC tags are typically used to provide proof to consumers and supply chain participants that a product has not been opened before it reaches them.

The Kraft campaign turns this concept on its head, however, as consumers are instead only able to enter the competition once the product has been opened.

Kraft Heinz worked with TPG Rewards on the intelligent Instantly Redeemable Coupon (IRC) project, using NXP NTAG 213 TagTamper tags.

“There is a small conductive loop inside the NTAG 213 TagTamper that indicates package open/closed status,” NXP’s Tim Daly explains.

“On startup, the tag checks the loop. A closed loop indicates the package seal is intact, while an open loop indicates that the package’s seal has been broken and the product may have been interfered with.

“If the tag detects an open loop, it records the status in memory and reports it whenever the tag is read.”

“It’s a cost-effective, easy-to-use way to ensure that foods, beverages, medications and other consumer packaged goods remain in their original condition while travelling through the supply chain and are safe to use.

“But with the Kraft Heinz project, we’ve turned that idea on its head. Instead of the NTAG 213 TagTamper reporting status to inspectors in the supply chain, it’s communicating directly with consumers, before and after the sale.”

How it works

“In Walmart stores across the US, premium display locations have specially marked Kraft bunker coolers stocked with Kraft Singles, the familiar blocks of individually wrapped slices of American cheese.

“Each Kraft Singles package carries a brightly coloured label with an NTAG 213 TagTamper inside.

“The label invites consumers to tap their Android or iPhone smartphone to the package to view recipes while in store and, after purchase, to play the ‘Find the Golden Single’ game for a chance to win a US$50 Walmart eGift Card.

“Access to the mobile browser-based game is triggered by breaking the tamper loop in the NFC tag (or in simple terms, a consumer opening the package) and tapping the package, to instantly unlock Kraft’s ‘Find the Golden Single’ scratch-and-win style mobile game.

“In an easy to follow process, the consumer swipes their finger across their screen to reveal either a winning tile for the eGift Card or a ‘try again’ option, which includes a link to ‘delicious recipes’ using the Kraft Singles product.”

“The Kraft Heinz project underscores the idea that product packaging represents one of the best ways for brands to create a direct, one-to-one connection with consumers before, during and after the purchase,” Daly says.

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