Fox and Glee, what are you doing?

This code showed up right after the announcement for Glee, Season 2 and stayed on the screen for no more than 5 seconds.  Knowing what this was and having the curiosity to interact, we paused the TV so I could snap a picture of the code.  It being Glee, I held out hope that I would find something exclusive on the other end, something fun, engaging, unexpected.

Wrong.  Just another mobile site with videos.

While I was happy to see videos (and even a choice of videos), I just felt jilted of a unique experience, which is what I expect from the Glee “brand.”

Here’s my takeaway from this, one that I haven’t verbalized before now – the brand identity trumps everything.  It sets the context for everything a brand does.  For the Glee brand, it’s not about implementing new technology (QR codes) like everyone else does.  It’s about implementing new technology in the Glee “way,” commiserate with the brand identity.

Right now, with new technology like this, I’m sure brands are merely experimenting without any expectations.  On the consumer side, it’s raising awareness for this type of technology and satisfying an urge to know “more” about their favorite show.  But with this audience, in particular, Glee could take the experiment much deeper while still exposing their audience to the technology.  What about a mash-up?  What about an all-Glee scavenger hunt?  What about a simple ringtone?  These are Glee-type executions that, without consciously thinking about it, I already expect from the brand.  So, when I don’t get it, it makes me care a little bit less, not wanting to engage a little bit more.